As Lin Yao continued speaking, even he began to feel uneasy.

The issue with the Western Stronghold hadn’t even been resolved yet, and he had already accurately predicted such distant matters?

Chu Chengji said, “As the Chief said, the world is unsettled, and there will inevitably be another outbreak of war. Accumulating provisions is always a prudent measure.”

Even if they hadn’t started their actions yet and didn’t need so much grain and fodder at hand, they could still sell them at a high price to other armies, which would still bring in a considerable sum of money.

Wang Biao asked, “Brother, Strategist Cheng, the grain and fodder have arrived, but with the government troops surrounding the mountain below, how do we get the grain and fodder here?”

Chu Chengji’s eyes darkened for a moment. “I have a way, but we need to find a foreman who knows how to build a suspension bridge.”

Wang Biao immediately suggested, “Old Feng used to work for the canal gangs. Let’s call him over and ask if he knows.”

Old Feng used to belong to the Western Stronghold.

Now that the East and West strongholds had merged, whenever there was construction work in the stronghold, they would directly go to him for help.

Soon, someone called Old Feng over.

He was a withered old man, always smelling of stale alcohol mixed with sweat due to his habitual drinking.

However, the men in the stronghold were all rough, and nobody minded.

Chu Chengji pointed to the map and asked, “Is it possible to build a suspension bridge between the two mountain walls on the back and the opposite side of the river?”

Old Feng calculated the distance between the two mountain walls in his mind and shook his head repeatedly. “It’s too far. It’s impossible to build it. In the Central Plains area, there shouldn’t be craftsmen who can build suspension bridges. They are more common in the western Sichuan area, but even the craftsmen from there might not be able to do it because the Yuan River below is more than ten zhang wide, not to mention the wider distance between the two mountain walls. It’s unlikely to be feasible.”

With that statement, basically, the option of building a suspension bridge between the two mountain walls was completely blocked.

Lin Yao sighed, “Perhaps there really is a talented person in the world who can build that suspension bridge, but it’s probably not someone from our stronghold. Let’s first reorganize the people from the major strongholds.”

The former is a long-term worry, or perhaps a near-term consideration.

There weren’t many literate people in the stronghold. Even the elderly were called over to help clean up the registries.

For ease of management, people from the same stronghold couldn’t be placed in the same ranks.

Lin Yao noticed that there were special notes made on the registries for those who had killed more than ten people.

He couldn’t understand, “Brother Chen, if you want to know how skilled they are through this, I think this method is unreliable. The crafty ones will surely add a few more to their count.”

Chu Chengzhi was responsible for transcribing those registries, precisely the ones listing the names of mountain bandits who had killed more than ten people.

He replied indifferently, almost coldly, “Those who kill the old, weak, women, and children cannot be tolerated.”

Outside the window, the sun was shining brightly, but the several people responsible for reviewing the registries in the room felt a chill creeping up from their feet.

It turned out that this was his real goal.

Among the bandits’ nests, there were only a few truly vicious murderers.

He wanted to identify those who had taken countless lives; otherwise, if those people were in the army, they would only cause trouble.

Lin Yao flipped through several registries, feeling overwhelmed, “Where did A Zhao go? Let her come back and look at the registries.”

Wang Biao replied, “Miss and Strategist Cheng’s wife went to the threshing ground. They said that since there are more people in the rear stronghold now and there’s not enough room, they need to make some bricks and tiles.”

Speaking of housing, Lin Yao felt even more distressed.

With thousands of people, clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, everything required money.

He grumbled, “Strategist Cheng, you take care of those you brought in yourself. Even if I spend all my wife’s dowry, I still can’t support an army.”

The whole room burst into laughter, but Chu Chengji heard that Qin Zheng and Lin Zhao were making tiles and seemed to be deep in thought.

He also became nonchalant about looking at the registries.

Vaguely, he knew that his consort, too, harbored many secrets.

There were some things she hadn’t prepared to let him know yet.

I wonder if this time, through Lin Zhao’s mouth, she can still help with the suspension bridge matter.

Sorting out the registries of thousands of people took quite a long time.

Chu Chengzhi and Lin Yao personally supervised until nightfall.

