I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

Yang Tongchuan changed into his constable's uniform, offered a few words of comfort to Xiangxi and her family, and then hurried back to the yamen.

Only then did I realize that calling it a bandit suppression campaign wasn't entirely accurate.

A team of soldiers was sent from above to wipe out a group of bandits in the desolate mountains outside other county towns.

This group of bandits was mainly composed of refugees, and in its early years, their numbers were small and they did not pose a significant threat.

But recently, they've started acting up, even daring to come down the mountain to kidnap people. The authorities can't let them stay any longer.

The document required all government offices in the surrounding counties to send people to assist the soldiers in suppressing the bandits.

"That sounds nice, but we're the ones risking our lives while these officers and soldiers reap the rewards."

"Of course, we're the ones who get the good jobs."

For a while, the constables in the yamen were chattering away like they were in a market, and nobody wanted to go.

The risk is too great.

"Shut up, all of you. Line up and take roll call. Sharpen your swords. These are the things that will save your lives if a fight breaks out." Yang Tongchuan stopped everyone's discussion and went inside to discuss the specific details of this joint bandit suppression operation with the county magistrate.

The county constable was not a high-ranking official, but he was in charge of public security and the judiciary.

Simply put, a county lieutenant is a combination of "military police + judicial assistant + administrative officer".

He could be described as "the county magistrate's right-hand man".

The county magistrate decided that each constable who participated in the joint mission would be rewarded with five taels of silver, and if they performed well, they would receive an even greater reward upon their return.

After Yang Tongchuan understood the situation, he came out carrying a money bag. Those who were initially unwilling to go became more obedient when they saw that there was money to be made.

Finally, Yang Tongchuan selected ten constables with decent skills to accompany him on this mission.

"Go home tonight, eat well, drink well, rest well, and prepare your provisions. We'll meet at the West Gate at 7 AM tomorrow and set off. Anyone who dares to mess up will be dealt with by me."

The group dispersed.

After returning home, Yang Tongchuan told his family about the situation.

"Suppressing bandits? That will involve bloodshed!" Yang's mother's heart pounded as if it were about to leap out of her chest.

"Mother, don't worry, this is the soldiers' job. We're just going to make up the numbers and increase our presence." Yang Tongchuan could only try to appease his mother for the time being.

Xiangxi was so frightened that her face turned pale.

Yanzi received Yang Tongchuan's order and went to Xiang Qiang's stall to order several dozen flatbreads for the group to take the next morning.

Yang Tongchuan can just take it when he passes by tomorrow morning.

At the dinner table, the Yang family was unusually silent, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, and no one spoke.

After dinner, Yang Tongshan and Yang Tongchuan stayed to talk with Yang's father.

Yang's father was also worried about his son, but in this kind of situation, Yang Tongchuan, as the head constable, definitely had to go.

This is a job that's hard to avoid.

The county constable also agreed to Yang Tongchuan's request: once they returned from suppressing the bandits, they would remove the word "temporary" and allow Yang Tongchuan to rightfully become the head constable.

That evening, Yang Tongchuan felt terrible seeing Xiangxi looking like a frightened bird, as if she was about to cry if she opened her mouth to speak.

"I know you're scared, but I'm going anyway. While I'm away, you take good care of the house, eat and drink as usual, and I promise I'll come back safe and sound."

"Let's quit, okay? Let's quit being the head constable, alright?"

Xiangxi buried herself in Yang Tongchuan's arms, still unable to stop herself from crying softly.

"If you keep crying, you'll be disrupting morale. Stop crying." Yang Tongchuan carried Xiangxi to the bed; he had more important things to do tonight.

Yang Tongchuan originally thought that Xuebao was still young and Xiangxi had only just recovered, so there was no rush to have another child.

But if I really do die outside this time, it would be good to leave Xiangxi with another child.

Otherwise, the Yang family would be finished.

Multiple children.

Out of consideration for the two children, the elder brother will not make things difficult for Xiangxi in the future.

Before returning to the house, he had already told his elder brother and father that if he really couldn't come back, they shouldn't stop Xiangxi from remarrying.

After thinking for a moment, the elder brother agreed, but added one condition.

"If that day ever comes, and Xiangxi remarries, the Yang family will give him a dowry of twenty taels, but the child must stay in the Yang family." Yang Tongshan is a thoughtful man who plans far ahead.

