Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 857 Extra: He Tan (3)

He Tan felt someone checking his abdominal wound, followed by the rustling sound of dressing being changed. The person's hands were very light and extremely... careful, so he didn't feel much pain.

The medicine was finally changed, but the person didn't leave. Instead, he reached out and touched his forehead.

"It's not hot anymore, why hasn't he woken up yet?" The voice was filled with deep worry. "I brought the new wound medicine made by Baode Temple, it's usually very effective."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone next to her said, "Madam, there's no need to worry too much. Young Master He has always been in good health and should recover soon."

He Tan then heard a long sigh.

"Two years ago, when he came to my house, he said a few words and left in a hurry. Should I have stopped him then?"

Upon hearing this, He Tan felt a sudden, inexplicable panic.

He knew whose voice it was; it was Zhang Erniangzi.

Zhang Yueran continued, "I thought he would come back, but I didn't expect to disappear for two years."

The maid asked, "Then why... when you saw Madam Xie, didn't you ask her to pass on a message?"

Zhang Yueran said, "I suspect there might be fighting in the Northwest soon, we can't let these trivial matters delay him..."

“My lady,” the maid said, “the madam once said that being too kind to people will only lead to being bullied!”

Zhang Yueran stopped speaking.

The military tent was quiet. After an unknown amount of time, He Tan heard sounds again.

“No need to rush,” Zhang Yueran was clearly telling him, “You haven’t rested in a long time, take a good day to recuperate, that way you will recover faster.”

"Take it easy."

He Tan's heartbeat calmed down after hearing her words, and she fell asleep again.

He slept for a long time, and in his dreams he was always riding a horse and fighting.

The war seemed to have no end, and he could not afford to slacken his efforts in the slightest.

In the midst of the battle, he suddenly turned his head and saw a woman in a crimson dress standing there gracefully.

The surrounding scenery changed instantly. The battlefield was gone, and the area became a sea of ​​flowers, with wild roses blooming everywhere. She stood among the roses, her dress blending with the petals, like a fairy among flowers.

He Tan slowly opened his eyes, and what he saw was naturally not the scene from his dream.

"My dear, my dear."

The servant's urgent voice rang out, and He Tan turned his head to look, meeting a pair of surprised eyes.

"My lord, you're finally awake! The doctor said your injury is nothing serious, but you slept for three whole days." Those three days must have terrified him.

He Tan took a deep breath and had the servant help him to his feet: "I was probably... too tired and slept for too long."

“You’re not tired,” the servant said, “it’s because you’ve lost too much blood.”

There was movement inside the military tent, and people outside rushed over to check, especially Zeng Jiqing, who practically ran to He Tan.

"How are you feeling?" Zeng Jiqing asked.

He Tan said, "It's all ready."

"Enough of your nonsense," Zeng Jiqing's face changed. "You said you were fine before, but you fell ill and slept for three days. Do you know that I have already invited four doctors to come over in these three days? If you don't make a sound today, I am prepared to throw you on horseback and take you to the capital, so that at least your family can see you one last time."

“Pah,” He Tan said deliberately, “Don’t say such unlucky things.”

He didn't want to either. Zeng Jiqing said, "In any case, after I go back, I will tell my father that the court should find someone else to help you with the Hehuang matter. I will not come to help you."

"I still want to live a peaceful and comfortable life. Anyway, the Emperor has granted me a certificate of merit, so even if I do nothing, I will still be the Marquis of Changyuan in the future."

He Tan smiled and said, "But I see that Marquis Changyuan is in good health. It's uncertain whether you or your son will outlive each other. You can't be a playboy for the rest of your lives, can you?"

“You…” Zeng Jiqing reached out to hit He Tan.

"How about we transfer Liu Tonghan instead?"

He Tan nodded: "We need him, but he's used to being with Zhao Zhongliang. The two of them, one a scholar and the other a warrior, will be inseparable for years to come." Liu Tonghan was officially granted an official position by the court last year and is now the head of a county. Even Zuo Shangying, who was transferred back to the capital, envies him.

Zuo Shangying was credited with procuring supplies during the suppression of the rebellion, but he did not get to participate in the actual fighting like Liu Tonghan. Zuo Shangying always felt it was a pity. What he regretted was not a chance to make a contribution, but the opportunity to learn how to deal with the overall situation by following Wang Yan and Madam Xie.

Liu Tonghan was not as good as Zuo Shangying before, but after only a few years by Lady Xie's side, he has already shown the potential to surpass Zuo Shangying.

He Tan suddenly grabbed Zeng Jiqing's hand: "We still need to ask the court for more people. Brother Zeng, please keep an eye on the candidates."

The Northwest frontier needs too many people; one Liu Tonghan is far from enough.

Zeng Jiqing disdainfully shook off He Tan: "You've got the Zeng family wrapped around your little finger, haven't you? You've tied us to this place." He even suspected that sending them to the Northwest wasn't just to help He Tan deal with the Duke of Wei, but rather to prepare for today.

This forced him into a connection with the troops stationed in the Northwest.

As Zeng Jiqing thought about it more deeply, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. Wang Yan had actually paved the way for the next few years.

