Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

After a good nap, the sun was almost at its zenith. Zhang Jingwei stretched out his body, feeling refreshed, but saw Douya standing beside him with his head drooping, his eyes red, and a listless look.

"Hey, what's wrong with our little Douya?" Zhang Jingwei walked over and ruffled her hair. "Look at her pouty little mouth. You could hang a bottle of oil on it. Did Madam scold her again?"

Douya raised her head, worry written all over her face. "Master...ever since Miss Wei moved in, Madam has been feeling increasingly depressed. She often sits alone in a daze, sometimes inexplicably irritable. Especially since Sun Yaolang said she'd have a circumcision next month, Madam has been locking herself in her room all day, refusing to even speak. If this continues, I'm really worried she'll get sick..."

"Castration..." The smile on Zhang Jingwei's face gradually faded, and his brows furrowed. "Is there really... no other way?"

Douya shook her head, her voice tinged with tears: "You know Sun Yaolang's medical skills, but even he was helpless... If he could be cured, he would have done it long ago. Why would he have to resort to surgery to kill me..."

Zhang Jingwei was silent for a moment. Sun Yaolang specialized in surgical injuries and pharmacology, but perhaps he wasn't particularly specialized in gynecological ailments. He pondered, "I'll write a letter to the Prime Minister in the capital to see if I can find a skilled surgeon for Ling'er, either in the Imperial Hospital or among the city's renowned physicians."

As he spoke, a wave of guilt welled up in his heart. He'd been so busy with reservoir planning and workshop affairs lately, and so preoccupied with Ningxiang's affairs, that he'd indeed neglected Ling'er. How could she possibly feel better, bearing the fear of illness and the rumors outside alone?

So he immediately decided: "Forget it! I'm not going to handle any official business today! Bean Sprout, go get the car ready. I'm going to take your wife out for a walk today and skip work!"

On the outskirts of Goyang — on the road to the Water Defense Camp

The carriage moved briskly along the official road outside Gaoyang City. In the early summer countryside, the sun was warm and gentle, and a gentle breeze blew across the lush green wheat fields lining the road, stirring up waves of blue. In the distance, the mountains were as dark as ink, and nearby, wildflowers dotted the landscape. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass.

Huangfu Ling was forcibly dragged out of the room. At first, he was a little depressed, but when he looked at the vast world outside the car window that he had not seen for a long time, his tense expression couldn't help but relax a little.

Zhang Jingwei pointed out the window, trying to cheer her up. "Ling'er, look at that forest over there. The last time I went to Yaoying, a wild boar chased me and forced me to climb a tree... And that little river, I heard that in the summer many children sneak down there to fish. We need to have the village elders keep a close eye on it..."

The carriage didn't head directly to the water defense camp, but took a detour, following a more scenic stream. Zhang Jingwei even had Qian Ming stop and took Huangfu Ling for a walk. The stream was gurgling and clear, and he picked up a flat stone and skipped it like a child. The stone bounced seven or eight times before sinking to the bottom, finally causing Huangfu Ling to smile faintly.

"Look, it's so nice to go out for a walk, it's better than staying stuck in the house." Zhang Jingwei took her hand, his palm was warm.

Huangfu Ling didn't struggle, but just sighed softly: "It's just that I'm always worried about you..."

"I'll hold up the sky even if it falls." Zhang Jingwei held her hand tightly. "Only think about happy things today."

Water Defense Camp

The carriage finally arrived at the Water Defense Camp. This military camp, which had once made him famous but had also experienced many setbacks, stood in the countryside, looking even more solemn.

"This urn city is so unique!" Huangfu Ling, after all, was the daughter of a military family. She was immediately drawn to the unique double-sided urn city structure of the Water Defense Battalion. "Both sides are equipped with strong fortifications, creating a perfect balance between strength and weakness. This can cause great miscalculation and pressure for the enemy attacking the city. And this independent inner wall is a powerful blocking barrier and the last line of defense. What genius came up with this construction method?"

Zhang Jingwei puffed out his chest proudly: "Great! General Gao's handiwork!"

Huangfu Ling nodded in understanding. "If it's General Gao, then that makes sense. He's truly a prodigy."

Qian Ming lifted the carriage curtain, and Jia Dayong had already neatly placed the carriage seat: "Master, Madam, we have arrived at the main camp."

