Demon Wang's Golden Favorite Fei

Chapter 167 (Part 1) Ming Yue Cheng’s promise

The three parties attacked at the same time. One could guess even with their toes that there was a conspiracy behind this. Someone certainly threaded a needle between these people and let the three parties reach a pact. So, this matter was so coincidental. Who was it? This was too sudden, causing people to get caught by surprise. The information wasn’t fully collected. There was no way to know who was behind this.

Now, the only fortunate thing was that Nan Feng didn’t participate. Otherwise, Bei Zhou would have been surrounded by enemies from all four sides. By then, even if those in power didn’t panic, the citizens would definitely panic.

Dong Lu sent the army because of Xia Yun Xi. Xi Qi’s excuse was because of Yandang mountain. Then, Jurchen tribe’s reason, could it be for the shame of ten years ago?

“Wangfei,1 the Jurchen tribe had disappeared for ten years. There must be a reason for their sudden reappearance. Our information should be delivered within the next two days. This is all the previously collected information of Jurchen. Please, take a look at it!”

Nalan Xin took out the information he’d already prepared and handed it over to Feng Qi Qi. It was thick as the height of half a human.

“Su Mei, Su Yue, stay here and help me categorize the information. Single out the most important information that is also related to war. List them separately. Nalan Xin, our Moyu will go find out about Xi Qi. Dong Lu’s information is for your Fo Sheng Men. I want to know all the intelligence and information about Dong Lu’s sending out the army! Senior Jin Mo, prepare adequate medicine. Wangye2 may personally lead the army!”

Everyone was won over by Feng Qi Qi’s arrangement. However, the last sentence surprised everyone.

“Junior sister, was wangye already prepared to lead the army?” Jin Mo had also guessed that Feng Cang may lead the army. He just didn’t know which side he (FC) would go.

“Wangye didn’t say it. I guessed it. The three sides are surrounded by enemies. Wangye can’t go to all three sides at the same time. He would go to one. You, go prepare first lest there’s no time.”

“Good!” When Jin Mo and Nalan Xin was ready to leave, Feng Qi Qi added, “Senior brother, trouble you to pay attention to Ming Yue Cheng’s move in the capital! Although Nan Feng hasn’t taken action yet, but it doesn’t mean that our area in the south is safe. I will also let Moyu’s people pay attention to Nan Feng!”

“Good!” Seeing that Feng Qi Qi didn’t put her guard down against Nan Feng just because Ming Yue Cheng was in Yan capital, Jin Mo nodded. “Don’t worry!”

Feng Qi Qi browsed the information about Jurchen tribe all night long.

From the information, Jurchen tribe was a nomadic ethnic group and divided into four big tribes. The life of the Jurchen tribe was very simple at the vast grassland in the north. They grazed in the spring and in the summer. In the autumn, they would plunder the south and go back to recuperate in the winter.

During the former Qin, the Jurchen tribe was a headache to the Qin. Although Qin had used marriage, food and silk in exchange for peace and tranquillity, but the Jurchen tribe wasn’t weakened by this. Instead, they became more arrogant.

Then, ten years ago, Feng Cang led the soldiers to the north and penetrated deep in the grassland. It took a year and half. Not only was Jurchen tribe utterly defeated, he also took down Jurchen tribe’s Khan, Ji Sanggu Khan’s head. Since then, the Jurchen tribe disappeared from the north and moved into the desert.

However, after a lapse of ten years, the Jurchen tribe called a hundred thousand men and went to the south. Ji Sanggu Khan was gone. Could it be that his children were leading the soldiers?

When Feng Cang returned to Tingsong building, Su Mei and Su Yue were still reading the information. Feng Qi Qi was so tired that she’d laid down on the rocking chair. She held the information in her hand, but she’d already fallen already asleep.

“Shh!”

Feng Cang gestured for Su Mei and Su Yue to be quiet. He came softly and quietly to Feng Qi Qi.

Looking at her appearance, she must be very tired. Feng Cang gently kissed Feng Qi Qi’s forehead, feeling heartache.

Just as he was about to cover Feng Qi Qi with the silk quilt, Feng Qi Qi woke up.

“Cang, you’ve returned!”

“Mm! I came back to wash up. In a moment, I need to go to the palace again! Sleep more!”

