To be honest, none of the handsome men Pei Liang had kept before had ever been all show and no substance.
No matter how theatrically they clung to her after the breakup, while they were together, being with them had genuinely been a pleasure—a pleasure in every sense, both in and out of bed.
That was why, during their relationships, Pei Liang had always been exceptionally willing to invest her patience.
As for this world, her starting point had been far too low. Judging by the amount of time alone, it ought to have been the hardest one to get.
Imagine having a top-tier delicacy whet your appetite for several years. How would it feel when you finally got to taste it?
Pei Liang only regretted that there were no cigarettes here to suit her taste. Otherwise, lighting one now would have been a pleasure fit for the gods.
She had never doubted a military man’s physical stamina, but Shi Feiyu’s performance still managed to astound her.
Of course, he had been rather inexperienced at first. But Pei Liang was an old hand, and with her subtle guidance, combined with the other man’s breathtaking beauty, even the smallest gesture or movement became a feast for the eyes and the senses. The patience she was willing to give, and the ultimate reward she received, were both unparalleled.
When passion took hold of him, Shi Feiyu ran his long, strong fingers through his slightly damp hair, brushing the loose strands of dark, ebony hair away from his forehead.
His eyes, focused and deep beneath the flush of desire, were revealed in their entirety. The movement of his arms drew the firm, graceful muscles of his back and serratus anterior taut. Even that tiny tremor was enough to set anyone’s heart racing.
Shi Feiyu’s skin was very fair, like cool jade. He claimed it was inherited from his birth mother and that he had been born with it; even the harsh conditions of military campaigns rarely left a mark, and his skin healed quickly.
Pei Liang loved his glossy, lustrous hair, each strand distinct and smooth. Since he had only recently bathed and had not dried it completely, the slightly damp locks slid over his jade-pale skin with every movement.
The contrast of black and white, the exquisite texture of hair as beautiful as dark silk against flawless jade—at that moment, Pei Liang felt like a tiny boat being battered by a storm at sea, and she could not help winding her fingers tightly into it.
Like a drowning person grasping at driftwood.
The temperature in the room was sweltering, as though it could melt everything. Only at the end did Pei Liang realize that the source of the heat was Shi Feiyu’s breath.
Scorching and impossible to resist.
She deliberately leaned closer and breathed him in, their breaths mingling. His searing warmth carried the clean, pine-like fragrance of snow melting away, and Pei Liang felt almost drunk.
No one knew how much time had passed before the red candles in the room burned down completely.
Shi Feiyu brushed the damp strands of hair from Pei Liang’s face and bent to kiss her.
As he gazed at the pair of candles nearing their end, he felt that, despite the absence of any ceremony, tonight had already become his wedding night.
Thus, in the warmth that followed, he murmured softly, “Once I’ve driven back the Northern Barbarians, I’ll take you to pay respects to my mother.”
Pei Liang thought to herself that a truly excellent sugar mama did not meddle too much in her kept man’s personal affairs.
She was just about to refuse when Shi Feiyu grew bashful and changed the subject first.
“The court has been busy preparing for the New Year sacrifices lately. His Majesty plans to build a new hot-spring estate. I’ve been keeping a low profile, so few people have noticed the army stationed to resist the Northern Barbarians.”
“I’ve gradually converted the things you gave me into legitimate supplies and sent them into the military camps in batches. The soldiers have already been outfitted with them.”
The capital still appeared to be enjoying peace and prosperity, but in truth, it was merely a crumbling edifice numbing itself with a life of drunken revelry and dreams.
With treacherous ministers now in power, the parasites occupying high office would only hollow out the country even more aggressively at a time like this.
Selling official posts and noble titles was practically beneath notice by now. The matter of Madam Shi’s maternal family lending money at exorbitant interest and driving numerous households to ruin had merely been a crime Shi Feiyu had already intended to use against Madam Shi, unearthed at his instruction. In reality, if he had not given the order, such a trivial offense—one occurring everywhere in the current climate—would never have been enough to bring the Chai family down.
The chaos and rot had spread in every direction. With the rule of law having collapsed to such an extent, many gray businesses that should have remained hidden naturally began operating in the open.
Shi Feiyu had power. It was not difficult for him to find wealthy merchants who had brought vast fortunes to the capital while fleeing the disorder of the times and were desperately seeking a powerful patron.
And when one wanted to secure the protection of a noble, the benefits naturally had to come first. Shi Feiyu had the large quantities of sensitive supplies Pei Liang provided mixed in with the merchants’ donations, then had people create false accounts to balance the books.
