My Wife, the General - Chapter 1

The black horse in golden armor galloped away in a cloud of dust.

I must have been seeing things.

I brushed the mud off my clothes and was about to hobble away on my crutch when the horse doubled back. It stopped in front of me with a snort.

The man on its back spoke in a voice as clear as a jade chime.

“Did I startle you just now, young master?”

I looked up at him.

Clad in heavy black armor, he was tall and straight-backed. There was nothing left of the scrawny thing anyone could push around.

But I could never mistake those fine, almost painted features.

Xie Yu.

Why was he dressed like this?

When I failed to answer, he dismounted and unfastened the gilt badge at his waist for me to see.

Two large characters stood out on it: Guarding the North.

“Don’t be afraid, young master. I mean you no harm.”

So he was the General Who Guards the North, the man whose very name terrified the northern tribes.

And he hadn’t recognized me.

I hastily put on a suitably flattered expression. “Your reputation precedes you!”

All the while, I was working out how to escape.

Xie Yu put away his badge.

“I’ve dirtied your clothes. Allow me to replace them.”

“Just an old outfit,” I said with a smile. “Nothing to worry about. Please don’t trouble yourself, General. I won’t keep you from your duties. Good day.”

I saluted him with clasped hands, took hold of my crutch, and made off as fast as I could.

So fast, in fact, that I missed the exchange behind me.

“Shall we take him, General?”

“No hurry.”

I had barely stepped inside my gate when Changfeng came to meet me, already fussing.

“I was only gone a moment, and you went out on your own! Even if you don’t like having me follow you, Master, at least take a carriage. What if some villain carries you off?”

Changfeng was my personal guard. Loyal to a fault, with a mouth that never stopped.

I gave a helpless laugh. “Your master is a useless cripple. Who’d want me?”

“Nonsense!” he said at once. “My master is wonderful. Handsome, kindhearted, the very best person…”

His chatter was giving me a headache. I pulled off my outer robe and flung it at him.

Changfeng froze. His face reddened, and he fell silent.

“Fetch a basin of water.”

“Oh.”

He went out with the arm and leg on the same side swinging together.

Only when I lowered my legs into the hot water did the ache deep in my bones ease a little.

Changfeng crouched in front of me and massaged my feet. In a daze, I seemed to see that frail figure from years ago again.

Before the war, my family had been the foremost merchant household in Jiangnan.

Unfortunately, its only son had proved a disappointment.

I caught a chill and never got back on my feet. My parents sought out every famous physician they could find, but none could cure me.

In the end, they took a fortune-teller’s advice and bought me a male wife whose birth signs matched mine, hoping the marriage would bring enough good fortune to drive away my illness.

Strange as it sounds, I woke from my coma the very day Xie Yu arrived.

A month later, I could already lift my arm to smash bowls.

My parents wept with joy. To them, Xie Yu was a blessing sent from heaven. They wanted him at my side from dawn until dusk.

And so he did everything: feeding me meals and medicine, washing me, even helping me relieve myself.

I had grown up surrounded by luxury, arrogant and spoiled. How was I supposed to bear becoming helpless?

I took all my bitterness out on Xie Yu.

On a good day, I snapped at him. On a bad one, I deliberately overturned the bathwater and soaked him through.

He never complained. He only grew more careful in tending to me.

“All done, Master.”

Changfeng’s voice brought me back. I dried my feet and saw that the skin had turned red from soaking.

“The doctor said redness means your circulation is improving!” Changfeng said happily. “One day, your legs will be completely well!”

I gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you for all your trouble. Get some rest.”

He withdrew in high spirits.

And suddenly I thought of Xie Yu again.

I had never said a single one of those kind, ordinary words to him.