“Good!” Feng Qi Qi was very tired. She wanted to sleep very much. Just as Feng Cang covered Feng Qi Qi with the quilt, dropped a kiss on her forehead and was ready to leave, Feng Qi Qi opened her eyes and stopped him.

“Cang, ten years ago, when you killed Ji Sanggu Khan, did you miss his children?”

“Ji Sanggu Khan had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son was eighteen years old. He had already been killed by me. That year, the daughter was eleven years old. She’d almost died under my sword. As for his youngest son, I didn’t see him. He had been taken away. It was said that his youngest son was only six years old that year. Now, he must be sixteen years old.”

“Oh…,” Feng Qi Qi nodded. “I just thought that without Ji Sanggu Khan, who could unite the four great tribes and send an army? Who would be the one leading Jurchen tribe’s people this time?”

“It must be Taji Guli, Ji Sanggu Khan’s daughter.”

“Oh?” Originally Feng Qi Qi was very sleepy. Now, she heard that a woman led the army. Her spirits immediately went up. She sat up and wanted Feng Cang to talk about this Taji Guli.

“Since young, Taji Guli had been raised like a man. At three, she could ride a horse. At five, she learned equestrian archery. At seven, she shot a white bird of prey. At nine, she captured a white wolf in the desert and was known as the pearl of Jurchen tribe. Ji Sanggu Khan once said that this daughter of his was comparable to three sons. He also said, that if he passed away, he would pass the Khan’s position to Taji Guli.”

Feng Cang sat behind Feng Qi Qi and let her lean on him. He massaged her back and shoulders to soothe Feng Qi Qi’s muscles.

“Can a woman inherit the Khan’s place?” Hearing Feng Cang say that Feng Qi Qi was very curious about the Jurchen tribe. Although, from the history of the previous life, there was also a Jurchen tribe, but it seemed that the two Jurchen tribes were very different, ah!

“The Jurchen tribe had always admired heroes. The reason why Ji Sanggu Khan was able to unify the four tribes was because he was very powerful when he was young. He was also matchless at equestrian archery and very brave. Taji Guli was even more powerful than her father. At a very young age, her prestige far outnumbered that of her older brother’s in the Jurchen tribe. It could be seen that the color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo.”

The color blue is made out of indigo but is more vivid than indigo: the student surpasses the master

“That year, if it wasn’t because she’d faked her death and let me put my guard down, in this mainland, there may no longer be a Jurchen tribe.”

What Feng Cang said, Feng Qi Qi had already learned from the information.

Taji Guli’s muscles and bones had been injured by Feng Cang during that battle. She’d simply faked her death by lying on the ground. Later, when no one noticed, she killed a soldier of the eagle troop, took his horse and escaped. Although Feng Cang tried to catch up with her on horse and shot her in the back, but in the end, she still escaped. He didn’t expect that the little girl had survived and led the rest of the Jurchen tribe into the desert to hide.

Had to say, when she looked at the information, Feng Qi Qi admired Taji Guli very much. An eleven-year-old girl could actually be so strong, so tough and so unwavering. It seemed that she was a strong enemy.

“Cang, if the one who is leading the Jurchen tribe is really Taji Guli, then presumably she came here for revenge. However, now it’s spring. Spring was generally their time to rest, feed the horses and herd. Why didn’t they wait until fall when the horses are strong before going to the south? By then, they could also plunder and go back to spend the winter. Wasn’t this always their custom? Now, they’re coming to the south in spring. Isn’t this very disadvantageous to them?”

Feng Qi Qi asked so many questions in one breath. Feng Cang laughed softly. It seemed that she really had read that information.

All that information, she must’ve looked at them the whole night! This little woman really didn’t know how to take care of herself! It was just, that she was able to see the critical point at a glance made Feng Cang had a feeling that he’d gotten a confidante. Usually, women only knew the four corners of the roof and fight and scheme against each other. However, his woman actually knew so much. To get such a woman as a companion, how lucky was he?!

Thinking till here, Feng Cang’s voice got gentler, “Qing Qing, giving up the grazing time of the spring and summer to come to the south, presumably, it’s for two reasons. First one is that Taji Guli was impatient to get revenge and wanted to take revenge for her father and brother. So, she didn’t care for those. As for the second….”