The emperor needed money for his pleasures and demanded it from every quarter. As long as the source was not suspicious, he was more than happy to let Shi Feiyu provide for himself.
As a result, the soldiers in the army had now changed into warm winter clothes and boots, with ample provisions supplied as well. They were naturally well prepared for the approaching Northern Barbarians.
When Shi Feiyu finished speaking, he smiled. “I thank you on behalf of the soldiers.”
Pei Liang had just finished having her way with him and was feeling rather pleased with herself, so she replied without thinking, “You don’t need to be so polite with me.”
Shi Feiyu was touched and was just about to kiss her when he heard her continue:
“You’ve already paid for them. They’re what you obtained through a fair exchange, so they’re yours. Use them with a clear conscience.”
For a moment, Shi Feiyu thought he had misheard her. He silently turned the words over several times before realizing that his hearing was not the problem.
There was something distinctly strange about what she had said.
At first, he did not think too much of it. He only found it jarring and assumed she was saying it deliberately so he would not feel burdened.
Thinking of how she had always taken care of every detail, how he accepted her money and supplies while still making her carefully consider his feelings, Shi Feiyu felt that he could not keep taking advantage of her kindness.
He took hold of her foot and squeezed her tender, bean-like toes, protesting with feigned reproach, “How could I possibly accept them with a clear conscience?”
“You’re so sincere with me, always putting me first, exhausting yourself over this ambition of mine—an ambition that others would consider treasonous and utterly out of reach.”
“Even though we are, in truth, husband and wife now, with no distinction between us, how could I possibly treat all the effort you’ve poured in as something I simply deserve?”
Pei Liang’s heart skipped a beat.
What did he mean, “husband and wife in truth”?
When had things reached that stage? And when had she given these kept men the impression that they were going to be the last one?
A wealthy woman refusing to pursue novelty violated the most basic laws of nature.
Pei Liang firmly rejected the idea and hurriedly said, “No, you should take it for granted. When you keep dwelling on how much I’ve done for you, it makes me uncomfortable too.”
“Be good. You deserve these things. I haven’t given you anything beyond their value, yet you keep insisting that I’ve given you too much. Business is about a fair exchange of value. That’s especially true for a long-term arrangement like ours; it isn’t a one-time transaction. Both sides have to receive what they’re worth. If either of us takes a loss, it won’t be sustainable.”
“It’s the same reason I enjoy making you happy. I want us to have a more pleasurable time together, so that after we part ways, we can look back on this period of passion fondly. I don’t want you constantly dwelling on what I’ve given you until the pressure builds and your state of mind becomes unbalanced.”
The expression on Shi Feiyu’s face gradually grew solemn. He was about to speak when Pei Liang raised an index finger and pressed it to his lips.
“So don’t keep bringing it up, all right?”
“It’s no good for either of us.”
If Shi Feiyu’s heart had just been a garden in full bloom, warm and pleasant, then at this moment it was being battered by wind and rain, with thunder crashing overhead.
He wasn’t a fool. No matter how much he tried to interpret things in his favor, even he should have understood such an obvious implication.
He pulled Pei Liang’s hand away and sat up. The brocade quilt slid from his body, revealing a torso covered in marks.
But he had no mind to notice any of that. He stared at Pei Liang in disbelief. “Value? A transaction? After we part ways?”
“What exactly are you talking about?”
Pei Liang raised an eyebrow at him. Playing dumb now would only put her at a disadvantage.
Shi Feiyu’s face darkened like ink. He began replaying the scene in which they had confessed their feelings, shared their innermost thoughts, and confirmed their relationship, turning over every word and savoring its meaning.
“I’m very satisfied with you!”
“Sometimes, giving up one’s principles and dignity for the sake of a dream is itself an admirable choice.”
“Why should I meet your family? You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. The others are irrelevant.”
“When the New Year comes, everything produced by those military-supply factories will be your New Year’s gift.”
“But you don’t need me to teach you how to behave during that time, do you?”
She… really had never once said that she loved him.
Every expression of affection she had so casually put into words had been prefaced by his appearance and looks.
Then Shi Feiyu suddenly remembered the time he had gone to Duobao Tower with Sanxiang and Siji and encountered that wealthy merchant’s mistress.
His vision went black in waves, his eyes reddening until they seemed ready to bleed. He stared fixedly at Pei Liang.
As though he were biting the words to pieces, he said through clenched teeth, “You think of me as—as one of those pretty boys who live off their looks? As a kept man?”