---

Qin Zheng had nothing to do during the day.

Seeing that the tile barrels she had made earlier had been copied more than a dozen times, she remembered her original plan to make tiles and brought Lin Zhao to “gather clay” on the dry field.

Yellow clay could be seen everywhere in the stronghold.

After Lin Zhao learned that green tiles were made from yellow clay, he immediately gathered people from the stronghold to dig up a lot of yellow clay and piled it up into a clay mountain on the threshing ground.

The elderly and children gathered at the threshing ground, picking out stones and debris from the yellow clay.

They cleaned it up before going to the stream to fetch water to pour onto the clay.

Then, they drove several old oxen from the stronghold to trample on the yellow clay for the whole afternoon, finally turning it into a soft, mushy texture.

It was too late to make the tile blanks at night, so Qin Zheng decided to let the oxen be tied near the yellow clay pile and let the clay sit overnight.

The next day, its stickiness would be even better.

The finer and softer the yellow clay, the stronger the tile blanks made from it.

During dinner, Qin Zheng learned that Chu Chengzhi hadn’t returned yet.

Thinking about today’s attack by the government troops, she sighed quietly, knowing they must have many matters to discuss.

After finishing a bowl of noodles, Lin Zhao, who had only recently separated from her, rushed over.

He said in a secretive tone, “Sister A Zheng, my brother and them have encountered trouble again.”

Thinking about the current situation, where the government couldn’t attack the stronghold, the only thing that could trouble Lin Yao and the others would be the grain and fodder.

Qin Zheng asked, “Is there a problem with the grain and fodder?”

Lin Zhao nodded heavily, “When I went back tonight, I heard Uncle Wu San and Brother Wang Biao sighing and lamenting.

They said the Strategist Cheng proposed building a suspension bridge on the back mountain to transport grain and fodder, but there’s no one in our stronghold who can do it.

Moreover, there’s a dozen zhang gap between the two mountain walls, so it’s indeed impossible to build a suspension bridge.”

When Qin Zheng heard that it was Chu Chengzhi’s proposal, her expression became somewhat strange.

He was adamant about not admitting to the bridge-building matter himself.

Now, he was indirectly asking her through Lin Zhao if she knew how to do it?

Qin Zheng wiped her face, “The difficulty is indeed great. To build a suspension bridge, apart from anything else, the hardness and toughness of the iron cables need to be very high.

Ordinary iron chains can’t withstand it. Moreover, the construction period for a suspension bridge is long, and it’s likely to be too late.”

Lin Zhao exclaimed, furrowing his brow.

After thinking for a while, Qin Zheng said, “But it’s not necessary to build a suspension bridge. If it’s just for transporting goods, a cableway is much simpler than a suspension bridge.

The only problem lies in the iron cables; they must be accurate and precise enough.”

Lin Zhao also knew that this matter was indeed beyond their capabilities.

After chatting with Qin Zheng for a while, he let her rest and then left.

After Qin Zheng returned to her room, she lay on the bed with her limbs spread out for a while, sighing softly.

She couldn’t be as straightforward as Chu Chengji, and Chu Chengji couldn’t directly ask her.

However, if she were to be honest with Chu Chengji, Qin Zheng really didn’t know how to explain.

Should she say that she actually came from the future? Just that she returned to this world through some kind of reincarnation?

With the example of the Crown Princess in the books being whipped as a national calamity after her death, Qin Zheng wasn’t brave enough to that extent.

Should she make up a more believable lie to deceive Chu Chengji? He didn’t ask her before, probably because he didn’t want to hear lies.

If she lied to him, it would only trample on his sincerity once again.

Qin Zheng raised her hand and touched the jade hairpin on her hair bun, thinking about the events of the morning.

She sighed deeply and rolled around in bed, clutching the blanket.

One wave of trouble hadn’t subsided before another arose.

Her mind was filled with these troubling matters, and she couldn’t sleep.

She remembered the clothes Chu Chengji had that were torn by the water bandits.

She had only sewn a few stitches last time and then put them in a box without taking care of them.

Chu Chengzhi had bought her hairpins and mirrors, but she hadn’t prepared any gifts for him.

Helping to sew a piece of clothing should be considered a heartfelt gesture, right?