“The second possibility is that she had absolute certainty! Someone surely went to the desert and contacted Taji Guli. The three parties agreed to send the army at the same time to let you be badly burned about the head and overwhelmed. Then her chances of winning would be much higher!”

Badly burned about the head: hard-pressed/ under pressure

“Clever!” Feng Cang tapped Feng Qi Qi’s nose. “Qing Qing said everything I wanted to say!”

“Cang, if it’s really the second possibility, then the ‘contact person’ is really amazing! He instigated for Xia Jin to take revenge for his daughter and let Longze Jing Tian become the crown prince and instigated him to build his own merits to consolidate his position. Taji Guli was honing her strength for the revenge for her father and brother…. Cang, who do you think this person is? Could it be Misha?”

“Impossible.”

Feng Cang shook his head, “Suppose Misha is Lian Sheng. Then, he only had the mind to look for Yi Lian now. A war wouldn’t benefit him in any way. He also didn’t have the opportunity nor the time to do this. Moreover, he’s in Yan capital now. If he was the contact person, he wouldn’t let himself stay in such a dangerous place. Besides, our people have watched over him for so long. If there was something unusual about him, we would’ve found out.”

Feng Cang’s analysis was justified. After hearing it, Feng Qi Qi nodded, “It was just, if it wasn’t Misha, I can’t figure out who has such a hatred towards Bei Zhou…”

Seeing Feng Qi Qi frown, Feng Cang reached out to flatten her brow, “Qing Qing, don’t think too much! Hand these things over to me. What you need to do now is to go sleep! Yesterday, you didn’t sleep for the whole night. I haven’t hit your butt yet! Now, you’re about to become a mother and you still don’t know how to take care of yourself. Even if you don’t consider for yourself, you should think about our child, ah!”

Hearing Feng Cang, Feng Qi Qi laughed shyly. She had been busy. She had forgotten that she was pregnant. No wonder she was so sleepy!

“Good! I’ll listen to you!” Feng Qi Qi kissed Feng Cang’s lips. “I and the child will wait at home for your return!”

“Good! I will wait till you’re asleep before going to the palace!” Feng Cang helped Feng Qi Qi lay down and covered her with the silken quilt. His big hand gently patted on the quilt as though he was coaxing a child to sleep. Don’t know if it was because Feng Qi Qi was too sleepy or that Feng Cang’s technique was too hypnotizing, but in a moment, Feng Qi Qi was asleep.

Looking at Feng Qi Qi’s calm and peaceful face, Feng Cang’s heart became warm. The feeling of having a wife was so great!

He slowly pulled down the curtain and went to Su Mei and Su Yue, “You’ve also worked hard for the whole night. Go rest for a while! Don’t tired yourselves out!”

“Yes!” Su Mei and Su Yue stood up. Along with Feng Cang, they retreated.

After closing the door, Feng Cang called Su Mei. Su Yue knew that guye3 had something to say to Su Mei. She took the initiative to leave Tingsong building first.

“Su Mei, you and ah Kang’s wedding may be affected by the war. Ah Kang wants your marriage to be postponed first and have the wedding when the war is over. What do you think?”

Feng Cang said this with great difficulty. Wanyan Kang couldn’t face Su Mei himself. So, he asked Feng Cang to be the middleman.

The moment she heard that it was Wanyan Kang’s idea, Su Mei didn’t think so much, “Wangye, tell him, I’m willing to wait for him! If he wants to go to war, I’m willing to follow him!”

“Good…,” Feng Cang nodded.

When he went back to the palace, Feng Cang was immediately pulled aside by Wanyan Kang. “Cousin brother, how did the things go? Did little Mei er4 agree to postpone the wedding?”

“You, this brat is lucky. Not only did she agree to postpone the wedding, she also said that if you went to war, she’s willing to go with you!”

The moment he heard Feng Cang, Wanyan Kang almost cried, “Cousin brother, this can’t be! I was afraid of going to the battlefield. I…I was afraid of delaying her. So, I postponed the marriage. Why was it that you went to talk with her, it had become that she was going with me to the battlefield?!”