Zhang Jingwei jumped out of the car first, then turned around and carefully helped Huangfu Ling down. Then he excitedly took her hand and said, "Come on, Ling'er, I'll take you for a good tour and tell you how your husband, I, 'drunk captured Han Ye' and took this camp by surprise!"

Although this story had already spread throughout Yunzhou and was even made into a joke by storytellers, Huangfu Ling was still mesmerized by the vivid details and frequent anecdotes told by the person involved at the scene of the incident, and he couldn't help but chuckle from time to time.

"So," Zhang Jingwei concluded, his tone unusually modest, "those storytellers who praise me as a master of strategic planning and military genius are actually all bullshit. If it weren't for General Gao's covert assistance and Mu Tou's desperate defense, I would have been pierced by arrows. In war, you rely on big guys."

Huangfu Ling looked at him with a gentle light in her eyes: "But in the eyes of the people of Gaoyang and these soldiers, you are their 'God'. If it weren't for you, who knows how many more people would have suffered under Han Ye's oppression."

Zhang Jingwei scratched his head. "Oh, I'm not worthy of that. If I were really asked to write this story, I would definitely write more about how to unite people, how to analyze the enemy, and how to use the brain, so that people can be more intelligent and less superstitious about brute force. Of course, myths also have their own way of writing, which is lively!"

At this time, Jia Dayong came over and asked with a simple smile: "Master, this place is very close to our village. I want to ask for leave and go back to see my parents. I will be back soon!"

Zhang Jingwei was in a good mood and waved his hand: "Go ahead, go ahead and give your parents good wishes for me. Remember to come back early, we still have to go to Yaoying later."

"Okay! Thank you, young master!" Jia Dayong ran away happily.

Song Geng, the new captain of the Water Defense Battalion, had already heard the news and rushed over. He saluted respectfully, "Sir! Miss!"

Zhang Jingwei was delighted when he saw it was him. "Oh! Why are you here? You've been transferred here?"

Song Geng clasped his fists, with a helpless smile on his face: "Son-in-law, we are destined to be together."

"Who's destined to be with you?" Zhang Jingwei deliberately put on a stern face. "I haven't even settled accounts with you yet! You've confronted me time and again, with swords and guns drawn. You just don't like me, right?"

Song Geng quickly complained, "Sir, please understand! Those are all orders from the Marquis! I am also following orders, and I am in a difficult position!"

Zhang Jingwei couldn't help laughing when he thought about how he had put a knife to his neck, but he still pretended to be angry: "Hey! You dare to mention military orders to me!"

Huangfu Ling gently tugged at his sleeve and advised, "Alright, General Song, you're doing your job. Are you completely innocent for mobilizing troops without authorization?"

"Okay, okay, my wife has spoken, so I can't say anything more." Zhang Jingwei stepped down and said seriously, "General Song, Gaoyang is garrisoned with two battalions, the Water Defense Battalion and the City Defense Battalion. I'm just a small county magistrate, so it's not convenient for me to interfere in military affairs. But you still need to speed up the sorting out of the military households and the allocation of land in the Water Defense Battalion. You are the third captain of the Water Defense Battalion that I have known. I don't want this iron-clad camp to become a place where generals come and go, and the foundation is unstable."

Song Geng's expression froze as he replied solemnly, "Yes! I understand, and I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

Zhang Jingwei nodded and strolled into the main camp building. The once luxurious barracks had long since been destroyed by the fire. The barracks now rebuilt on the original site were simple and unpretentious. The most eye-catching thing was the broken bell hanging in the corner, as if silently telling of the thrilling past.

The camp was in good order, and the soldiers after the expansion seemed to have been replenished. Many clerks and officers were busy processing documents and copying books. It seemed that Song Geng was not a person who was greedy for pleasure, but a pragmatic and capable person.

Zhang Jingwei looked around and his eyes were drawn to a large, exaggerated hammer on the weapon rack. The hammer head was huge, almost the size of an average person's head, and it looked extremely powerful.

"General Song uses a hammer?" Zhang Jingwei walked over curiously. "Can you wield this huge thing?"

Song Geng smiled and said, "My dear, I can move it. This hammer may look intimidating, but it's not made of pure iron. It weighs about 40 kilograms. I can still move it."

