Shun was safely seen off, and I could nearly envy him for being able to get away from the constant crying. With Xiang busy with our oldest, youngest, and our grandkids, I was left with the remaining dozen bunlings. Fights to resolve, meals to prepare, baths to ensure, Guiying to keep calm when things got particularly chaotic… and the house was an utter mess. I did what I could, and was glad for the community helping… but I was running low on stamina. I fell asleep beside Xiang more often than I’d like to admit, my only saving grace coming from waking up hours before she did and reading reports by candlelight.

The farmlands were recovering, but things grew less fertile the further south and east you travelled. I didn’t want to break Xiang’s heart and tell her those fishing villages we’d so loved in our decade of exile had been entirely abandoned. The ocean was sterile, from the reports I had read. What the Tiger King had done to the land, the Dragon King was doing to the sea, and it was starting to flow upriver.

Towns and villages would be fully rebuilt in time for next year’s harvest and my daughter’s wedding… and when did that happen? How have I gotten so old so soon? Well, it was happening regardless, and my grandchildren were beautiful creatures. Was almost tempted to remind Chen that I wasn’t biologically her father when she marked the resemblance… but she was so in love with them that I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She’d even out when the stresses of new motherhood evened out more. Six children in one household was a lot after all, especially for your first go.

Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Crops. Prospects were good, especially with the rotation plans set up and the livestock doing well, but expected crop failure rate was higher. At best, we’d break even next year, and I didn’t expect us to do so well.

My own plans on how to fix that were in place, but I didn’t dare even think about them. Not with my wife so close I could touch her bare skin, feel her… no. Busy. Time for that before breakfast, even if we need to hold back a little yet.

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Winter crops were planted, feed laid up. Preparations had been made for winter construction, so we’d be able to do what we needed to outside before every hand was needed to help in planting, and we could finish the indoors of buildings when snow and cold made outdoor work less tenable.

Firewood was laid down pretty much everywhere, and I’d had supplies sent where shortfalls were expected from areas that had a surplus. Same with stockpiled foodstuffs. We’d be wintered over as well as could be expected.

Going over troop stations and their status, I honestly wished I could let them winter at home. Sadly, that was a luxury I couldn’t allow, for the simple reason that the Dragon King didn’t believe his great military needed such niceties as food or rest. They were on our border year-round, so we were as well. I could only be grateful my girl fell in love with a man who was better suited for lighter rear echelon duty anyway. The man was a solid carpenter and engineer, but didn’t perform well in front-line combat. And he was honestly too nice to waste on the enemy when civilians needed a kind face to turn to.

The only worry I’d had about him used to be his tendency to draw every girl’s eye, but he seemed pretty dedicated to Chen and Song now. Just as well, since I would’ve had to kill him before they could if he’d been up to his usual tricks. But even now, the reports said he’d gone from being a bit of a playboy to simply being a dedicated soldier, his attentions going from pretty young girls to those with families who needed help. And from what I’d seen the one time I’d indulged by allowing myself to follow him, he was good at it.

He’d be a fine husband, and a good father. Only think I’d miss would be having Song and Chen around to help out around the village. Shun was needed where he was, and I could already tell they were planning to follow him.

Ah well, at least Chang liked his work at the mines well enough. Though while I wanted to say Chiaki would keep him out of trouble, I knew a few things I was carefully keeping from Xiang about those two, including a little playful antic they wanted to surprise everyone with at the wedding next winter.

Best to let that go for now. By then, we’d all either be free… or dead. I couldn’t wait past spring if things were to get better.