Pei Liang had no idea why he had suddenly become angry. Hadn’t this arrangement been made perfectly clear from the beginning?
Given Shi Feiyu’s intelligence, she had said more than enough for him to understand, hadn’t she? Between clever people, there was no need to spell everything out. Doing so would only make things awkward.
But seeing him now, looking as though he had lost his mind and might pounce on her at any moment to bite through her throat, Pei Liang grew displeased as well.
She sat up and said to him, “Don’t tell me you’ve only just realized that you can’t make a living this way?”
“I’ve gone out of my way to protect your dignity. But if you insist on erecting a memorial arch to your own chastity, then this becomes pointless.”
“What did I erect?” Shi Feiyu was practically shaking with fury. “I treated you as my wife, and you treated me as—as some man who lives off a woman?”
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Pei Liang waved a hand. “You don’t need to belittle yourself. I’m serious—you really are exceptionally different.”
Shi Feiyu’s expression improved slightly.
But in the next moment, Pei Liang continued, “So strictly speaking, the relationship between us can’t be considered simple patronage.”
“After all, my investment in you also concerns my own enormous interests in the future. Your value lies in far more than your body alone. That’s why I’m willing to give everything I have. When I say you’re worth it, you truly are worth that price.”
This was unprecedented. In the past, although each of her pretty boys had eventually risen to prominence, none of them had ever surpassed Pei Liang herself. What she wanted from them had always been very simple.
But this world was different. Her starting point was too low, while her partner would ultimately become the ruler of the realm. Naturally, their supply-and-demand relationship had a time limit.
To be honest, although the cost and effort she had poured into this arrangement were greater than ever before, if one looked at its essence…
This was actually the shabbiest patronage arrangement she had ever entered into.
If Shi Feiyu weren’t so irresistible, Pei Liang would have been embarrassed to even take him in.
But Shi Feiyu’s head was spinning. His heart even felt as though it were being twisted apart, and he seemed barely able to hold himself upright.
Still, he was strong-willed. He braced one hand against the edge of the bed and took several deep breaths, suppressing the urge to destroy everything around him.
Then he rose from the bed, hurriedly threw on his clothes, and gave Pei Liang a long, profound look.
“You’re something else. You really are something else.”
“In all my life, I, Shi Feiyu, have never suffered such humiliation. What you have given me today—I will never forget it for as long as I live.”
His eyes narrowed, revealing a restrained, almost frenzied madness. “Pei Liang, just you wait.”
With that, he turned angrily and swept out of the room.
He found Sanxiang and Siji outside and ordered them to leave through the night.
Pei Liang could only rub her aching temples. How had things suddenly turned sour?
She hadn’t even gotten enough sleep…
Besides, even from the perspective of an investment, in this chaotic struggle for power, Shi Feiyu had the best odds of winning.
This wasn’t merely a prediction based on the original novel. Aside from certain irreversible objective events—such as the Northern Barbarians’ invasion and the uprisings that had already been destined to occur in various regions—that story was useless enough to be thrown away as toilet paper.
As a speculator in these troubled times, Pei Liang naturally had a thorough understanding of the current state of the realm.
Although there were several warlords who had already gained considerable momentum, none of them could compare with Shi Feiyu in military ability, governance, overall strategy, or compassion for the common people.
There were one or two who appeared powerful at present. Their ideals and political promises allowed them to rapidly gather followers, and they were currently advancing triumphantly through the southwest.
But anyone with half a brain knew that those promises could never be fulfilled.
Their ambitions were lofty, and they dreamed of conquering the realm, but they lacked the ability to achieve it. Those contradictions would gradually reveal themselves as their armies marched onward.
Pei Liang had invested no small amount in Shi Feiyu. Turning around to support someone else would naturally be a poor bargain.
Still, assuming the worst, even if Shi Feiyu truly became her enemy, she had ways to make a fortune while he was too busy conquering the realm to deal with her.
When the time came, she could flee with all her money and people. Since she had no competitive advantage here, perhaps she could go to one of those undiscovered continents and become a queen.
Or, if she really wanted to use force to make him submit, that wasn’t entirely impossible either.
While Pei Liang was busy plotting all manner of schemes, Sanxiang and Siji—who had been abruptly awakened—were utterly baffled.
It was the middle of the night. Why had the heir suddenly left instead of remaining in his room with Shopkeeper Pei, enjoying a tender and intimate moment?
But when they saw Shi Feiyu’s expression, the two immediately fell silent, not daring to ask a single question.
