MLMD -Chapter 44 Ordered to Consummate

As the sun set in the west, over a yellow-dusted official road, more than ten horses approached. Yue Yang rode slowly on the horse in the middle, heading toward Yue Family Village, surrounded by more than ten guards.

“I’m proud, I’m proud…” Yue Yang urged his horse forward while belting out noise from a voice that could hardly be called pleasant.

“Young master, are you really going to personally go beyond the pass?” Shunbao, who had been riding closely behind, looked at Yue Yang with worry and continued to urge him, “Young master, that place beyond the pass isn’t like inside the border. I’ve heard—beyond the pass, it’s all Dàzi [barbarians]. Those people… they kill without blinking. You’re the backbone of Yue Family Village. If something happened to you, the village would fall apart!”

“I say, Shunbao, I’m rarely in a good mood today, and this is how you ruin it?” Yue Yang frowned and turned to glare at him.

Shunbao hurriedly defended himself, “Young master, I’m not trying to ruin your mood, but your going beyond the pass is far too dangerous. The old lady wouldn’t approve of you taking such a risk.”

Yue Yang sighed lightly. “I know. But if we want to form a cavalry, we have no choice but to go beyond the pass. Otherwise, tell me—where else can we get so many warhorses?”

Yue Yang had not hidden his plan to form a cavalry from Shunbao. Having grown up together, Yue Yang knew him well. Besides being somewhat timid, his loyalty—to both Yue Yang and the Yue Family Village—was no less than that of his father, Yue Laifu.

“But… young master, don’t we already have a militia? You said before that five hundred was too few, but now we have over two thousand. Isn’t that enough?”

Shunbao could not understand why Yue Yang was so intent on expanding the militia further. In his view, a two-thousand-strong militia was already more than enough to dominate Yìngzhou Prefecture. Expanding further would just waste money, especially since Yue Yang intended to build a cavalry—a particularly expensive force. Though Shunbao had only learned a few hundred characters in secret while serving as Yue Yang’s personal attendant, he understood enough about cavalry: raising warhorses was costly. Each horse consumed enough grain in a year to put a well-off family in financial pain. Yue Family Village was wealthy, but not wealthy enough for that many big, hungry horses.

“You…” Yue Yang sighed. He didn’t know how to explain. Should he tell Shunbao that within a few years, the bandits they had just repelled would sweep the country, that the wild Jiannu beyond the pass would storm in like wolves, slaughtering indiscriminately, and that the Ming dynasty, which had lasted over two hundred years, would collapse amid agony?

Since there was no way to explain, Yue Yang decided not to waste words. He glared at Shunbao, lifted his chin, and said in the commanding tone of a young master: “Enough! My mind is made up. No one is to try to change it. It’s decided!”

“Let’s go…”

“Clop… clop…”

With that, Yue Yang cracked his whip and galloped toward Yue Family Village.

Back at the village, Yue Yang first reported his safe arrival to the old lady and then told her about his plan to go beyond the pass to buy horses.

The old lady was silent for a long while before she finally looked at him seriously and asked, “Grandson, since you formed the militia, I’ve noticed your genuine enthusiasm for military affairs. Tell me honestly—do you plan to make a name for yourself in the military?”

Yue Yang smiled. “Grandma, what’s wrong with a military career? Among the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty, who wasn’t from the military? Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong—these famous generals all rose through military achievements to become marquises and ministers remembered through the ages. Nowadays, things are different. The Ming Dynasty faces internal strife and external threats. Though the current emperor works hard every day, I think he lacks the vision and talent of the founding ancestors. The dynasty is already on shaky ground. If I do not prepare now, it may all collapse!”

“Silence!”

Even the old lady, who had lived a long and bold life, paled at Yue Yang’s words and quickly tried to stop him.

“You’re courting death! If the court hears these words, our whole family could be executed!” Her eyes were filled with horror as she scolded Yue Yang sharply. “You’re not to speak like this again. Do you hear me?”

Seeing the old lady so frightened, Yue Yang realized that his words were too shocking for the times. He lowered his head and said softly, “Oh… I understand, Grandma.”

“Sigh…”

Seeing Yue Yang’s indifferent expression, the old lady sighed and shook her head. “Alright. Since you insist on going beyond the pass to buy horses, I won’t stop you. But you must promise me—buying horses is secondary. The most important thing is to return safely. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Thank you, Grandma!” Yue Yang finally breathed a long sigh of relief. In the modern timeline, he had no family. Here, he considered the old lady one of his closest kin. Without her approval, he would have been in a difficult position.

Before Yue Yang could fully rejoice, the old lady spoke again, her expression serious: “Zhenghong, you’re going beyond the pass on official business, so I won’t stop you. But I must ask—Linglong sisters have been in your room for quite a few days now. Have you… consummated the marriage?”

“Ah…”

Yue Yang froze. He hadn’t expected the old lady to be so formidable, speaking such words without a flicker of embarrassment.

“Why are you just staring? I asked you a question!” The old lady tapped her cane impatiently.

“This… I…” Yue Yang swallowed nervously. “Grandma… it’s not that fast. We haven’t even begun—”

“What do you mean, ‘haven’t begun’!” The old lady slammed her cane on the floor, making a loud thump-thump sound. “You’re a grown man! How can you not understand? The Linglong sisters were personally trained by me. They are loyal to our family. I sent them to your room—don’t you understand my intentions? If it were anyone else, they’d probably already be pregnant!”

Hearing her fierce words, Yue Yang could only wipe his sweat constantly.

The old lady continued, “Alright. You may go beyond the pass, and I agree. But you must promise me that before you leave, you consummate the marriage with the Linglong sisters.”

“This…” Yue Yang wiped the sweat off his forehead continuously.

The old lady waved her hand decisively and said firmly, “That settles it. Understand?”

Finally, Yue Yang left her courtyard, his face full of helpless smiles, yet his heart felt a faint thrill.

In the months he had spent with the Linglong sisters, he couldn’t deny his affection for these kind and beautiful girls. But due to various circumstances, he had never gone all the way with them. Now, with the old lady’s decree, he felt a sense of security at last.

“Is this… what they call ‘consummating by imperial order’?”

Yue Yang murmured to himself as he approached his own courtyard. For some reason, his heart suddenly felt aflame…