Although Wei Ting was a scion of a prominent family, he did not look down on those from humble origins.

Among the gentry, very few would act arrogantly; even if they pretended, they did it well.

Moreover, Qin Fang held a higher official position than Wei Ting, so he was the first to say, “I have seen General Qin.”

Although Grand Eunuch Chi was a high-ranking official close to the Emperor, he was usually quite proud, but he never made mistakes in etiquette: “We have seen General Qin.”

Qin Fang immediately clasped his hands in response. “I have seen both of you.”

His tone was neither servile nor overbearing; he slightly bent his waist.

Though not a formal bow, it acknowledged their respect, suitable for friends or brothers. “Lord Wei, Eunuch Chi, please come inside.”

“Please.”

Upon reaching the main hall, Qin Fang poured tea for them. “The military camp is simple; we only have plain water. I hope you will excuse it.”

Wei Ting said, “General Qin, you are being polite. We have come here on official business and do not need to worry about such things. What do you think, Chief Eunuch Chi?”

Although Qin Fang had called Wei Ting first, the respect shown in Wei Ting’s address was sufficient to honor Chief Eunuch Chi.

Chief Eunuch Chi naturally didn’t mind.

Though he was a person close to the Emperor, eunuchs held no official rank in the court.

Qin Fang first addressed Wei Ting, then him, and he was not the kind of person to hold grudges.

Eunuch Chi said, “Lord Wei is right.”

Regardless of their politeness, Qin Fang had no choice.

The camp truly only had plain water. “Since both of you have come from afar, why not stay overnight at the mansion? It would allow me to be a good host. Besides, the county office’s inn has not housed anyone in a long time and likely isn’t fit for guests.”

He smiled somewhat awkwardly, “To be honest, I have just arrived in Yunxiang County myself.”

Wei Ting and Chief Eunuch Chi exchanged glances.

Wei Ting said, “In that case, we won’t stand on ceremony.”

Then, Wei Ting took out a letter and handed it to Qin Fang.

As an imperial envoy, although he didn’t have an imperial edict, he bore a letter from the Emperor. “General Qin, I have been sent on orders; this letter contains matters entrusted to me by the Emperor. I hope you can facilitate and assist us.”

After reading the letter, Qin Fang understood that the Emperor instructed Wei Ting to bring some workers from the Ministry of Works to produce gunpowder—what Qin Fang had previously mentioned as firecrackers.

During the gunpowder’s production, it was prohibited for anyone to contact the outside world.

He instructed Qin Fang to monitor their every move.

If anyone contacted outsiders during this time, they were to be taken down immediately.

Furthermore, he needed Qin Fang’s cooperation with Wei Ting and their requirements.

The production site for the gunpowder was to be at the Beast Mountain Daoist Temple, which was hidden and allowed for easy access to sulfur and nitrate.

After finishing the letter, Qin Fang said to Wei Ting, “Rest assured, Lord Wei. I will fully cooperate with everything the Emperor instructed in the letter. However, you must be tired after your journey today, and getting to the Beast Mountain Temple requires a mountain climb of at least an hour. I worry you may not have rested enough and might find it physically taxing. Therefore, I suggest I take you to the temple tomorrow to assess the situation. What do you think?”

Wei Ting nodded. “Then I will follow the General’s arrangement.”

Given the hour-long climb, Wei Ting indeed was not in good shape.

As a civil official, he had some skills, but climbing mountains was physically demanding.

After Wei Ting finished speaking, Chief Eunuch Chi added, “General Qin, we have the Emperor’s decree here, but it is for Madam. I want to give you a heads-up; this decree is a reward for Madam, but since she is not present, we cannot announce it yet.”

Having read Du Ke’s letter, Qin Fang was already aware.

Now that he heard Chief Steward Chi’s words, he understood what the decree was.

He displayed a look of surprise on his face. “A reward for my wife?”

He then stood up and clasped his hands to Chief Steward Chi. “I thank you for your reminder.”

Since Wei Ting addressed Chief Eunuch Chi with respect, how could Qin Fang do any less?

He understood how to address the Chief Eunuch, especially since he held no prejudice against eunuchs.

To put it bluntly, with his background, if he hadn’t been fortunate enough to become a general, he wouldn’t have any grounds to look down on eunuchs.

The world was very pragmatic; the children of the poor had no right to despise others.

Chief Eunuch Chi politely replied, “General Qin, no need to be so courteous.”

He was well aware of the current circumstances.

Qin Fang was viewed favorably by the Emperor, so Chief Eunuch Chi naturally treated him with respect.

Since Tao Shan left, Yang Haiyan ordered the courtyard to be tidied up.

She arranged for Wei Ting and Steward Chi to have their own independent courtyards next door.

Since Tao Shan was unaware of Wei Ting and Eunuch Chi’s identities, Yang Haiyan also didn’t know, but arranging two courtyards was always a safe choice.

Although the General’s residence covered a large area, it looked very simple.

Yang Haiyan didn’t redesign the residence; it was originally designed according to the layout of a prince’s residence, so the design was naturally impeccable.