Their heir’s eyes were bloodshot, his face dark as ink. The man who was ordinarily immaculate and stern now had his clothes hanging loose, and the neck of his robe revealed bright red marks resembling crushed berries.
It made him look surprisingly decadent and seductive—but his expression was certainly not the result of romance.
The three of them hurried back to the Shi residence.
Because Shi Feiyu had never liked having much contact with Madam Shi, a separate entrance had been opened for his courtyard. He could come and go without disturbing anyone, and his own trusted guards stood watch there.
No one else was alerted.
The moment they entered, Sanxiang and Siji saw that the heir’s face was deathly pale and hurried to pour him some water.
They approached carefully and asked, “Your Highness, why did you leave in the middle of the night? Did some urgent matter suddenly arise?”
Shi Feiyu took the cup and drained it in one gulp, but the pain in his chest remained severe. He had never suffered from heart trouble, yet he had managed to become sick from sheer fury.
He smashed the teacup onto the floor. The rage on his face frightened Sanxiang and Siji into silence at once.
“She’s an ungrateful bi—” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the insult. Instead, he turned his fury inward and muttered bitterly, “How dare she humiliate me like this?”
Qiu Sanxiang and Ying Siji exchanged a glance. When they had left, the two of them had still been inseparable. How had they become enemies in just a few hours?
The two men feared the fury of their heir lord at that moment, but they had followed him for more than a decade. Concern ultimately won out, and they could not bear to see him so enraged and distressed.
Summoning their courage, they asked, “What did Shopkeeper Pei do to offend you?”
“Young Lord, please calm down. She is nothing more than a merchant’s daughter. For you to treat her with the formalities due a wife is an immense blessing earned through the virtues of her ancestors. Yet she fails to appreciate your kindness, grows arrogant because of your favor, and has disappointed your good intentions.”
“Young Lord, if you truly cannot let this go, I’ll—”
As he spoke, Ying Siji mimed taking a rope, looping it around his neck, and pulling it tight.
But immediately, their young lord shot him a murderous glare. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“N-Nothing. I only wanted to measure Shopkeeper Pei’s neck, so I could have the skin made into a muffler and give it to her.”
“What right do you have to give her a muffler? Does she need one? Has she given you anything that suggests she expects a return gift?”
“N-No…”
Ying Siji felt as though he had brought this on himself, but after confirming that their young lord had not suddenly lost all feeling for Shopkeeper Pei, he was secretly relieved.
He rather liked Shopkeeper Pei. She was kind to everyone and treated the two of them well. She and their young lord clearly understood one another, and when he was with her, the young lord became more lively than he had ever been in his entire life. Ying Siji had hoped that Pei Liang would become their young lord’s wife.
Who could have expected their young lord to say, “It had better be nothing. I’m warning you both: from now on, if she gives you expensive gifts, neither of you is to accept them.”
“If she asks you about things like your ambitions and aspirations, or tries to persuade you to trade something for benefits, stay far away from her at once and report it to me. Understood?”
“Yes, understood!”
The two men nodded like chicks pecking at grain.
Seeing that the atmosphere had eased somewhat, their curiosity grew bolder. “Young Lord… what exactly are you angry about?”
Putting together the beginning and the end of things, Ying Siji could not help saying, “Could it be that you learned how generous Shopkeeper Pei is with her money, and how often she spends it helping others? Young Lord, are you… angry that she’s wasteful?”
As he spoke, his eyes were filled with disapproval. Before they were even married, it was one thing to grumble about it at the dinner table, but how could he actually treat a woman’s private wealth as his own and begrudge every coin she spent on someone else?
How was that any different from a man who shamelessly lived off his wife while pretending to be proud?
The moment Ying Siji finished speaking, someone smacked him on the head.
Qiu Sanxiang said expressionlessly, “Shut up!”
Yet his eyes clearly conveyed another message: Why did you have to spell it out and embarrass His Lordship?
Shi Feiyu: “…”
He felt the heartache that had only just subsided beginning to throb again.
Secretly gnashing his teeth, he finally understood why those two had been looking at him strangely lately. So the two brats had already seen through everything. And he had foolishly been dreaming of a love shared by both sides.
He wanted to throw them out, but if he let the matter pass without explanation, those two would probably truly take their master for that sort of man.
Thus, he gritted his teeth and said, “No.”
“Then what is it?” Ying Siji asked, emboldened by the fact that their young lord seemed willing to answer.
