Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 133 The Big Wedding
"Alright, alright, why are you crying on such a joyous occasion!" Bai Chongxi laughed and helped the two women up.

"Alright, stop crying." Sun Lianzhong also came over, took out two brocade boxes from his pocket and handed them to the two women: "Don't mind them. I'm just a rough guy. I don't have any other skills in this life except leading troops into battle. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please don't mind it."

Chi Fengcheng and other generals also presented gifts, which the two women could hardly accept.

Li Zongren watched everyone with a smile until he finally spoke: "Since Mingxi has asked me to propose on his behalf, I will take the liberty of posting their wedding two days from now while everyone is here."

After all, once this period is over, we'll all be getting really busy.

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines and agreed in unison.

They were all sensible people, so of course they understood what Li Zongren meant.

Abandoning Xuzhou was a plan that had been decided long ago. In two days, the troops would gradually withdraw according to the plan, and then there wouldn't be much time left.

Indeed, as Li Zongren had said, Xuzhou City began to bustle with activity from the next day onwards, and troops began to withdraw in batches.

Wealthy residents and gentry in Xuzhou, well-informed, began their evacuation to Wuhan early on using various means of transportation, and the roads from Xuzhou to Wuhan were soon crowded with people.

April 8th was also the day Su Yaoyang married Song Mei and Xiao Lu. Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and the generals who were still in Xuzhou City all came to attend.

Su Yaoyang's side also had a large number of people, including officers of various ranks such as Li Gaoyuan, Li Tao, Huang Guantao, and Lu Shaobin, who gathered together and made a lively scene of toasting and drinking.

The wedding banquet lasted until eight or nine o'clock in the evening before the guests gradually dispersed.

Su Yaoyang swayed as he arrived at the new house.

Calling it a new house isn't quite accurate, because it's just a slightly larger tent.

The red candles burned brightly, making the inside of the tent warm and cozy.

The coarse cloth tent blocked out the noise from the outside world, but it couldn't muffle the heartbeats of the newlyweds.

Song Mei and Xiao Lu sat side by side on the edge of the bed covered with a bright red wedding quilt. Under the veil, their two slender hands were tightly clasped together, their fingertips trembling slightly.

Su Yaoyang walked over, stepping on peanuts and red dates scattered on the ground. The crisp sound of his boots crushing longan shells startled the two women, causing their shoulders to tremble slightly.

He reached out and lifted both veils at the same time, and the candlelight instantly streamed into their two lowered almond-shaped eyes.

Song Mei's ears were so red they looked like they could bleed, and Xiao Lu bit her lip while stealing glances at Su Yaoyang's figure, her eyelashes casting uneasy shadows on her cheeks.

When the arm, reeking of alcohol, pulled the two into its embrace, Song Mei's hairpin bumped against Xiao Lu's silver hairpin, the clinking sound mingling with two soft gasps.

Su Yaoyang forcefully sat between the two women, reaching out to embrace their slender waists.

His left fingertips caressed Song Mei's fragrant shoulder, while his right hand touched Xiao Lu's soft belly.

The two women trembled simultaneously, and Xiao Lu's body went limp, collapsing into his arms.

Song Mei tensed up, then gave Su Yaoyang a reproachful look before slowly leaning into his arms. The three of them quietly snuggled together like that.

After a long silence, Su Yaoyang sighed and said, "Six months ago, when Xiaolu and I first moved into the inn, we never imagined that we would marry the most beautiful landlady in the inn."

"Yes, indeed." Little Lu, nestled in his arms, also showed a look of emotion:
"Yes... At that time, the young master and I had just fled from Rehe to Nanjing to stay with relatives. We were extremely poor and hungry. The young master was also sick at the time. If it weren't for Sister Song Mei's kindness in taking us in, we probably would have starved to death in Nanjing long ago."

Song Mei snorted lightly, "At the time, I only took you two in because I couldn't bear to see Xiao Lu sleeping on the streets at such a young age. I never expected that I would end up getting myself involved too."

Su Yaoyang chuckled, "Amei, isn't this what they call 'being caught in one's own trap'?"

Song Mei was both embarrassed and annoyed, and slapped his arm: "You're the one who brought this upon yourself. I just didn't expect you to be such a bad guy."

Su Yaoyang chuckled, glanced at his watch, and said in a low voice, "Amei, Xiaolu, it's getting late, let's get some rest."

The two women nodded shyly.

A night breeze suddenly swept past outside the tent, and as the candlelight flickered, the shadows of the three people began to slowly merge on the tent...

Although it was their wedding night, Su Yaoyang still got up early the next day and drove to the war zone headquarters in Xuzhou.

"Mingxi... yesterday was your wedding night, why are you here so early this morning? Shouldn't you spend more time with your two wives?"

Upon arriving at the office, I saw Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi drinking tea, looking relaxed and leisurely, like two retired old men.

Seeing that the two were still joking with him, he said irritably, "Then I'll leave?"

"Hahaha……"

The two couldn't help but laugh. Li Zongren waved to him, gesturing for him to sit down, and poured him a cup of tea.

After Su Yaoyang sat down, he picked up a folder from the coffee table and handed it to him: "Mingxi... your commendation has been issued."

Su Yaoyang took the document and glanced at it, his displeasure showing on his face. "This Ministry of Military Affairs is really looking down on us."
There wasn't a single substantial reward, just a hollow position as the head of the Shanxi militia. Are they treating me like a three-year-old? They're not even going to put on an act anymore?

"A tangible reward? What kind of reward do you want?" Bai Chongxi rolled his eyes at him.

"Your security regiment was originally formed by you on your own, so it should have been ordered to be disbanded. Last time, the Ministry of Military Affairs gave you the status of a Nanjing Security Regiment and the rank of colonel, which can be considered as giving you a background."

How about this, the Seventh Army is short a regimental commander. Are you interested? If you are, you can take up the post immediately.

Su Yaoyang immediately fell silent. Guangxi is located on the border and its people are known for their fierce and tough nature.

Besides, Li Bai and his companion had already completely garrisoned the capital, so he had no interest in going there to be a mascot.

Li Zongren was a kind-hearted man. Seeing Su Yaoyang in an awkward situation, he comforted him, saying, "Alright... Jiansheng and I have discussed it, and your position as the head of the militia is actually quite good."

Now that most of Shanxi has fallen into the hands of the Japanese invaders, Chiang Kai-shek's decision to appoint you as the commander-in-chief naturally has its own considerations.

To put it bluntly, you're an unruly and rebellious guy, and with your own tricks up your sleeve, you're bound to be a troublemaker.

"By appointing you as the head of the militia, you're clearly giving yourself free rein to develop your own power. How far you go in the future depends on your own destiny."

(End of this chapter)