The Cousin's Daughter Marries by Proxy to the Frontier, Farms, and Raises a General

Fu Xiaohuan stared blankly at Gu Leng's back, lost in thought. The scars of varying lengths were horrifying to behold. The longest one slashed diagonally from his right shoulder blade to his left hip. Unable to resist, Fu Xiaohuan used the thumb and middle finger of her right hand to measure it. "General, here, there, all these... They must have hurt so much, right?" Gu Leng's back stiffened. "The fact that I survived is a blessing. How would I even know what pain is?" "If we win the war, these scars are proof of our glory. If we lose, they become marks of shame." "If I lost the war, I would rather die." "So my whole life has been a gamble with death, and I can't afford to lose. I don't know when war will break out at the border again, or when the border garrisons will run out of food and starve. But now I have a wife, and a weakness. I... don't want to die!" Fu Xiaohuan's voice was soft and gentle. "General Gu, I can build stoves, clear land and farm. I know the basics of ironworking, and I understand how to design bridges and houses. We'll clear land and store grain together. I can provide for you..." A smile touched the corner of Gu Leng's eyes. "Really? You're not just saying that? Then the whole Northern Garrison Army is saved. When heavy snow seals the mountain passes every year, I hope no one will ever starve to death again. I'm entrusting the rest of my life to you..."