Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 85 - Why Don't You Marry Tianyi Too?

Luo Yuheng's fingers caressed Song Yan's cheek. Her voice, the same as usual, carried a bit of a soft feeling. But Song Yan could feel an unprecedented weariness within it.

She was very tired.

This weariness was physical, and even more so, spiritual.

When he first learned of Luo Yuheng, in Song Yan's heart, she was just a somewhat shrewish, stubborn, and one could even say arrogant and domineering Grand Princess.

Then this Grand Princess inexplicably became his mother-in-law, and he had worried that his days might not be too easy. After spending some time with her, only then did Song Yan discover that she was actually a very good person. She was very gentle to him, perhaps because he could cure Luo Tianxuan.

But no matter what, she had never looked down on him because of his status as a live-in son-in-law. Her attitude towards him was not the least bit different from that towards her own sons.

Song Yan was very respectful of her.

But after the events of yesterday, Song Yan finally truly understood what Luo Yuheng was carrying on her shoulders.

For a woman, the pressure was really a little too great.

Having lived in this world for more than a dozen years, Song Yan's personality had long since become sensitive and suspicious. Besides his mother, he rarely truly trusted anyone. But now, seeing the weariness in Luo Yuheng's eyes, even Song Yan felt a bit of heartache.

Arrogant and domineering, shrewish and stubborn—it was all just a disguise.

Song Yan knew what Luo Yuheng really wanted to ask. She already knew that he knew.

If she were a truly ruthless person, she should have killed him at this moment without any hesitation. After all, the thing she had to do was really too important and could not tolerate the slightest mistake.

For this goal, even if Luo Tianxuan would no longer have anyone to treat her from then on, it couldn't be helped.

One arm was extended, touching Song Yan's cheek. Her upper body, however, slowly lay down on the table. Only her pair of eyes stared at Song Yan.

"Yan'er, I know your talent is extraordinary. Tell me, can I trust you?"

She was gambling.

For more than ten years, she hadn't seen the slightest bit of hope. So Luo Yuheng wanted to seize any opportunity, even if it was accompanied by risk.

Although being touched on the face like this by Luo Yuheng was a bit shameful, Song Yan did not pull away. He smiled and didn't directly answer 'yes' or 'no':

"Yang Miaoqing knows that I was the one who framed Song Zhen."

"She watched with her own eyes as I broke Song Zhen's arm and leg."

"She has wanted to kill me more than ten times."

"She killed my mother, and perhaps even my elder sister met a cruel end at her hands."

"Between us, it has long been a fight to the death."

Luo Yuheng smiled, a very happy smile.

These words carried more weight than any guarantee or any oath.

After a long while, the smile on Luo Yuheng's face finally faded. It was as if a stone had suddenly been lifted from her heart. Her whole person became exceptionally relaxed. Her fingers also finally drew back. She lazily stretched her back, like a lazy cat.

Her fine figure was exquisite.

"Haa..."

Sighing, Luo Yuheng's expression finally became solemn:

"The Wokou are indeed a bit of a problem.”

She really does know everything.

Speaking of this matter, Song Yan's brow also furrowed. Ever since the founding of the Ning Kingdom, the coastal cities had been repeatedly attacked by Wokou. In a hundred years, the number of commoners killed or injured was, if not one hundred thousand, then at least eighty thousand.

It wasn't that the imperial court hadn't thought about annihilating them. But don't be fooled by the Wokou's short stature; their personalities were as fierce and cruel as hyenas, like beasts in human form.

They were extremely frenzied in battle, fierce and unafraid of death. They moved swiftly, mostly appearing in small groups of a hundred. For a village, their appearance was a devastating disaster. But when they encountered the court's army, they would immediately turn and run.

As for the soldiers of the Ning Kingdom's coastal defense... how to put it? You couldn't say they were 'better than nothing'; you could only say they were 'of no use at all'.

The soldiers didn't know how many months of military pay they would receive in a year. The pikes and sabers in their hands were already covered in rust, and the armor on their bodies hadn't been replaced for years. Against the long sabers in the hands of the Wokou, they were of little use.

After all, the Central Plains had not yet been unified. Compared to the Wokou at sea, the neighboring kingdoms of Chu and Liang, as well as the barbarians on the grasslands, were the Ning Kingdom's greatest enemies. Who would be willing to waste the limited military funds on the navy?

They could only let the common people suffer.

"I'm preparing to make a trip to the county yamen and find a way to persuade the County Magistrate." After thinking for a moment, Song Yan said.

Although the bailiffs and soldiers were not fit for great tasks, they were still a force to be reckoned with. If organized, they should still be able to be of some use.

Luo Yuheng, however, shook her head: "The Ningping County Magistrate, County Deputy, and County Commandant—all three of them are surnamed Yang!"

Song Yan's lips trembled slightly. His face was quite helpless. The Yang family's claws had stretched a bit too far. Not just the imperial court, but even the local areas were full of the Yang family's lackeys.

Looked at this way, he really couldn't count on the county yamen.

"There are one hundred and sixty household guards in the Luo Mansion. And under the Luo family's name, there are five hundred tenant farmers. Although they can't compare to real soldiers, they have some strength from working all year round." Luo Yuheng said, her expression not looking too good:

"Can they hold them off?"

Six hundred and sixty men.

This was actually not a weak force. It would even be enough to wipe out an ordinary band of mountain bandits.

But against the Wokou, Song Yan dared not guarantee it.

After all, Song Yan was not clear on how many men Yang Miaoqing could actually call upon.

"I can create a weapon specifically designed to deal with the Wokou, and a battle formation specifically for fighting them. If it were battle-hardened veterans, proficient in this weapon and formation, they should be able to hold off even several times their number of Wokou," Song Yan said after thinking for a moment.