However, he was never a great philanthropist.

After all, what kind of good person would someone be to rise to prominence in a pawnshop, a place where blatant robbery is possible?

"Brother, if you can have two children, let Xiangxi take Xuebao away. If there's only one, you can still let the father and son see each other often." Yang Tongchuan knew his older brother too well.

Everyone thought Yang Tongshan was always smiling and easy to talk to, but Yang Tongchuan knew in his heart how hard-hearted his elder brother was and how ruthless he was in doing things.

As long as Yang Tongshan disagrees, he has a thousand ways to prevent Xiangxi from leaving the Yang family's gate.

"Big brother?" Yang Tongchuan's voice was almost pleading.

Yang Tongshan remained silent.

"I'll make the decision on this. I won't prevent Xiangxi from seeing the children in the future," said Mr. Yang, who was sitting in the main seat.

Tonight's conversation was meant to be a precaution, to prevent Yang Tongchuan from being distracted while he was working hard outside.

"Father!" Yang Tongshan stood up angrily.

"Thank you, Father. Thank you, Elder Brother." Yang Tongchuan stood up and gave his father and elder brother a proper bow.

-----------

On the swaying Falcon-Mountain bed

Yang Tongchuan was lost in thought.

"Hiss~"

Xiangxi was hurt.

Xiangxi's voice brought Yang Tongchuan back to his senses.

"Get up." Yang Tongchuan changed the word.

"Husband, it hurts." Xiangxi's voice was barely audible. She had applied ointment several times tonight, but she still couldn't bear it.

"Bear with it, just bear with it a little longer." Yang Tongchuan wasn't planning to sleep tonight; he was determined to use up all the stored food.

The rooster crowed for the first time, and the commotion on the bed hadn't stopped yet.

Xiangxi felt like she was going to die.

Her arms could no longer wrap around Yang Tongchuan's neck, and her legs felt like they weren't her own anymore.

"Again." Yang Tongchuan knew that Xiangxi had already reached her limit, but this time he couldn't be soft-hearted.

Xiangxi didn't know when he had fainted. By the time he woke up, Yang Tongchuan had already set off.

Yang Tongchuan didn't sleep all night.

Before leaving, he covered Xiangxi with a blanket and then stuffed his own pillow into Xiangxi's arms to hug.

He stared at Xiangxi's face, looking at it again and again.

Quietly, she dressed and carried Xuebao to Yang's mother's room.

"Xiangxi is getting up a little late today, so Mom, could you help look after Xuebao for a while?"

"Okay, be careful on your journey." Tears welled up in Yang's mother's eyes.

Yang Tongchuan bid farewell to his family.

Yang Tongshan escorted him to the west gate.

"Big brother, I'm leaving the family to you."

"Don't worry, Dad promised you, and I will definitely keep my promise." With his elder brother's words, Yang Tongchuan felt relieved.

He felt reassured and led the team to their destination.

He was gone for more than half a month without any news.

Xiangxi had been in a daze for the past two weeks, but he still went to Shuanghua Pavilion as usual and worked even harder.

Because he couldn't stop. If he stopped, he would think of Yang Tongchuan and worry about whether he was alright or if he was injured.

He even went to the government office himself to inquire about the situation, but the people there said they hadn't received any news and told him to wait a little longer.

Yang Tongshan also used his network of connections to find out what was going on there.

That hill is easy to defend but difficult to attack. We've already launched two assaults in the past two weeks, but we still haven't been able to take it.

There were definitely casualties, but it's unknown whether Yang Tongchuan was among them.

That day in the shop, I overheard Qingzhu telling Duan Ziqiu: "The price of Agrimonia pilosa used to make ointments in the shop has increased a lot recently."

"Agrimony is used to stop bleeding. I guess there's some large-scale purchase somewhere that's causing the price to rise temporarily. It'll be fine in a while," Duan Ziqiu comforted her.

Upon hearing Duan Ziqiu's words, Xiangxi felt as if she couldn't breathe.

"Boss Duan, may I ask where you purchased the Crane Grass?" Xiangxi asked.

"I don't know, but Xiangxi, don't worry. Sometimes no news is good news. Maybe Officer Yang will be back tomorrow," Duan Ziqiu comforted Xiangxi.