lit. the falling swallows and the long song (idiom); fig. long suffering

Niu Jingui peered closer and indeed, two female soldiers stood barefoot, having removed their shoes and socks. Niu Jingui quickly said, "No problem, no problem..." Led by Chai Yuting and Han Xue, the female soldiers ate their fill and, with tears in their eyes, withdrew from the valley. Duan Haiyan inspected the various camps. Only after seeing that her sisters had all safely departed did she say to Niu Jingui, "Alright, take me away..." Niu Jingui gestured a "please," and the soldiers stepped forward to confiscate Duan Haiyan's sword and the two female soldiers' sabers. They then escorted the three female captives and departed. Before leaving, Duan Haiyan mockingly said to Niu Jingui, "Don't you need to put shackles and fetters on me?" Niu Jingui chuckled sheepishly, "You worry too much. The court has repeatedly instructed that you be treated with courtesy. How would I dare to overstep?" Exiting the valley, Duan Haiyan saw a small, green sedan chair parked by the roadside. She then said with a charming laugh, "It seems the Emperor truly intends to treat this King's mother with great favor. Not a wooden cage or prison cart, but a sedan chair to escort me is considered a great imperial grace." Niu Jingui seized the opportunity, "You are right, my lady. The Emperor's benevolence is indeed boundless. However, you can no longer refer to yourself as 'King's mother.' From now on, you can only call yourself 'female prisoner.'" Duan Haiyan snorted coldly and stepped into the sedan chair. Niu Jingui chattered on, "I have temporarily set up a prison camp in the government army's barracks. You will be temporarily confined there. Your two subordinates will be held elsewhere for the time being. Do not worry about food, drink, or provisions." Duan Haiyan remained silent. She gave an order to lift the sedan chair, and the soldiers escorted the three female captives towards the government army's main camp. Arriving outside the main gate of the government army's camp, Niu Jingui walked to the sedan chair and said respectfully, "Please alight, my lady." Duan Haiyan calmly stepped out of the sedan chair and cast a concerned glance at the two female soldiers who had accompanied her to captivity. She saw that they were neither bound nor shackled, merely escorted by several executioners as they walked. The surrounding government soldiers, upon seeing Duan Haiyan alight, crowded around. They had all heard of Hong Niangzi's exquisite beauty, and upon seeing Duan Haiyan in person, they all marveled that she was as beautiful as a celestial being. As Duan Haiyan gracefully walked towards them, many soldiers were already mesmerized. Some even seized the opportunity to poke their heads into the sedan chair, sniffing for Duan Haiyan's lingering scent. "What are you looking at! You're asking for death!" Niu Jingui's roar dispersed the soldiers, and he then reprimanded them, "Duan Haiyan is personally appointed by the Emperor to be brought to the capital. If any of you harbor improper thoughts, and I find out, I will show no mercy. Miss Duan, please." Duan Haiyan paid no mind to Niu Jingui's "performance" and followed him barefoot into the military camp. Her steps were light and graceful, her fair, tender feet peeking out from beneath her red skirt. Shortly, they arrived at a secluded room. The room was fully equipped with a soft bed, tables, and chairs. Niu Jingui invited Duan Haiyan in, saying, "The conditions in the military camp are limited. Miss Duan, please bear with us. You have walked here barefoot. I will have servants bring water later for Miss Duan to wash." With that, he quickly withdrew, locked the door, and ordered fifty soldiers armed with sharp blades to surround the house. The stout monk asked in confusion, "I simply don't understand. Since Duan Haiyan has already been captured, why not put handcuffs and fetters on her and lock her in a wooden prison cart?" "You know nothing!" Niu Jingui cursed. "This Duan Haiyan is a wanted criminal by the court. She is so beautiful and skilled in martial arts. Since she has been captured, she will have no shortage of shackles and fetters in the future. I will try to persuade her these few days, make her cooperate during the escort, and then she will obey the Emperor's judgment at the small imperial prison." The stout monk said, "Then... aren't you afraid she'll escape?" Niu Jingui replied, "It's still a two-day journey to Baihe Town. She'll be afraid we'll pursue and kill her if she breaks her word." With that, he drove the prison cart away. Arriving at the detention center within the Xiliang Prefecture yamen, Lin Jing ordered the cage opened and Qin'er brought out. Lin Jing said, "Prisoner sister, you will be temporarily held here. Tomorrow, I will move you to another cell." Qin'er nodded in agreement. Then, she removed her shackles. The detention center was a place for temporary detention of prisoners by the prefecture yamen. The facilities were simple: an iron grate door, stone walls, and only one window with iron bars. The cell was not large and seemed to have a bed, table, and chairs prepared inside. As it was already evening, Qin'er lay on the bed. Seeing Lin Jing close the door and leave, she called out, "Aren't you going to put the prisoner's foot cage on me, Lin Jing?" Lin Jing replied, "You have leg irons on, why would you need that? Hmm... these leg irons are too heavy. I'll get you a lighter pair tomorrow..." The next day, Lin Jing indeed changed Qin'er's clothes and put on leg irons weighing only three to five catties. She also removed the handcuffs and threw down a pile of clothes, saying, "Put these prisoner clothes on." Qin'er looked and saw that they were a set of bright red wedding clothes, and exclaimed in surprise, "This... this isn't prisoner clothes, it's clearly..." Lin Jing feigned impatience, "These are the prisoner clothes here. Hurry up and change. The official is about to conduct an interrogation." Helpless, Qin'er changed into the "prisoner clothes" and, dragging her leg irons, followed Lin Jing to the back hall. Qin'er suddenly saw that the back hall was decorated with lanterns and streamers everywhere, bustling with activity. Qin'er was momentarily at a loss. She heard Lin Jing loudly announce, "Bring the Judicial Inspector and the shackled bride!" "Ah!" A gasp went through the crowd as they surrounded the stout monk, who emerged from the back hall, as if he were the center of attention. Lin Jing then took out a yellow silk scroll and read aloud, "Qin'er, receive this imperial decree. Qin'er, for your crimes, you are sentenced to three years of imprisonment. I have also heard that while the female prisoner Qin'er of Wan She Valley was under the custody of the Xiliang Judicial Inspector, she was deeply moved and expressed remorse. I am greatly pleased. I now permit the Xiliang Judicial Inspector to marry Qin'er. After the marriage, although Qin'er will remain in prison, she will be granted convenience. She will serve her sentence in prison on single days and be under the custody of the Judicial Inspector on double days. By imperial decree." Qin'er was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude. Lin Jing said, "Although you are a prisoner, today you are considered to be married by imperial decree." As night fell, Qin'er, dressed in her wedding gown, wearing silken red gauze stockings on her feet, and still with leg irons on her ankles, leaned into the stout monk's embrace. "Look," Qin'er said, "this female prisoner has married you, an official of the court..." "Why are you still wearing leg irons? I'll unlock them for you. I'm not afraid you'll run away..." the stout monk said, taking out a key.