Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 458: Massage

Under the setting sun, the Guan Mountain Plain looks beautiful. The evening glow dyes half the sky red, presenting a different picture from the crimson plain.

Smoke from cooking rises above the military camps on both sides.

As a woman, Xia Zhining does not want to be the subject of gossip. Just like Chen Mo’s personal soldiers, even after the morning battle, she continues to stand guard outside Chen Mo’s commander’s tent, keeping watch for a full day.

"Have Divine Courage and Divine Martial take turns; rest well tonight. We might have a tough battle tomorrow." Inside the commander’s tent, Chen Mo instructs Sun Meng to make the arrangements.

After Sun Meng acknowledges the order, he retreats.

Once Sun Meng leaves, Chen Mo steps out of the commander’s tent, pats the stiff battle armor on Xia Zhining, and says, "Alright, you’ve been standing all day. Come inside and rest."

Without any battles in the afternoon, Chen Mo had already taken off his armor and changed into casual clothes early on.

Upon entering, Chen Mo points to the meal on the table and says, "The dinner sent from below, the treatment in the military can’t compare to home, make do with it."

"I’ve followed the army before; I’m not that delicate." Xia Zhining sits down boldly at the table, with the armor leaves making a crisp sound from the friction.

"You’ve gotten addicted to playing a man. Everyone in the army knows you’re a woman. There’s no need to go out of your way to act manly, and besides, you’re not convincing at it." Chen Mo says.

Xia Zhining, only standing guard all day without going to the battlefield, remains beautiful and charming, although her face, like white jade, has gotten smudged.

"None of your business." Xia Zhining blushes slightly, but her expression relaxes a bit.

"Everyone in the army knows you’re my woman. You could just stay by my side as a personal soldier, instead of tiring yourself out by standing guard." Chen Mo says as he calls in a personal soldier to ask if the hot water is ready. Upon learning that it is, he instructs the soldier to bring it in.

"I didn’t want them to think that I followed the army just to satisfy your desires. I can do other things too." Xia Zhining glares at Chen Mo: "I’m looking out for your reputation, yet you still complain."

Chen Mo smiles without saying another word and turns to study the map.

"Aren’t you eating?" Xia Zhining glances up at Chen Mo.

"I’m not hungry; you go ahead." Chen Mo replies.

Xia Zhining picks up some food into her bowl, then carries her bowl over to Chen Mo’s side, watching him plan strategies on the map. She asks curiously, "This morning’s battle was clearly a crushing victory. Why not pursue and attack, but instead sound the retreat?"

The military books say, "When they are exhausted and we are full, we should pursue and attack."

"The enemy’s main force hasn’t moved yet, and cavalry dominate on their side. Chasing too deeply on this plain could be risky. Besides, since they’re probing, there’s no need for us to rush." On the map, Chen Mo pushes the symbol representing the Vermilion Bird Guard forward, adding, "Our real goal is to crush their main cavalry."

"Though during the experiment, the power of the Red Coat Cannon was indeed impressive, we only have nine of them, while the other side has tens of thousands of cavalry. Is it really... effective?" Xia Zhining takes a bite of rice.

"Nine is indeed few, but what if we add the catapult and pottery bomb?" Chen Mo’s lips curl slightly. Knowing it was only a probe from the other side, he sent out the Xianzhen Guard to hide his strength.

"Hope it really works." Without seeing the actual scene, Xia Zhining can’t imagine it just from thinking.

With a few quick bites, she finishes the food in the bowl, not to mention, regarding eating, Xia Zhining really acts like a man now, not like before when she would take small bites and chew slowly.

"This Brave Cavalry Guard is..." Xia Zhining looks at Chen Mo placing the chess piece representing the Brave Cavalry Guard on the right side, curious about his intentions.

Outside the commander’s tent comes the voice of a personal soldier, "Marquis, the hot water is here."

"Come in." Chen Mo says, covering the map as he turns around. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Soon, two personal soldiers bring in a large bathing tub, followed by several other soldiers each carrying a wooden bucket filled with steaming hot water.

For convenience, even though it’s already summer, Chen Mo doesn’t bathe every day, preferring to wash every few days. If not for using the Innate Spiritual Qi to cleanse himself, he would have started smelling.

The personal soldiers pour the hot water into the tub and then retreat.

The space within the commander’s tent isn’t very large, and soon the steam permeates the air.

"Finished eating, right? Get in for a soak, too. You must be tired from standing all day; I’ll give you a massage." Chen Mo pats the grindstone, but it makes a hard sound, leaving him speechless: "It’s already dark, and you still haven’t taken off the armor."

Xia Zhining just put down the bowls and chopsticks. Hearing this, she frowns slightly, looking at the water: "We might have a hard battle tomorrow, and at this time, you still think of sex. Aren’t you afraid of wearing yourself out?"

Chen Mo nonchalantly removes his outer robe and steps into the large tub. As the hot water envelops him, the warmth sweeps through his body, making him feel as if he’s bathed in spring wind; it’s so comforting that every pore seems to open, and he lets out a long, contented sigh: "A fighter like you is at best a last-place combatant—we’d be done in three rounds, so surely you can’t tire me out."

Xia Zhining, too, feels an itch in her heart. After all, having traveled from Linzhou, the two haven’t been intimate yet.

She snorts softly and leaves the commander’s tent.

Just when Chen Mo thinks his wish will go unfulfilled, Xia Zhining returns with a slightly flushed face.

"What were you just doing?" Chen Mo asks, leaning in the wooden tub.

"Telling the guards outside to keep their distance." Xia Zhining comes to the table, extinguishes the candle, and in the dim light begins to remove her armor.

"Don’t... don’t look..." Xia Zhining feels her face flush as Chen Mo watches her intently.

"We’ve been together a long time; there’s nothing of yours I haven’t seen, so what’s there to be shy about?"

"Fine then." Xia Zhining adjusts her clothes.

Chen Mo closes his eyes reluctantly.

Soon, he feels the water level in the tub rise slightly, almost to the point of overflowing.

When he opens his eyes, a fair and smooth back fills his view.

Chen Mo wraps an arm around Xia Zhining’s waist, bending down to plant a kiss on her back.

"Don’t move around. Didn’t you say you’d give me a massage?" Xia Zhining nudges Chen Mo with her elbow.

Chen Mo chuckles, knowing full well a man’s hands can both hold a woman’s waist and control the world: "Zhining, how’s the strength of this massage?"

Xia Zhining peeks down, her face flushed red: "I knew you weren’t that kind-hearted. Hurry up, before someone finds out."

Xia Zhining stands up slightly, then sits back down, letting out a soft, sweet moan. Some of the hot water overflows from the tub.

Before long, the small surface of the water seems like the sea amid a mighty tempest, waves rising and falling, with Xia Zhining like a small boat caught in the storm, unable to steady itself.