Qin Zheng sat up from the bed and went to the box where she kept her clothes.

She found the robe, lit a candle, and began to sew with needle and thread. However, after searching for a while, she couldn’t find the tear she remembered.

Puzzled, she muttered to herself, “I remember there was a big tear in this robe… Why can’t I find it?”

Upon closer inspection, she finally noticed a three-inch-long patch on the shoulder.

Because the stitches on the patch were so neat and even, she mistook it for part of the original stitching.

The first two stitches at the beginning of the patch were crooked, like the legs of a centipede, exactly like the ones she sewed that day.

Qin Zheng sighed softly, “Aunt Lu must have already repaired it. Why didn’t she undo the two stitches I sewed before fixing it?”

The contrast was somewhat tragic.

However, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Aunt Lu rarely entered their room and wouldn’t rummage through their belongings, especially their clothing box.

But if it wasn’t Aunt Lu who repaired it, considering the neat and meticulous stitches, it was unlikely that anyone else in the courtyard could have done it.

Unable to figure it out, Qin Zheng was about to put out the light when Aunt Lu’s voice sounded from outside the door, “Madam, are you asleep? I brewed a bowl of medicine for you from the prescription Dr. Zhao gave earlier.”

Thinking of the calming soup she drank for the first time on the night before the attack by the water bandits, Qin Zheng opened the door and accepted the medicine, saying, “Thank you, Aunt Lu, but you don’t need to brew this medicine for me in the future. I sleep quite heavily.”

Aunt Lu smiled and agreed, noticing the clothes and needlework on the table.

She advised, “It’s late at night, don’t do needlework anymore. It’s bad for your eyes.”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Qin Zheng said, “I was planning to help the husband repair a torn piece of clothing, but it seems you’ve already done it, Aunt Lu.”

Aunt Lu’s expression turned strange. “I haven’t helped repair any clothes.”

Qin Zheng was taken aback and handed Aunt Lu the robe on the table. “Aunt Lu, perhaps you’ve forgotten, but it’s this one.”

However, Aunt Lu shook her head decisively. “I didn’t sew this. To tell you the truth, my stitching isn’t this good.”

She looked at Qin Zheng, feeling somewhat reluctant and annoyed. “Madam, when you weren’t around one day, I returned from the fields and saw the Wang family’s servant girl crying as she ran away from the door.”

Qin Zheng’s smile faded, and her beautiful face appeared colder, without a hint of embarrassment or sadness.

She simply said, “So that’s how it is. Thank you, Aunt Lu.”

Aunt Lu sighed with complicated emotions. “Madam, don’t worry about it. That girl can’t compare to you in any way. I’ve never seen your husband speak to any girl in the stronghold more than a few words…”

“I understand.”

Qin Zheng interrupted Aunt Lu with a faint smile. “It’s late, Aunt Lu. You should rest early.”

Aunt Lu’s heart was once again entangled with worry for this young couple.

What kind of mess was this?

After closing the door, Qin Zheng glanced at the patch on the robe.

Although she didn’t want to admit it, the more she looked at it, the more glaring it became.

---

She felt it was necessary to talk to Chu Chengji.

Chu Chengzhi returned home in the middle of the night.

There was no candle lit in the room, but for him, whether there was light or not didn’t make much difference.

He pushed the door open and saw Qin Zheng sitting at the table with her head resting on her hand, as if she had fallen asleep.

Why was she sleeping here?

Chu Chengji frowned slightly, gently closed the door without making a sound, and approached her to take a closer look.

Seeing her head teetering precariously on her elbow, a corner of his heart softened unexpectedly.

Moonlight seeped through the crack in the door and fell on her palm-sized face, like a snow-carved jade doll.

He quietly watched her for a while, then inexplicably raised the back of his hand and gently touched her cheek.

Chu Chengji’s touch was unexpectedly warm and smooth.

Even though it was just a brief contact, it felt as if an electric current ran from the point of contact all the way to his heart, making his heart feel somewhat tender.

The unfamiliar sensation made Chu Chengji subconsciously furrow his brows.

Perhaps his hand was too cold, for even though he withdrew it lightly after just a touch, it still woke Qin Zheng up.