"You can rest now!" Zeng Jiqing yawned. "I've had all the official business delivered to you. It's nothing serious, so don't bother me."

He Tan slept for three days and worked for three days straight, both coming from the battlefield. He wasn't made of iron, and he couldn't keep going any longer.

Zeng Jiqing walked out, and He Tan then carefully recalled the experiences of the past few days, as if he had been in a dream, a dream in which Zhang Erniangzi was also present.

He Tan subconsciously reached out to touch the wound on his abdomen.

The wound was carefully bandaged with strips of cloth, and on it... He Tan pulled back the blanket and tore open his clothes to look. There was a pretty knot tied on it, which was... a Pepsi knot.

He would recognize it because his mother would tie one around his waist with her own hands every time he went to war, as a symbol of good fortune. He Tan was certain that the doctors in the army would not, and could not, tie such a knot.

So he wasn't dreaming; Zhang Erniangzi really came here and treated his wounds.

"Hezhou," He Tan called over his guards, "which doctor has been taking care of me these past three days?"

He Zhou was taken aback: "Yes...yes..."

“Speak quickly,” He Tan continued, “If you refuse to tell the truth, then get back to Jiangnan.”

He Zhou then whispered, "It was Madam who instructed us not to say anything, saying it was all for your own good." He was also afraid of doing something wrong with good intentions, and what if he messed things up?
"But I didn't intend to hide it, and I didn't even change the bandage for you."

If his own husband still can't find out, then it means he's intentionally not wanting to mention it, and he can only pretend not to know.

"Where is she?" He Tan asked immediately.

Hezhou said, "Zhang Erniangzi said that the young master's pulse has stabilized today and he will definitely wake up, so she will not linger any longer and has already set off to return to the capital."

He Tan's heart sank: "When did you leave?"

Hezhou thought for a moment: "About an hour and a half ago."

"On horseback or in a carriage?"

"carriage."

He Tan didn't delay and immediately dressed and went outside: "If there's anything in the army, send it to the young master. If anyone asks, just say I'm still recovering from my injuries."

He Zhou hurriedly replied, "Young master, just go after them. We'll take care of things here."

He Tan rested for three days, and although he was still a little weak, he couldn't worry about anything else and had to bring the person back first.

……

He Tan continued along the official road without stopping and finally caught up with the Zhang family's carriage.

He blocked the carriage's path, and Zhang's coachman was startled and quickly reined in his horse.

He Tan leaped off his horse and nimbly stepped forward, asking, "Is Second Madam here?"

The curtain was slowly lifted, and He Tan looked up, and sure enough, she saw that pretty face with a touch of heroism.

Zhang Yueran looked at He Tan with surprise in her eyes: "Lord He."

He Tan's gaze lingered on Zhang Yueran's face for a moment before he finally said, "We've met before, haven't we?"

Zhang Yueran knew that He Tan wasn't referring to the time Wang Yan got married, and she nodded.

He Tan continued, "When?"

Zhang Yueran said, "About five years ago, when Lord He returned to Yuhang, I visited the He family."

He Tan quickly figured out what was going on. Every time he returned home, his mother would hold a banquet in the mansion, hoping that he would take a fancy to a lady from another family.

He was naturally reluctant to look at it, and unexpectedly missed it.

“If you have no further questions, sir,” Zhang Yueran said, “we still have a long way to go.”

The Zhang family continued driving their carriage forward, gradually traveling quite a distance, seemingly about to leave He Tan's sight. Suddenly, He Tan mounted his horse again and chased after them, blocking the carriage for the second time.

The servant driving the carriage in the Zhang family gave a wry smile, but He Tan ignored him and knocked on the carriage again.

Zhang Yueran lifted the curtain again: "My lord..."

"Can we do it again?" He Tan asked.

Zhang Yueran, unaware of what was going on, said, "Lord He is right..."

“I didn’t get to see Second Madam at the banquet at home that time,” He Tan said. “I asked my mother to host another banquet, hoping that Second Madam would be willing to visit again.”

"This time... I won't be blind."

In five years, she went from a woman of marriageable age to over twenty-one years old, an age that others might think she would never be able to get married.

But she still refused to get married.

He Tan didn't think that Zhang Erniangzi had been waiting for him all along. Instead, he guessed that she was like him, unable to meet someone she liked, and wouldn't easily agree to marriage.

He Tan stared intently at Zhang Yueran, hoping she would nod, but the curtain gradually blocked his view.

The coachman jumped back onto the carriage.

Just as He Tan's heart sank, he heard a voice from inside the carriage: "I won't be going to Yuhang for a while, but if I were in Bianjing, I could keep the appointment."

“Then Bianjing,” He Tan said. “I can manage to return to the capital in a month, and then I will send my visiting card.”

Zhang Yueran responded.

He Tan stared blankly as the carriage disappeared on the official road. He suddenly understood why Wang Yan had run away so easily back in Daming Prefecture, leaving him all alone.

Thinking of this, He Tan suddenly sneezed loudly.

……

In the army, Zeng Jiqing, his eyes bloodshot, cursed, "Tell me, where did He Tan run off to? I promise I won't kill him after I find out the truth."

(End of this chapter)