1. Wangfei: main wife/consort of the prince of first rank

2. Wang/wangye: prince of first rank

3. Guye: son-in-law, used by the servants of the female family

4. Er: term of endearment

Chapter 167 (Part 2) Ming Yue Cheng’s promise

Feng Cang understood Wanyan Kang’s words. Swords didn’t have eyes on the battlefield. Wanyan Kang was afraid that something would happen to him and that he would have an unexpected misfortune. With Su Mei’s personality, she would not marry again. Then, he would’ve caused her harm. So, Wanyan Kang, who’d originally looked forward to the wedding, made a difficult decision last night and postponed the wedding.

“Ah Kang, you know Su Mei’s personality. Could it be that you want to push her aside and bear everything including your possible death? Acting like that would make her hate you. Instead of worrying about the unknown things, it’s better to think about how to lead the army and how to return victoriously.”

After Feng Cang said that, Wanyan Kang laughed bitterly, “Cousin brother, I’m not like you! You’re the god of war. Just throwing your name at the enemy would make them timid. My martial art is not comparable to yours and I’ve also never gone to war. I’m afraid that something would happen and little Mei er1 would become a widow. Moreover, if it was you, will you bring cousin-in-law to the battlefield?”

“I will…,” Feng Cang’s answer was unexpected to Wanyan Kang. “Ah Kang, if Qing Qing insists on following me, then I will bring her. The way to make women feel at ease is not to let them stay anxiously behind and let them make themselves afraid, but to let them stay at our side and protect them as much as possible. Do you believe, if Qing Qing is by my side, my combat power would double?”

“Because my wife and child are at my side, I must use every effort to win and must give them the utmost safety! Ah Kang, our women are not ordinary women. If you’re afraid that they’re too weak to stand up to the wind and only let a man have tender affection for them, then you’re gravely mistaken.”

Feng Cang’s words woke up Wanyan Kang’s bullet-headed brain. That was right, ah! How will Su Mei be the same as those ordinary women?! It seemed that he was too frenetic and made himself muddled.

However, taking Su Mei with him didn’t mean he would marry Su Mei. After all, Wanyan Kang didn’t have Feng Cang’s confidence. He still needed to leave a way out for Su Mei.

“Cousin brother, I understand! Let’s go, everyone is waiting for you!”

At the regent’s palace, Feng Qi Qi slept until the afternoon before she woke up. Not long after she had lunch, Su Yue said that Ming Yue Cheng had come to see her. Feng Qi Qi quickly let Su Yue invite Ming Yue Cheng in.

Only when Ming Yue Cheng entered and saw that Feng Qi Qi was fine, did his worry ease. Bei Zhou was being attacked by Dong Lu, Xi Qi and Jurchen tribe. Ming Yue Cheng had also just got the news. He had been worried about Feng Qi Qi and came over.

“Ming Yue, how come you came?” Feng Qi Qi invited Ming Yue Cheng to sit down and also let Su Mei go bring tea.

“I heard about the tripartite military operation. I was worried about you and came here. Originally, I was very worried about you, but now seeing that you’re in good spirits, I’m relieved!”

While Ming Yue Cheng talked, Feng Qi Qi maintained a smile, waiting for him to finish. Feng Qi Qi gestured for Su Mei and Su Yue to retreat and left them alone.

“Qi Qi, do you have something to say?” Ming Yue Cheng was a very smart person. How would he not know the meaning of Feng Qi Qi letting the people retreat? “Do you want to ask me if Nan Feng is also involved in this matter?”

“Ming Yue, you’re becoming the roundworm in my stomach.” Feng Qi Qi smilingly filled Ming Yue Cheng’s cup of tea. “That’s right! I always liked to be straightforward and don’t like going around the curves and skirting the corners. I just want to know if someone came to ask you to join hands. What do you think about it?!”

Becoming the roundworm of one’s stomach: know what the other was thinking

Going around the curves and skirting the corners: beating around the bush

Feng Qi Qi being so direct was to Ming Yue Cheng’s liking, “If I say that there was someone who came looking for Nan Feng, but I didn’t agree and also won’t agree, are you willing to believe me?”

“I believe you,” Feng Qi Qi nodded without hesitation. Instead, it made Ming Yue Cheng surprised, “Qi Qi, why do you trust me so much?”

“Because your eyes won’t lie!” In fact, Feng Qi Qi wanted to say, “Because you love me.” It was just, these words didn’t come out of her mouth.

