Roam the world with swords

"That's right, but Uncle Cheng Shan, Mountain Cheng? What kind of person is he, and how many concubines does he have?"

"Uncle Cheng Shan is the smartest person in our Cheng family guards. However, guards of the Cheng family, either die or never leave the team alive, carry the Cheng surname forever. As for concubines, in our Cheng family, even the old master had only one wife. It's against our family principles to take concubines."

"Oh, so you're all monogamous in the Cheng family?"

"In the past dynasty, the palace was full of chaos, but our ancestor, the Outer Emperor, observed from a distance and set a rule not to take concubines to avoid family chaos. Since then, the Cheng family's main line has strictly adhered to this rule, and no concubines are allowed."

"Such a wise ancestor and family rule, I like it! Too bad you bear the surname 'Shangye' instead of 'Cheng.'"

"That's because the Cheng family was the old king of the former dynasty. Due to political reasons, my mother was forced to marry into the imperial family. Eventually, she succumbed to the intrigues of the palace and passed away. Grandfather's family believes that my mother did a great favor to the Cheng family, so they treat me exceptionally well. After the age of eight, no one dared to accompany me, fearing that any mishap might lead to punishment for the entire family."

As Cheng Mo spoke, his voice began to carry a hint of grievance. Quickly, Xiangbei interrupted, "It's okay, it's okay. In the future, I'll take you on adventures. We'll roam the world with swords, keeping each other company in the hustle and bustle. Alright, today, let's head to Dongbin!"

"Alright, we'll embrace the world together, wielding our swords. Come, sit in front of the mirror." With a joyous heart, Cheng Mo led Xiangbei to a seat. He opened a sandalwood box he had been holding, and delicate ribbons adorned with pearl studs gleamed with a subtle brilliance. Cheng Mo's graceful fingers picked them up, intricately wrapping them around Xiangbei's braided hair from the forehead to the ear, forming a butterfly shape in the middle. The embroidered beads and flowing ribbons hung down, securing the shoulder-length hair. The enchanting hand then picked up a box of blue satin embroidered beads, delicately fastening them from the collarbone to the back, encircling the swan-like neck with a gentle, snug touch. Xiangbei was left speechless, looking at the antique beauty reflected in the mirror, filled with admiration. Even as they held hands and walked out, Xiangbei couldn't shake off the image of the lively young girl in the mirror.

Observing the mesmerized expression on Xiangbei's face, Cheng Mo's heart melted. From that moment on, he embarked on a lavish journey of indulging his wife with exquisite attire and accessories.

"Miss Bei, you look so beautiful!" The reflection of the blushing face of Xiangbei, now adorned by Duo'er, moved Cheng Mo. Glancing at the stunned gazes around them, it finally hit him: indeed, the lovely girl was none other than Miss Tong. Excitedly, he shook off Duo'er, grabbed her, and with a charming smile, said, "Come on, let's go to Dongbin."

Day by day, they greeted several people at the entrance and were led to the west gangway, where a painted boat awaited them.

Boarding the boat, they navigated through the bustling ripples of the harbor, entering a river channel about fifteen meters wide. The boat moved smoothly, following the right side of the channel with organized precision.

Duo'er, experiencing this picturesque boat ride for the first time, was overjoyed, resembling a lark with Cheng Mo providing explanations and care by her side.

On the right, the east side was crisscrossed with lanes, revealing farmlands and vegetable gardens where people were seen tending to their crops and small grass sheds partly buried in the ground.

On the left, adjacent to the main road, there were horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians, and travelers carrying their belongings.

Xiangbei silently scrutinized the expanding space, comparing it with the live scenery, until an unusual disturbance occurred.

The dense mist abruptly receded, revealing a stretch of eighty miles or more. Immediately, she stood up and walked to the outer deck. Alongside the road on the left, a stone monument stood tall, bearing the four characters of Dongbin County, inscribed in Yan script.