And a simple appearance wasn’t a problem; there were few people, so there was no need to keep every courtyard well-maintained, as that would just invite mosquitoes.

As this was Yang Haiyan’s first time hosting guests, she felt somewhat nervous and frequently asked Granny Lian, “Granny, do you think this arrangement is okay? And for the tea, I don’t know the guests’ preferences. If I offend them because of this, it wouldn’t be good since they come from the capital, and it would be troublesome for my husband later.”

At that moment, Granny Lian was able to maintain the situation.

She said, “Guests’ preferences can be hard to determine, and we also don’t know what they might be allergic to.

The simpler the food, the better. As for the tea, let’s prepare both tea leaves and plain water to see what the guests prefer.”

Yang Haiyan nodded, “Yes, yes, Granny’s arrangements are sound. What about the snacks?”

Granny Lian replied, “I’ve already sent someone to the snack shop. Aunt Hong took the Kun Zhang family to add some red bean cakes, green bean cakes, and yellow bean cakes.”

Yang Haiyan thought for a moment and said, “Right, the guests must be tired from traveling. It’s too late to prepare a full meal, so let’s make some wontons, dumplings, and buns to fill their stomachs first.”

Granny Lian smiled, “You instructed that earlier, and it has been arranged.”

Yang Haiyan pondered for a while and then added, “Guests from the capital will definitely bring their own attendants. Our people just need to wait at the entrance of the courtyard. Since there are no maids at home, let Kun Shi arrange for guards to stand at the entrance of the courtyard to prevent any unexpected situations.”

Granny Lian responded, “Understood. Do you have any other instructions, Madam?”

Yang Haiyan sighed, “This is my first time hosting distinguished guests; my mind is a mess right now. I’m extremely nervous and don’t know what else I should pay attention to. Granny, keep an eye on things. If there’s anything I need to be aware of, please remind me; I’ll think about it.”

Granny Lian replied, “Yes, I will keep watch.”

Just as they were finishing their arrangements, a guard arrived: “Madam, the General has returned with distinguished guests from the capital. The General requests your presence.”

Yang Haiyan nodded, “Granny, come with me.”

Granny Lian followed behind.

Yang Haiyan stepped out of the inner courtyard, walking slowly toward the front courtyard.

In the past, she enjoyed taking her time when walking, feeling leisurely, but today her steps felt incredibly heavy.

The imperial decree was a symbol of imperial power in this ancient society.

She had never imagined that one day she would need to kneel to receive a decree.

Tao Shan only mentioned that the eunuch from the palace had brought her the decree.

Since Tao Shan didn’t know what the decree entailed, she had even less understanding.

Therefore, Yang Haiyan felt both nervous and uneasy.

The sensation of having her life and status in someone else’s hands was extremely unpleasant, which was also why Yang Haiyan disliked going to the capital.

Because of her insufficient status, anyone could belittle her, insult her, or trample on her.

Perhaps for the people of this era, it was nothing unusual; they were accustomed to such distinctions of nobility and lowliness, such imperial rule, but she was different.

Her mindset was constantly adjusting and changing.

Initially, she simply wanted to live a good life with Qin Fang, to avoid trouble, and to seek peace.

Then when Qin Fang became a thousand-man commander, she felt that would be enough for their lives.

Now that Qin Fang had become a general, the life she faced began to change.

However, she couldn’t ask Qin Fang to give up everything he had now.

Even if she was afraid of what lay ahead, she could not ask him to abandon it.

It would be too selfish for a woman to want a man to give up his career for her sake.

Although she wasn’t a selfless person, she couldn’t do that kind of selfishness.

Since she couldn’t change it, she could only adapt.

Yang Haiyan saw Qin Fang.

Among the crowd, he was the most noticeable; his height made him stand out.

His straight posture at that moment resembled a towering tree, making her feel incredibly reliable.

He walked toward her steadily. “Yan Yan.”

Suddenly, Yang Haiyan’s anxious heart gradually calmed down.

Even if the life she had to face was beyond her control, so what?

The worst outcome was merely death, and she had already faced death once.

Confronting it, she felt no fear.

So, with him by her side, what was there to fear?

She unexpectedly found herself in this world, transitioning from being single to married—she had never been married so quickly.

This man, in every way, satisfied her.

Especially his character, which seemed tailor-made for her.

With such a husband, she felt very content with her life.

Yang Haiyan smiled slightly at him, “Husband, you’re back.”

This smile cast aside all her worries and mental knots.

Compared to the deliberately feigned gentleness in the past, her current smile was filled with deep affection and dependence.

Qin Fang was certainly no fool.

In the past, he only felt her tenderness and beauty, but had never sensed her love and affection.

At this moment, however, her gaze upon him seemed illuminated by starlight, filled with an affection he could easily discern.

Qin Fang also smiled foolishly: “Yan Yan, come, I’ll introduce you to the guests.” His voice was even softer, and he felt his heart racing a bit.

Qin Fang brought Yang Haiyan to face Wei Ting and Steward Chi: “Lord Wei, Eunuch Chi, this is my wife, the Yang family.”