Detecting the familiar scent of cedarwood beside her, Qin Zheng didn’t panic.

She reached out to light the candle on the table, but Chu Chengzhi lit it for her instead.

The room, which was previously bathed in faint moonlight, was instantly illuminated by the warm glow of the candlelight.

“Why aren’t you sleeping in bed?” Chu Chengji’s voice was lower than usual, with a hint of tenderness.

On the other hand, Qin Zheng’s expression remained cold. “There are some things I want to discuss with you.”

Chu Chengji noticed the subtle chill in her demeanor and sat down on the other side of the table. “What’s wrong?”

His gaze inadvertently swept over her hairpin, and he noticed that she had changed back to her original wooden hairpin.

Chu Chengji’s eyes softened slightly.

When he was not pleased, his eyes appeared light and cold, like a layer of thin snow.

Qin Zheng looked him straight in the eye and asked, “Why did you come to rescue me last night when it was so dangerous?”

There were some vague emotions swirling in her heart, but they weren’t very clear yet.

She was his nominal wife, but there were some things she needed to know his thoughts and attitude on before she could clarify her own position.

Chu Chengzhi lazily raised his eyelids, seemingly indifferent, but his gaze carried a heavy sense of oppression. “You’re my wife. If you were taken away by someone, shouldn’t I come to find you?”

“Is that the only reason?” Qin Zheng’s voice trembled slightly for some reason when she was stared at by him.

Chu Chengzhi stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “You’re so clever. You should be able to guess.”

Now it wasn’t just her voice that trembled; even her heart skipped a beat.

Qin Zheng pursed her lips. “I can’t guess.”

But her eyelashes drooped, unable to look at him anymore.

Chu Chengji continued to stare at the top of her head for a while, then slowly spoke, “Since you can’t guess, it means I haven’t done well enough.”

He leaned forward slightly, pinching Qin Zheng’s delicate chin between his thumb and forefinger.

Applying a little pressure, he made her lift her head, and he sighed as if resigned. “I really don’t understand the thoughts of a daughter’s family. I don’t know what you like, what you dislike, or why you’re angry now. It’s my fault…”

He paused for a moment, then looked straight into her eyes. “But I thought, since you decided to follow me, you should understand my intentions.”

Qin Zheng’s heart suddenly raced, and she was forced to look at him, her fingertips trembling slightly.

His voice was still calm and steady, but at this moment, it felt like a torture. “I bought the hairpin on the day of the water bandits’ attack. I didn’t know Shen Yanzhi also gave you a jade hairpin, nor did I have any intention of competing with him on these matters.”

He chuckled and released his grip on her chin. “I just thought it suited you, so I bought it.”

Chu Chengji’s words caught Qin Zheng off guard, and he softened his tone slightly. “That’s not what I meant this morning…”

She found it difficult to articulate her thoughts, her chin still bearing a slight ache from where he had pinched it.

A sourness rose from the depths of her heart, threatening to spill over into tears. “I thought you knew about what happened in the other courtyard from A Zhao, and I was afraid you would take offense, so I said that.”

Chu Chengji was momentarily taken aback by her words, his tone softening. “And what about now?”

Qin Zheng let out a sigh and went straight to the point. “While I was away, who sewed the clothes for you?”

Chu Chengji momentarily didn’t understand the implication behind her words. “What?”

Qin Zheng picked up the patched outer robe and handed it to him. “You’ve always been aloof towards me. Many times, I’m not sure where I stand in your heart.

Tonight, what I want to discuss with you is our relationship. I know that it’s common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, but I still want to know your thoughts.”

If he wanted multiple wives and concubines, Qin Zheng felt that they were better off remaining as a nominal couple for now.

Once the situation stabilized, they could each go their own way.

Chu Chengji looked at the fine stitches on the clothes, realizing the reason behind her sudden change in behavior tonight.

He rubbed his brow helplessly. “I sewed it.”

Qin Zheng’s immediate reaction was disbelief. “You’re telling me you sewed it?”

She questioned skeptically, “Wasn’t it that girl surnamed Wang who sewed it?”

Chu Chengzhi stared at her. “Which girl surnamed Wang?”