"My lady, what is this? It smells quite pleasant."
Ling Mo Han was drawn by the fragrance, but dared not approach, fearing he might touch something he shouldn't. After all, Feng Jin always carried these troublesome items with her, and he didn't want to be a guinea pig for free.
Feng Jin placed the snow lotus petals into a bottle. "Do you want to try? I just developed this. It's for beauty and anti-aging, to lighten fine lines and whiten the skin."
"As a man, wouldn't it be a laughing matter for me to use these feminine things?" Ling Mo Han said dismissively. He was the mighty God of War of Southern Chu, a man standing tall under the heavens. If word got out that he used such things, wouldn't people laugh their teeth out?
"Who are you? The God of War of Southern Chu, yet you were still poisoned and ambushed, and in the end, you still had to rely on me, a mere woman, to save you." Feng Jin's words carried a hint of mockery. She glanced at Ling Mo Han. He was indeed good-looking, pleasant to the eyes, but his skin appeared rather rough. To be honest, she preferred young, fresh men with fair, tender skin that felt comfortable to the touch. Who knew that after transmigrating, heaven wouldn't grant her wish and instead gave her a rough man who fought on the battlefield.
Ling Mo Han immediately sensed the pity in Feng Jin's eyes and panicked. "What do you mean by that? Do you think marrying me was a loss!"
Feng Jin nodded decisively. "Of course. You look passable, but your skin is so rough and a little dark. Most importantly, you're poor! You're so old and still living crammed with this whole family, no house, no money. Following you has truly wronged me."
Her dowry alone from her late mother was worth millions, not to mention the gifts from the elderly madam of Pingyang Manor and the Empress Dowager. Each item was priceless. She was a bona fide rich woman. Looking at Ling Mo Han, the value of his meager possessions couldn't even match the cost of one of her sets of jewelry. Marrying him was indeed a compromise.
Ling Mo Han was rendered speechless. Everything Feng Jin said was undeniably true. His salary and imperial rewards were partly used to purchase military supplies, and the rest was distributed to the families of fallen soldiers. He was not just broke; he was desperately poor, almost in debt.
"See for yourself, which statement is wrong? Even the medicinal herbs you drink are worth a fortune. A bowl of your medicine is worth ten taels of gold..." Feng Jin enumerated everything, only then realizing how much she had overpaid. Her heart ached. The money she had painstakingly earned was all being spent on others.
Ling Mo Han guiltily turned his head away and hastily pretended, "I'm tired. I'll sleep now." With that, he threw back the quilt and lay down.
"Get off me! This quilt is made of warm satin, and each foot of cloth costs twenty gold. The mattress is filled with the finest silk. You sleep so comfortably." Pity her, she had to make do on the soft couch for the past two days, while Ling Mo Han slept soundly in her bed.
Ling Mo Han then noticed the quilt on his body. No wonder the material felt warm to the touch, and the mattress beneath him was exceptionally soft, improving his sleep significantly over the past two days. He was using all these expensive items. Ling Mo Han couldn't help but admire Feng Jin's extravagance; she truly knew how to enjoy life. On the battlefield, having a place to shield him from wind and rain was a luxury.
"Extravagance abounds," Ling Mo Han couldn't help but sigh, yet he realistically enjoyed the hundred-gold quilt.
"Get off me! You eat my food, drink my drinks, and then you slander me for being extravagant? You're simply a freeloader!" Feng Jin felt like she was about to explode. This was the first time she had met someone who acted so shamelessly while freeloading. He was eating soft rice and still acting tough.
"My freeloading is also a skill; others wish they could do it!" Ling Mo Han retorted righteously, leaving Feng Jin at a loss for words. He did have a point...
Just as Feng Jin was about to explode, Lu Shi entered and reported, "Young General, Madam, the person Li San was meeting has been apprehended."
"Well done!" Feng Jin praised. Lu Shi's efficiency was indeed impressive.
"We managed to capture him alive this time, all thanks to the arrows the Young Madam provided to your subordinate. The Young Madam is truly a divine strategist, predicting he would commit suicide." After these events, Lu Shi was filled with admiration for Feng Jin. Feng Jin's status in his heart was gradually surpassing Ling Mo Han's.
Ling Mo Han, ignored by both of them, turned ashen. This Lu Shi was clearly confused about who his superior was. He cleared his throat with dissatisfaction. "Lu Shi, have you found out who was behind this?"
"We haven't interrogated him yet. I came specifically to ask the Young Madam for her guidance..."
"You don't even know how to interrogate anymore? You come to ask the Young Madam for everything. What use are you? If you continue to be so lazy, just go back to the barracks and I'll have Li Zhong replace you."
"Your subordinate knows his mistake. Young General, please calm your anger." Lu Shi begged for mercy in a fright. The border was harsh and cold; he had endured the biting wind there for three full years and didn't want to experience it again.
"Since you know you're wrong, why aren't you getting out of here!"
"Your subordinate takes his leave." Lu Shi fled as if shot, not forgetting to close the door behind him. Outside the door, Lu Shi sighed dejectedly. Why did he feel that the Young General was so strange today...
"Brother Lu, did the Young General chase you out?"
"Isn't that obvious? Don't you see the expression on Brother Lu's face? He must have been thoroughly scolded by the Young General."
"To see Brother Lu being scolded by the Young General, we brothers are truly enlightened today." Some guards who were close to Lu Shi couldn't help but tease and joke upon seeing his predicament.
"Go... go... hurry up and get back to your duties! If you anger the Young General, none of you will escape unscathed!" Having been thoroughly berated, Lu Shi was filled with pent-up anger and unleashed it on them with a barrage of scolding.
"What's gotten into you, picking a fight with Lu Shi? He didn't do anything wrong." Feng Jin spoke up in Lu Shi's defense. He hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was being verbally abused with unjustified anger.
Ling Mo Han's expression turned displeased. He stepped closer to Feng Jin, his tone laced with a warning. "You are forbidden from defending other men in the future." His own wife shouldn't be defending other men.
"I am merely stating facts, not defending him. I would treat anyone else the same way." Feng Jin replied neither subserviently nor arrogantly. She was simply stating the facts and not deliberately defending Lu Shi.
"You don't need to be jealous for no reason."