There were a lot of ways for a man to love a woman. For example, Lian Sheng, he loved Yi Lian and thought of every way to get her. When he didn’t get her, he preferred either the fish dies or the net splits and wouldn’t let the other party live well. For example, Longze Jing Tian, his love had many material gains. Sometimes, he wanted it like this and another time like that. The centre was whether he needed it. For example, Ming Yue Cheng. His love was to support. That I love you has nothing to do with you. In Ming Yue Cheng’s eyes, love was supporting the other party.

Either the fish dies or the net splits: a life and death struggle

He hoped for Feng Qi Qi’s happiness. Even if he just looked from afar, as long as she was happy, he would be happy. Such a man with such a tolerant love in his heart, how would he take advantage and destroy her happiness?!

Ming Yue Cheng and Feng Qi Qi looked at each other. Her ‘your eyes won’t lie’ made Ming Yue Cheng want to cry. She trusted him like this. How fortunate was he? This woman let people be involuntarily attracted by her and let them serve her willingly…

“Thank you…,” Ming Yue Cheng smiled at Feng Qi Qi. “Thank you for your trust!”

“Although I’m not in Nan Feng, but there had been someone who came to Nan Feng and mentioned the matter of joining hands. However, my people didn’t accept.”

“Who was that person?” What Feng Qi Qi wanted to know the most right now was who was the black hand behind this? Why did he had to deal with Bei Zhou like this? However, Ming Yue Cheng obviously didn’t know the answer to her question. “I was not in my country. That person has also left. I didn’t know that there was such a secret behind this. After I found out about the three parties sending their armies, I have already sent the order to let them go find out who was the mysterious person who’d come to talk about joining forces.”

Feng Qi Qi nodded when Ming Yue Cheng said this. They may not find anything by going to investigate now. However, as long there was hope, she wouldn’t give up. Thinking till here, Feng Qi Qi smiled. Her eyes twinkled like stars, “Ming Yue, do you have the interest to do a business with me?”

In front of Ming Yue Cheng, Feng Qi Qi had always presented herself as a businesswoman. Now that she’d mentioned a business. Ming Yue Cheng knew that this business was bound to be related to the war. Seeing her so excited, she must have a good idea.

“Let’s see if there’s profit!”

“Haha, I will certainly let you make a lot of gold and silver!”

Feng Qi Qi took out the map and put it in front of Ming Yue Cheng, “Here is Dong Lu. Here is Xi Qi. This side is Jurchen tribe. If the three parties attack at the same time, someone certainly threaded a needle between. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so coincidental. Now, no matter if it was Dong Lu or Xi Qi, their focus is on our Bei Zhou…”

Feng Qi Qi painted two arrows at the borders of Nan Feng with Dong Lu and Xi Qi. “Using our Bei Zhou as bait and attracting most of their military power, your Nan Feng could take advantage of this and hit them by surprise! I believe that Dong Lu nor Xi Qi would expect to see Nan Feng intervene in this matter and even more, would not expect that you would suddenly send the army.”

Feng Qi Qi’s proposal made Ming Yue Cheng stunned. It turned out that the business she was talking about was this! This was indeed a good transaction.

“Ming Yue, why don’t we redistribute the mainland?! The world is only this big. Divided by four countries is really not enough for everyone to eat. Why don’t we let the world have only two countries, Bei Zhou and Nan Feng? What do you think?!”

At this time, Ming Yue Cheng was thoroughly shocked. Split the world into two. This woman said these words so easily. Did she know that this will set off a stormy sea?! The situation of the world was set with just a few words of Feng Qi Qi. She really was a daring and bold woman, and also heroic and fathomless.

“Ming Yue, Ming Yue…”

Seeing that Ming Yue Cheng didn’t speak, Feng Qi Qi continued to talk, “If you think that the soldiers being divided into two routes to attack Dong Lu and Xi Qi would let the power of Nan Feng’s army be scattered and failing to achieve the effect, why don’t you pick one between Dong Lu and Xi Qi? By then, I will help you attract the other party’s forces. When their forces are greatly restrained by me, then you could take them down. What do you think?”

Inside Ming Yue Cheng’s heart now, aside from exclaiming in admiration, there was only exclaiming in admiration. Why was there such a woman like Feng Qi Qi in this world? No matter if it was divide the soldiers in two or focus on attacking one country, these were only the opinions a general who had spent a long time on the battlefield could put forward. Why was Feng Qi Qi, a lady of noble family, like this?