Shi Feiyu drew a deep breath. After considering the matter at length, he slowly said, “First, that woman used honeyed words and vague promises to trick me into falling for her. Then she showered me with extravagant gifts and spent lavishly until I was completely ensnared. But who would have thought that after one brief interlude in bed, she would reveal her true, cold-hearted nature?”
“She said all that nonsense about liking and accepting me, but it was nothing but lies. I even left in a fit of anger, and she didn’t care in the slightest. She’s nothing but a heartless, ungrateful liar.”
“How could I… how could I—”
Shi Feiyu slammed his fist onto the table. “Today has been the greatest humiliation of my life.”
He had thought that, after spelling things out so clearly, the two men would be able to figure out what had happened through their usual understanding of one another. If Sanxiang and Siji had not followed him since childhood and been as close to him as younger brothers, he would never have been able to speak of such disgrace to anyone else.
But saying this much was already the limit of what he could tolerate.
Qiu Sanxiang and Ying Siji, however, only looked at him with expressions that were difficult to describe. They seemed to want to speak, yet hesitated.
In particular, Ying Siji opened his mouth several times, but each time he stopped himself before the words came out.
Shi Feiyu was already in a foul mood, and their behavior made him even more impatient. “What is it? Just say it.”
It was Qiu Sanxiang who finally spoke. Carefully, he began, “Young Lord, I’ve heard those old hands in the army say that a man’s first time…”
“It usually doesn’t go smoothly. Quite a few of them say they don’t manage much in the first six months, and only become truly impressive after some time.”
“Our young lord is a man among men. It must be that Shopkeeper Pei demanded too much and failed to show you any consideration, which is why you seemed unable to keep up.”
“Please don’t be angry, Young Lord. You’re on leave for the next few days, so you can properly train her. I guarantee you’ll have Shopkeeper Pei begging for mercy.”
Ying Siji nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! If you ask me, you shouldn’t have run away. Otherwise, Shopkeeper Pei might think you fled because you were feeling guilty.”
“Shut up!” Qiu Sanxiang snapped. “The important thing was to know when to stop. If His Lordship had insisted on forcing himself, he might have injured himself. What would we have done then?”
“Oh, right, right! Shopkeeper Pei was being far too demanding. Stepping back for the moment was the sensible thing to do.” He paused, then asked, “Young Lord, shall I have the kitchen prepare some restorative soup?”
Shi Feiyu felt as though someone had not merely stabbed him through the heart that evening, but had gone on to sprinkle salt into the wound.
For a moment, rage made his throat taste of blood and darkened his vision.
“Get out—”
The two men immediately fell silent and fled.
*
After suddenly realizing that he had become a kept man and falling out with Pei Liang, Shi Feiyu no longer had any intention of enjoying his leave.
The next morning, after making a trip to the palace, he planned to go straight back to the army camp.
The emperor, however, kept him behind. With a genial smile, he asked, “My dear subject, how old are you this year?”
“I am twenty-five by reckoning.”
“People are meant to establish a household before building a career. With all the wars these past years, the court—and I, as a member of the Zhuo family—have delayed you.”
Shi Feiyu sensed trouble and hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, serving the country and establishing my military career is what I wish to do. As for marrying and having children…”
He brushed the image of that face from his mind. “This subject has no such plans for the time being.”
The emperor sighed. “I understand your difficulties. Before this, that poisonous woman from the Chai family controlled the household accounts, and the inner residence was in chaos. You did not wish to waste your energy on domestic affairs and neglect your military duties. That is understandable.”
“Now that the poisonous woman has brought disaster upon herself, there is no one to manage the household of the Shi family. You are currently in the capital—would this not be the perfect opportunity to take a wife?”
A trace of mockery flickered deep in Shi Feiyu’s eyes. He understood the emperor’s intentions perfectly.
The man naturally would not let such a good opportunity to restrain the Shi family pass him by.
Sure enough, the emperor continued, “The Seventh Princess came of age a month ago. She possesses beauty enough to overthrow kingdoms and a forthright, generous temperament. The two of you would make a perfect match—a union of outstanding man and woman.”
“I wish to grant her a fief of a thousand households and betroth her to you. What say you?”
Shi Feiyu’s first reaction was not to consider how he should refuse the emperor.
Instead, he inwardly sneered at the man’s greed and stinginess. He wanted the best of both worlds, yet offered so little in return.
In these times, the people were suffering and the land was ravaged. A fief of a thousand households might sound substantial, but in reality, fewer than a hundred households could likely still be taxed. On top of that, wars raged everywhere. In every region, ordinary people had either lost their homes and livelihoods or been forced to flee for their lives.