These words were not a boast.

The Qi Family Army, using the 'wolf brush' and the 'mandarin duck formation,' had once achieved an astonishing kill-to-loss ratio of twenty to five thousand. There might be some exaggeration, but in any case, it was very impressive.

Unfortunately, Luo Yuheng's men were just farmers.

Even if they had some strength, for people who had never experienced the battlefield, upon seeing those fierce and cruel Wokou and hearing their gibberish howls, I'm afraid their courage would be the first thing to fail them.

The one hundred and sixty household guards should have decent strength.

In addition, with masters like his younger sister-in-law and Yushuang, they could probably kill quite a few Wokou.

But if the number of Wokou reached a certain level, they wouldn't be able to hold them off. After all, although the strength of martial arts masters is great, in the face of a formal military formation, an individual's strength is ultimately too insignificant.

Putting other things aside, just like the powerful crossbow formations of the Great Qin, with ten thousand arrows fired in an instant, how many masters could withstand that?

Luo Yuheng was a little surprised. She sized Song Yan up and down. He knew medicine, was proficient in literature, could make hand grenades, and now he even knew how to make weapons and understood military formations?

Her son-in-law, where on earth did he learn all these skills?

In this world, was there anything he couldn't do?

"Then what are Yan'er's arrangements?" Luo Yuheng asked.

"First, arrange for a skilled hand to keep an eye on Yang Miaoqing. We at least need to know when exactly Yang Miaoqing and the Wokou have agreed to meet."

After thinking for a moment, Song Yan said:

"If the Wokou come tonight, then even if I have a thousand methods, it will be too late."

Luo Yuheng nodded: "Tianshu has already gone to do it."

This brother-in-law is truly skilled at gathering intelligence.

……

In the morning, Song Yan made a trip to the Duke's mansion, but still did not see Song Hongtao.

No one knew what this Lord Duke was doing. He had returned late last night, and then left before the sky was even light today. As for the fourth son of the Yang family, Song An, after leaving the Duke's mansion yesterday, he had never returned.

Song Yan vaguely felt that something was not right about this, but for a moment, he couldn't figure out what the problem was. Besides, he had more important things to do now and didn't have much time to waste on Song Hongtao, so he could only let it go for the time being.

In the afternoon, Song Yan followed Luo Yuheng to a manor outside the county town. Under Luo Yuheng's command, the tenant farmers who were working in the fields gathered over.

His gaze swept over the sturdy figures one by one, and black lines covered Song Yan's forehead.

An average height of eight chi, broad shoulders and thick waists. Those arms were probably even thicker than his own thighs.

What farmer's family could produce men this strong?

And that wasn't all. Each and every one of them stood ramrod straight. What's more, on their faces, arms, and the backs of their hands, one could clearly see the scars left by sabers and the piercing of long pikes. Each person exuded a wild, bloody, and fierce aura.

With five hundred men gathered together, it even gave Song Yan the illusion that he was facing a great horde of floods and fierce beasts.

"Mother, you're saying these people are farmers?"

Luo Yuheng puffed out her cheeks and snorted:

"Their household registrations are all as farmers. If they aren't farmers, what are they?"

Whatever you say.

"These men, I am handing them over to you," Luo Yuheng let out a breath and said slowly. This was also a choice made out of helplessness.

Although the Luo family had three sons, Luo Tianshu was a master at investigating the secrets of various nobles but was not proficient in military matters.

Luo Tianquan was skilled in poetry and literature. Luo Tianyang, although he had some strength, was a reckless brute.

As for these five hundred men, although they were all veteran soldiers retired from the military, there was no general among them.

Since her son-in-law indicated he had a way, then she would just hand them over to him... This was a test, and also a show of trust. After all, this son-in-law had never disappointed her. What's more, Luo Yuheng had other backup plans.

Thinking this, Luo Yuheng asked: "Specifically, what are you preparing to do? Have you not thought about taking refuge in Song Prefecture for the time being?"

Song Yan shook his head.

Flee?

Song Yan had no such thought.

Damn it, to actually have to flee from the Japs. He couldn't afford to lose that much face.

Some things, even knowing there would be danger, were non-negotiable. This was a matter of principle. It was probably the stubbornness from his past life. Let alone just transmigrating once, even if he transmigrated ten times, a hundred times, it couldn't be changed.

"Have Luo Tianshu investigate and find out the specific time as soon as possible. Before that, I will have these five hundred men learn how to use the 'wolf brush' and how to set up the 'mandarin duck formation'."

He had the ‘Jixiao Xinshu’ in his mind. Although Song Yan had never led troops into battle, he could still copy the model. As for the hand grenades, that was a last resort and could not be easily exposed.

"The matter of the Wokou must be kept strictly confidential. Do not let anyone know."

"If I've guessed correctly, the Wokou will most likely choose to attack at night. We can notify the people near the city gate in advance and let them enter the Luo Mansion to take temporary shelter."

"At the same time, don't forget to spread the news that Yang Miaoqing, the Yang County Magistrate, the County Deputy, and the County Commandant have colluded with the Wokou. The people the County Magistrate is supposed to manage, my Luo family will manage. The people the County Magistrate doesn't manage, our Luo family will manage even more."

Listening to Song Yan's step-by-step arrangements, Luo Yuheng's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Although what Song Yan said was just the ideal situation, and had a hint of being an armchair strategist.

But at the very least, to be able to talk strategy was already not bad.

"Yan'er..." It wasn't until Song Yan had finished speaking that Luo Yuheng spoke up unexpectedly.

"Hmm?"

"Why don't you marry Tianyi too?"

Wait, weren't we talking about the Wokou? How on earth did the topic change to this?