The relentless downpour hadn't ceased all night. Coincidentally, the heavy rain served to cleanse the lingering stench left in Feiyu City from burning the bandit corpses; the charred remains and scattered bones were washed into the river, eventually flowing out to sea to become sustenance for the fish.

I stretched my legs comfortably, intending to reach for the enticing softness again, only to find the beautiful woman beside me gone, her spot in the embrace empty. As I lingered in sweet recollection of last night's intimate bliss, the door creaked open. Cheng Susu entered, fully dressed, carrying a basin of water for washing her face.

“You’re awake,” Cheng Susu murmured, unable to meet my eyes. She set down the basin hastily, using the moment to ask.

“Why are you up so early? I was hoping to hold you a little longer,” I lamented, my gaze fixed on her chest. At this moment, even feigning propriety was impossible. Those magnificent globes had been mine to manipulate with my toes last night; to not feel lingering desire now would be a lie. Yet, these treasures, rightfully mine, were suddenly beyond my free command, which was infuriating.

Susu produced a set of new clothes from somewhere and handed them to me. “Put these on. You didn't return home last night; I’m afraid it will be difficult to explain to Zhou Ni. Don't let me cause trouble between you and the others.”

I chuckled. “It’s no matter. They know you are also my wife. Besides, I can’t truly manage Zhou Ni yet, so let her think what she wants.”

Cheng Susu sat on the edge of the bed, her face flushed with a delicate crimson. “So, does this mean you have managed me?”

I sat up and embraced her from behind. “Susu, you are my sweetest wife…”

“And the eldest among your wives. I need to set an example as the big sister, right?” she asked.

“Heh heh, that’s exactly what I meant.”

Susu sighed, “I really shouldn’t have let you into my room last night. I’ll have headaches over this later. Let’s go home. Even if Zhou Ni doesn't mind, if you stay here, that little imp Linglong will certainly have opinions.”

Though her words carried a touch of sharpness, her face was radiant with happiness. I felt an urge to kiss her, but she deftly dodged me, tossing the clothes onto my lap instead. I complied obediently, dressing and washing my face; otherwise, if this beautiful woman became displeased, whether I would get to enjoy her company again next time would be a genuine question.

According to Magistrate An’s interpretation, I was essentially bringing a young lady home to her grandfather, which warranted staying another couple of days. Blast it! When did I become her grandfather? Yesterday, after helping Constable Sun treat his wounds at the yamen, Magistrate An insisted I stay for a celebratory dinner, which delayed me an entire night. I couldn't bear staying any longer.

Cheng Susu added, “Godfather, Zhao Qian needs to return to Hulu Village to fetch some repair tools. If that escape pod can be fixed, it will save us the long trek to Shuangcheng. Didn't you agree to leave in a week? We’ve already lost time due to the bandits; we truly cannot stay any longer.”

Magistrate An said, “Xian’er, you are always so thoughtful. Speaking of which, Xian’er, there are no outsiders here. Tell your Godfather honestly, did you truly emerge from that escape pod? There are so many rumors circulating.”

Cheng Susu glanced at me, seemingly seeking my approval. I knew Magistrate An and his wife held no malice toward her, but this matter couldn't be explained in a moment. Even if we had endless time, they might not comprehend certain things, so it was better to avoid stirring up more trouble.

I shook my head gently. Cheng Susu then spoke, “Godfather, let them say what they will. I happened to be passing by that forest that day, and when I came out, I met some villagers. They later discovered the escape pod in the woods and connected us—it’s utterly baseless.”

Magistrate An breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Otherwise, if that escape pod belonged to you and was sent to the capital, I would have made a grave mistake. But if you must leave, given this weather, returning to Hulu Village is impossible.”

“We will figure out a way back,” Susu replied. “Besides, this rain won't last forever. Once we have packed up, we will depart as soon as the rain stops.”

Magistrate An no longer insisted on keeping us. He sent a servant with an umbrella, and the two walked back to the rented quarters together. Because of the rain, Linglong, Dali Wan, and the others also remained indoors after breakfast. They were seated in the living room discussing yesterday's battle reports, while Laissky and Wahani had gone to Hu Shanyang’s place to discuss building the brick factory.

When Cheng Susu and I entered our rooms, although Yun Yao and Linglong didn’t directly ask why I was absent all night, I took the initiative to explain. “Madam An was immensely hospitable last night; I drank a bit too much and ended up staying at the county seat. Is everything alright here?”

Linglong’s tone was slightly odd. “It’s fine, we just didn't know if you two were okay last night.”

Cheng Susu gave a slightly nervous smile. “What could possibly be wrong? My Godmother missed me and kept me talking in her room all night. Otherwise, we would have been back sooner.”

With Susu’s explanation, Linglong stopped pressing and turned to me. “Master, the bandits were repelled. Are we heading to Shuangcheng next? Wasn't the plan to return to Hulu Village first? I miss my parents.”

I replied to Linglong, “Of course, we’re going back to Hulu Village. If the escape pod cannot be repaired, moving it by rolling logs to Shuangcheng might take us until next year. We will pack our things immediately and leave as soon as the rain ceases. Once we reach Hulu Village, you can stay an extra day, because Dali Wan and I need to return to the forest to retrieve the maintenance tools from that spaceship.”

Dali Wan, hearing he had a task, mumbled gloomily from the side, “Oh, understood, Brother Zhao Qian.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “What’s wrong? Still upset that you didn’t get to personally clash with the bandits yesterday?”

“Yes, Brother Zhao Qian. Tell me, are Little Linglong and I useless? We didn't even see the bandits’ faces. How can this be called fighting?”

Linglong wore a similar expression. I told them both, “How can you think that way? You are mistaken, severely mistaken. Warfare is not about one or two people. We only faced the bandits head-on at Feiying Manor because the situation was unique. A true war commander must not easily expose his soldiers to mortal danger. Real war isn't won by one person relying on brute force or shooting a few extra arrows.

War is about team spirit and cooperation, relying on accurate intelligence beforehand, precise judgment, and correct command during the conflict. No matter how capable one person is—even if they could kill fifty or a hundred bandits—what happens when one thousand or two thousand bandits swarm in? Can you kill them all? You might not even finish killing those first fifty before the rest rush in and trample you to death. Therefore, strategy and tactics are crucial to warfare; individual ability becomes insignificant in the ocean of battle.”