Huangfu Ling also stepped forward to examine it curiously. The hammer head looked even more massive in comparison. She exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, it's this size, and it only weighs 40 kilograms?"

Zhang Jingwei looked at his wife's petite figure standing next to the giant hammer and couldn't help laughing: "Haha, Ling'er, look, this hammer head is almost bigger than your head!"

Song Geng explained: "This hammer is six feet long, and the handle is made of century-old hardwood, which is extremely tough. The outer shell of the hammer head is cast with one-inch thick fine steel, but the inside is hollow, and actually embedded with a solid copper ball weighing about twenty pounds." As he spoke, he grasped the hammer handle with one hand, lifted it easily, and shook it gently, and sure enough, a dull rolling sound came from inside.

Zhang Jingwei suddenly realized, "So there's a secret! No wonder it's so exaggerated, yet not so heavy."

Song Geng said with a hint of pride: "Combined with the unique power-generating techniques and hammering methods inherited from my family, it is enough to break through heavy armor and shatter the enemy's bones!"

Zhang Jingwei nodded in approval: "This kind of weapon does require special skills to unleash its maximum power. It's not as simple as sheer strength and clumsiness."

Song Geng smiled and said, "Sir, you are very perceptive. This is the skill that my Song family has practiced for generations. My son also knows this hammering technique, and he is born with supernatural powers. The hammer he uses is even heavier than mine."

Zhang Jingwei was somewhat surprised. "I see that the general is in his prime, perhaps around forty? Your son can already wield a heavier war hammer?"

Song Geng's face showed a mixture of pride and helplessness. "To be honest, I'm eighteen years old now, and I'm serving in the vanguard battalion under the Marquis, honored as a captain. But... well, my martial arts skills are passable, but I haven't made any progress in starting a family yet. I'm really not up to the task."

Zhang Jingwei's eyes lit up when he heard this. He turned to Huangfu Ling and said, "Eighteen? Hey, Ling'er, look... he's about the same age as our Douya."

Huangfu Ling immediately understood: "Yes, Douya is seventeen this year. Although she is a little petite, she has a good temper, is diligent and sensible."

Song Geng was stunned when he heard this, and hesitated, "Could it be that the son-in-law is talking about... the adopted daughter of the Marquis, the daughter of the late General Dou?"

Zhang Jingwei: "Exactly. His name is Dou Ya. Does General Song know General Dou?"

Song Geng's face immediately showed respect. "I served in the army in Gunzhou in my early years and met General Dou several times, even fighting in several battles together. Later, General Dou followed General Huangfu all the way north, fighting on the battlefield, and repeatedly achieved remarkable feats. He was already a well-known captain of the vanguard! At that time, I was just a small captain of the vanguard, and I admired General Dou very much."

Zhang Jingwei sighed, "My father-in-law was only a captain back then, and he fought his way up through real battles."

Huangfu Ling added, "After Uncle Dou died on the battlefield, he entrusted Douya to our Huangfu family before his death. Although she grew up with us over the years, she has never wanted to change her surname, and she always misses her father in her heart."

Upon hearing this, Song Geng's face showed embarrassment, and his tone became even more respectful. "Since she is General Dou's daughter, and a descendant of a prominent family...if she were to be betrothed to my son, this...this would truly be marrying down. My son is uncouth, and I'm afraid he can't marry her up."

Zhang Jingwei waved his hand and said sincerely, "General Song, there's no need to belittle yourself. Douya, despite her status, is stubborn and hates being treated like a young lady. She's willing to endure hardships, is very diligent and clever, and has absolutely no arrogance. If this marriage could happen, I think they'd be a perfect match."

Huangfu Ling also assisted, "If General Song thinks it's feasible, I will personally ask Douya's opinion and lobby on your behalf. If this marriage can be accomplished, wouldn't it make our two families even closer and become a glorious story?"

After hearing this, Song Geng's face immediately broke into a smile of surprise. He quickly clasped his fists and bowed, "If this is really possible, it would be a great blessing for my son! Song Geng would like to thank the young lady and the son-in-law for their kindness in making this happen!"

Sunlight streamed down the training grounds of the Flood Defense Battalion. An unexpected matchmaking opportunity diluted the solemn atmosphere of the military camp and brought a touch of homely warmth. Zhang Jingwei, watching the relaxed smile finally return to his wife's face, felt that his absence had been worthwhile.