Chapter 320 Jiang Yuan's Promotion

Chapter 320 Jiang Yuan's Promotion

After giving generous rewards and dismissing the guards and eunuchs who came to deliver the imperial decree, Xie Wanniang hadn't even had time to write a letter to Jiang Yuan when Jiang Yuan returned to Tang County, travel-worn and weary.

He returned to tell Xie Wanniang the good news. Because he had made many contributions in the battle against the Tatars, Jiang Yuan was promoted again. He was not only promoted from a fourth-rank military officer to a third-rank military commander, but also received the honorary title of Zhaoyong General.

There is one downside: his position as a third-rank guard commander is an important military officer under the guard system, in charge of the military and political affairs of a guard and, in principle, commanding 5,600 soldiers.

In other words, he had to leave Zijing Pass and take up a post in the garrison assigned to him by his superiors, where he would be responsible for many matters, including military defense, soldier training, and farm management within the garrison's jurisdiction.

"The young master gave me a hint that I'll most likely be transferred to Guangchang Guard next," Jiang Yuan said, while cautiously observing Xie Wanniang's expression.

Guangchangwei is located near Yu County, west of Zijing Pass, and is one of the most important garrisons in the northernmost part of the Great Wei's northern defense line.

Given that the area is so remote, poor, cold, and dangerous, Jiang Yuan doesn't plan to let Xie Wanniang take the child with him. What he's worried about now is whether Xie Wanniang will be angry because he's about to go to such a place.

He is a husband and a father, but apart from handing over his income without reservation, he has made almost no contribution to the family.

Xie Wanniang not only ran the household and raised her children all by herself, but she also sent money, food and medicine to the Zhenbei Army from time to time.

Because of her, Jiang Yuan had almost everything go smoothly in the military camp. The soldiers who felt indebted to him were always very friendly to him.

Although some people were envious, jealous, and resentful, and disliked him behind his back, such people were ultimately a minority. With Chang Yao and Marquis Dingbei keeping things in check, these people couldn't cause any trouble at all.

Xie Wanniang noticed Jiang Yuan's cautiousness and touched her husband's face. "Then you're going to have a tough time. Linlin is still young, so I can't go with you for now."

Jiang Yuan felt a mix of emotions: gratitude, joy, guilt, and an indescribable deep love and attachment.

He buried his face in Xie Wanniang's shoulder, "You and the child don't need to come with me. As long as you are well, I'll be happy wherever you are."

Xie Wanniang smiled, "Of course children should live with their parents, and of course I will always follow you."

In any case, whether she's doing business or charity, she doesn't need to personally guard that place every day.

As for the children, when they are young, she and Jiang Yuan can teach them themselves, or they can invite a tutor to their home.

When they are older, if they wish, she can send her son to the academy run by Xie Daoheng and her daughter to the affiliated school of the Xie clan.

Although the Xie family is a long-established and prestigious clan, it does not have the outdated and patriarchal tradition of favoring sons over daughters.

They never believed in the absurd notion that "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent." Whether raising their own daughters or choosing wives for younger members of the clan, they preferred to cultivate or select women who were self-reliant and capable of managing the household independently, even without a man.

They didn't care whether the other person knew music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, tea, cooking, or needlework. What they appreciated and valued most was the other person's ability to manage the household, their keen sense of the political situation and current events, and their perseverance and decisiveness.

Therefore, Xie Wanniang, who was able to start her own business from scratch and establish herself even when she was living away from home and penniless, has always had an excellent reputation in the Xie family.

Many of her aunts, uncles, and other female relatives had privately complained that her ex-fiancé's family was truly blind.

While Xie Jingshu was indeed a bit confused, their decision to break off the engagement was swift and decisive.

At that time, Xie Wanniang and Xie Daoheng were still trying to persuade Xie Jingshu, but they couldn't wait to come and sever ties with Xie Wanniang.

You know, they were the ones who came running to propose marriage back then, saying a lot of nice things and promising to treat Xie Wanniang well before Xie Daoheng finally agreed.

However, what this family said and what they actually did were clearly not the same thing.

Xie Daoheng valued his dignity and reputation, so he naturally wouldn't do anything to that family just because they took the initiative to break off the engagement. However, without Xie Daoheng's special treatment, that family's son, who was originally considered outstanding, had gradually faded into obscurity over the years.

Not to mention that his mother and wife didn't get along, and they fought each other every day under their own little world.

Let alone Xie Wanniang, who single-handedly shouldered all the responsibilities and burdens of a family, the two of them were lucky if they didn't cause trouble for the father and son.

According to those who enjoy watching the drama unfold, who spoke privately to the Xie family, the family had been living a chaotic and troubled life for years, with everything going wrong for them.

At first, the mother-in-law would set rules for her daughter-in-law and find all sorts of ways to torment her. Later, the daughter-in-law couldn't take it anymore, so she asked her own family for help and support, trying to get her mother-in-law to back down.

However, the mother-in-law not only did not restrain herself, but also began to frequently send concubines to her son because her daughter-in-law had slapped her in the face.

Her son, who already had a son and a daughter, initially did not intend to take a concubine.

As a scholar who was wholeheartedly studying, he actually wanted to devote most of his energy to the matter of passing the imperial examination and entering officialdom.

However, his mother cried and insisted that he take a concubine. He didn't want to argue with his mother over such a "trivial matter," so he agreed. Little did he know that once this bad precedent was set, it would be impossible to stop.

Seeing that her husband had more and more concubines and maids around him, his wife began to retaliate against her mother-in-law in the same way.

The man, who was overwhelmed by the kindness of his beloved, was unaware that his father's most favored concubine was someone his wife had sent to him through his father's classmate.

Because the other party was a respectable woman, his mother could not sell her off as easily as she would a concubine who had been born into slavery.

Unfortunately, the other party was also clever and alert. His mother tried to deal with him several times, but he managed to evade her every time.

Not only that, the other party even gave birth to a son, which made her even more favored by his father.

It's important to understand that when the other party has a child, it actually harms the interests of him, his wife, and his children.

His wife was willing to suffer heavy losses herself rather than let the concubine get away with it, which shows just how badly the relationship between the two women had deteriorated.