Tiger Owl

Chapter 190 Zhao Yun's Marriage
Early in the morning, Lu Su brought good news to Gan Ning: "General, Zhao Fan of Guiyang County and Liu Du and his son of Lingling County have surrendered. We overthought it. In reality, they surrendered at the first sign of trouble. General Zilong has taken Guiyang County and General Huang has taken Lingling County."

Gan Ning said with delight, "This is a good thing! It must be because our capture of Wuling County has greatly deterred them that they chose to surrender."

Lu Su pondered for a moment and said, "Liu Du and his son in Lingling County are indeed like that. They have few soldiers and generals, and they have a good personal relationship with Huang Zhong. So Huang Zhong wrote them a letter and Liu Du and his son surrendered. But Zhao Fan's situation is a bit more complicated."

What's going on with Zhao Fan?

"Zhao Fan has a grudge against the general!"

"Have a grudge?"

Gan Ning was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Zhao Fan is the younger brother of Zhao Wei, a general from the Eastern Province of Bashu. Wasn't it Zhao Wei who drove you out of Bashu back then?"

Gan Ning chuckled to himself; that was something from his past life, something he had long forgotten.

"Is this the complicated matter you mentioned?"

"Moreover, the Zhao family is a powerful clan in Jingzhou, controlling copper mining on both sides of the Xiang River. He wants to form a marriage alliance with General Zilong, which is his condition for surrendering."

Gan Ning couldn't stop smiling for a long time. The marriage alliance with Zhao Yun was just because Zhao Fan's widowed sister-in-law, Lady Fan, had taken a liking to Zhao Yun. That wasn't fiction; it was a real historical event, and historically, Zhao Yun didn't refuse but agreed to the marriage.

"So Zhao Fan surrendered to us, which means General Zhao agreed to the marriage?"

Lu Su nodded, "It is Zhao Wei's wife, Lady Fan. Zhao Wei was killed two years ago, and Lady Fan has been a widow for three years. She has taken a liking to Zilong and wants to marry him again."

How old is Ms. Fan?

"She's at most around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She has a ten-year-old son. If she marries Zilong, the child won't need to change his surname."

Gan Ning was initially interested in this woman, Fan, who was known as a beauty of the nation, and wanted to see her, but when he heard that she had a ten-year-old son, that idea immediately vanished.

Gan Ning nodded slowly, "General Zilong is over thirty years old, and his wife died in the war long ago. Zhao Yun's age is a good match for Lady Fan."

"General, the Fan family is also a prominent family in Jingzhou, and they also control copper mining. That's why the Zhao and Fan families formed a marriage alliance."

Gan Ning pondered for a moment and said, "Are the Zhao and Fan families only involved in copper mining, or do they combine mining and smelting?"

"They only deal with mining; they don't do smelting!"

Gan Ning continued, "But why didn't we get any copper ore from those two families?"

“Reporting to the General, I have only just investigated. After the Battle of Changsha County, both families stopped mining copper. They only resumed operations last year, but the mined copper is all piled up in warehouses and not sold to the public. Now that Zhao Fan has surrendered and Zilong has married into the Fan family, these ores can be supplied to us.”

"The strategist will handle this matter. By the way, how's the expansion of tung oil and pine resin production going?"

Since the Battle of Sun Ben, Gan Ning realized the problem of insufficient oil supply. Upon his return, he requested that the production of tung oil and pine resin be expanded as soon as possible.

Lu Su nodded and said, "Please rest assured, General, we have doubled our manpower, and production will soon double as well, which will be enough to meet our military needs."

Gan Ning said happily, "Then I won't worry anymore."

In the afternoon, Gan Ning returned to his residence half an hour earlier than usual. He first went to visit Da Qiao.

"How are you feeling? Are you still experiencing morning sickness today?" Gan Ning asked with concern.

Da Qiao smiled and said, "I feel much better after taking Dr. Liu's medicine. I haven't vomited at all today."

"What kind of medicine is it? Will it affect the fetus?"

"No, the medicine is very mild. Husband, please go to the study first! Dinner will be ready, and Yunqing will inform you."

"You let Xu Wei handle this?"

“I taught her little by little, and by the time I could no longer move, she was able to fully accept it.”

After exchanging a few more words, Gan Ning went to the study. Just as he was about to take off his outer robe, he suddenly felt someone helping him from behind. When he turned around, he saw Xu Wei standing behind him.

Xu Wei helped Gan Ning take off his outer garment and said somewhat embarrassedly, "My elder sister asked me to look after the study."

“Alright! You all need to share the burden with her. What will Xiao Qiao do?” “A Yu will take care of eldest sister, and I will take care of Gan Lang.”

"Is Xiao Qiao willing?" Gan Ning asked with a smile.

"This was arranged by my eldest sister. I don't know how she persuaded Ayu."

Gan Ning pulled her into his arms, kissed her lips, and said with a smile, "Go, bring me some tea."

"Come here!"

Xu Wei twisted her waist and ran out happily.

In another room, Xiao Qiao was sullenly preparing medicine for her older sister.

Da Qiao looked at her sister's dejected expression and smiled, "Look at you, so unambitious. You're so unhappy about making medicine for your older sister?"

Xiao Qiao pouted and said, "I think it's unfair. Why should Yun Qing brew tea for Gan Lang, but I can only brew medicine for the pregnant woman?"

"You brat, who are you calling a pregnant woman?"

"Your arrangements are unfair! And I'm not allowed to complain?"

Da Qiao sighed and said, "Yun Qing is ready in every way. I'm going to let Yun Qing and her husband consummate their marriage. Do you understand?"

"Then I can too! I'm only a month younger than Yunqing, if she can do it, why can't I?"

"Dr. Liu said your body is not ready yet. You are still developing and cannot have sex. Having sex too early will cause you a lot of harm."

Xiao Qiao slowly lowered her head. Although she was stubborn, she knew in her heart that she was not ready.

"I see!"

"So don't have any complaints about Yunqing. Everyone has their own destiny. Yunqing has her destiny, and you have yours. It's just that your destiny hasn't arrived yet."

"I won't be angry with Yun Qing."

Seeing that her sister understood, Da Qiao said softly, "I only don't want you to consummate your marriage with Gan Lang, but that doesn't mean you can't have contact with him. He is your future husband, and normal contact is of course allowed, such as making tea for him or preparing dinner."

Xiao Qiao was immediately overjoyed. She quickly poured her sister a bowl of medicine and said with a smile, "Then I'll go prepare dinner!"

"Go!"

Xiao Qiao ran off happily too.

After dinner, Gan Ning accompanied his wife for a walk in the yard, with Xu Wei and Xiao Qiao following behind.

“There are more than a dozen hot springs in Lushan. The largest of them is called Qinglu Spring. I have bought this hot spring, as well as more than 100 acres of land around it. I have decided to build a villa there.”

Da Qiao said happily, "If there's a hot spring, it will be very convenient to take a bath."

"That's right, we can stay there in the winter."

"Won't that interfere with my husband's work?"

"It won't affect anything. It'll only take half an hour to get there on a fast horse. There will be personal guards to take care of delivering the message back and forth."

Xiao Qiao, who was behind, couldn't help but ask, "Gan Lang, when will it be finished?"

Gan Ning laughed: "You've got some ears. The house can be built in three months, and with all the decorations and furnishings, it'll be about six months at most!"

"Six months later, that will be autumn."

Gan Ning nodded, "Once it's finished, you can stay there for a couple of days and enjoy soaking in the hot springs."

The three women looked forward to it together.

(End of this chapter)