“Qi Qi, you really surprised me.”

Only after a long time, did Ming Yue Cheng lament. Presumably, it was because the unusual side of this woman that had deeply attracted him and let him do everything for her willingly. From birth, such a woman was like the existence of a female emperor, making him unable not to crawl under her feet.

Ming Yue Cheng had some regret. He regretted that he didn’t find the preciousness of Feng Qi Qi sooner and let Feng Cang grab her first. But he was very fortunate, fortunate enough to see such a beautiful side of her! If he’d used extreme ways to plunder her, this woman would presumably never open herself to him and would also not let him see such a side of her.

It turned out that the two sides, happiness and misfortune, was just like a copper coin. Although he couldn’t be together with her, but he was regarded as her best friend. He could stay at her side in another way and seeing her exude splendor was also a kind of happiness, ah!

“Qi Qi, what you just said, did you discuss it with the regent?”

“No,” Feng Qi Qi shook her head. “He’s very busy. I didn’t have the time to tell him, so I told you first. Ming Yue, what do you think about my suggestion? We join hands to do a business, what do you think?”

Before, Ming Yue Cheng thought that these suggestions could have been Feng Cang’s idea. Now, he truly understood that these were Feng Qi Qi’s own ideas. The thought that she didn’t tell Feng Cang first, but instead discussed it with him (MYC), this unconditional trust made him feel very happy.

“Good!” Ming Yue Cheng took a brush and pointed at the map. “Since you said that I should select between the two countries, Dong Lu and Xi Qi, then I chose Xi Qi.”

Feng Qi Qi could understand Ming Yue Cheng choosing Xi Qi. Ming Yue Cheng had been a hostage for so many years in Xi Qi and was mocked by so many people. This was the time for his revenge.

It hadn’t been long since Ming Yue Cheng had ascended the throne. Many people would think Nan Feng was not stable, that this new emperor would have a heavy work-load now from the matters of the country itself and didn’t have the mind to care about other things. Now, they could take advantage of the scorn of these people and catch them unprepared!

Moreover, Nan Feng going to war was a good thing for Ming Yue Cheng himself. Firstly, he could shift the contradiction of the country and let the whole country face the enemy on the outside. Secondly, he could also let those hidden powers come to light. Nan Feng needed to use the army against outsiders. The people who oppose Ming Yue Cheng would be ready to make trouble. He could use this opportunity to eliminate them and this could also be considered a cleansing inside the country.

After Feng Qi Qi told this analysis to Ming Yue Cheng, Ming Yue Cheng sighed twice, “Feng Cang getting such a woman like you was really a blessing he’d accumulated in the past life! Husband and wife have one mind, presumably you’re invincible in this world! It seemed that it was a wise move that I had chosen to be friends with you.”

Originally, Feng Cang had already used the army as a god. Now, he had gotten Feng Qi Qi, such a sack of wisdom. These two joining forces, let alone Dong Lu and Xi Qi, even if they wanted to get the world, they had this ability.

“Haha, Ming Yue, towards friends, I will extend the hand of friendship. Towards enemies, I will never show mercy.” Feng Qi Qi smiled like a flower, making Ming Yue Cheng be in a daze. He’d lost the sun, he shouldn’t also lose the moon and the stars. He’d lost the love, he shouldn’t also lose the friendship.

“I’m glad at my wisdom and that I didn’t stand opposite you.”

Ming Yue Cheng said these words from the bottom of his heart. “As for what you said about the mainland only having two countries, Bei Zhou and Nan Feng, this is something worthy of looking forward to. Then, I hope we have a happy cooperation! I believe that in the near future, what you said would come true!”

Ming Yue Cheng saying that, Feng Qi Qi knew that he approved of her ideas. Although she’d said cooperation, but how would someone clever not understand that she was asking help from Ming Yue Cheng?! Bei Zhou were dealing with enemies on three sides. If the army was split into three, even with Feng Cang as the leader, the power would be greatly reduced.

Instead of hurting ten fingers, it’s better to break one. Instead of being trapped in three sides, it’s better to join hands with Ming Yue Cheng and ask him to send the army to ease the pressure on Bei Zhou. To put it plainly, Ming Yue Cheng was giving them a helping hand.

1. Er: term of endearment