In reality, the amount might be even smaller.
That meant the emperor’s so-called plan to marry off his daughter with a generous dowry was, in truth, not even worth the one-tenth Pei Liang had offered him.
Setting aside the political motives behind it, it was still an utterly losing bargain—
At this thought, Shi Feiyu stiffened.
It was all Pei Liang’s fault. She had kept him awake all night, unable to forget the matter, and somehow managed to lead his thoughts astray.
Shi Feiyu knew that the Northern Barbarians were about to invade, and that the balance of power throughout the realm would soon undergo a drastic change. There was no need to reject the emperor too decisively at a time like this and invite trouble on the eve of war.
Thus he said, “The princess is a daughter of the imperial family. To receive Your Majesty’s favor so suddenly is an overwhelming honor. However, marriage is a matter traditionally decided by one’s parents. I beg Your Majesty to allow me a few days to return home and discuss the matter with my father.”
Since he had not openly refused, the emperor naturally would not be too forceful with a military commander of such importance.
So he smiled and allowed Shi Feiyu to return home and consult with his father. They then discussed several matters of state before finally letting Shi Feiyu leave the palace.
Shi Feiyu had originally intended to return to the military camp after leaving the palace, but after what had happened, he had no choice but to make a trip home.
He informed Marquis Shi of the matter and instructed him that, should the emperor raise the proposal again in the coming days, he was to offer a vague reply for the time being.
Marquis Shi agreed aloud, but in his heart, he had already made other plans.
When Shi Feiyu passed by Tianxiang Tower, he found that the establishment had already regained the glory it had enjoyed during Pei Liang’s time as head chef. It was packed with customers every day, with not a single seat to spare.
Several diners came out, rubbing their full bellies in satisfaction.
Shi Feiyu did not know whether Pei Liang had come to the restaurant that day. Last night, things had gone rather far. It had been her first time, yet she had shown no restraint and kept provoking him.
Perhaps—
At that thought, Shi Feiyu angrily shut his eyes for a moment. She only regarded him as a plaything, so why was he, the plaything, worrying about her?
The thought stirred up another wave of resentment in him. He urged his horse onward and left without another glance back.
After that, Shi Feiyu did not return. Even on his days off, he had no intention of leaving the military camp.
In the second month after he returned to the camp, the Northern Barbarians invaded, shocking both the court and the capital.
Those who had initially opposed preparations, firmly convinced that the plague that year had kept the Northern Barbarians too occupied to turn their attention southward, as well as those who had wavered on the issue while deliberately withholding military pay and supplies, all began to fear for their lives.
Even if the war were won, they would likely not escape being held accountable.
But now, when they thought of the Northern Army at the front, which had yet to receive its winter clothing and was fighting in old garments from previous years that offered little protection against the cold, or of the weapons that had not yet been replaced on a large scale, or of the dwindling food supplies—
Even with the undefeated General Shi Feiyu at the front, the emperor, who had always been optimistic, felt his vision go black at the thought of facing the ferocious Northern Barbarian army with such inadequate provisions. He fainted right there in court.
Upon waking, he had several people executed, then worked through the night to gather provisions and supplies and send them to the front.
However, in an age like this, when supplies had been withheld, it was impossible for the necessary provisions to have truly been prepared in full, merely awaiting distribution.
The money meant for grain and military supplies had already passed through who knew how many hands. What remained was scarcely enough to make a difference.
Even part of the money for the hot-spring resort the emperor was currently building had come from this source.
Sure enough, the first clash ended in defeat at the front, and Shi Feiyu chose to retreat.
After that retreat, the Northern Barbarian army was only a few dozen miles from the capital.
The court could no longer sit still. Several ministers “forced” the emperor to leave the capital temporarily and head south, where they could gather the garrisons from various regions and preserve the foundations of the imperial government.
The emperor naturally wept and denounced the proposal, but after the ministers of the court knelt and repeatedly urged him to reconsider, he finally led them all out of the capital.
With the emperor gone, the capital quickly descended into chaos. Everyone was terrified for their own safety.
The nobles and wealthy merchants with access to timely information had already followed the imperial procession south. Those left behind were naturally consumed by panic.
Once the officials and soldiers responsible for maintaining order departed, countless thugs and hooligans began setting fires and looting the streets.
Before they could gain any real momentum, however, a group of people appeared out of nowhere. Anyone caught taking advantage of the chaos to commit crimes was executed on the spot.
The ruthless reprisals quickly stabilized order in the capital.
These were Pei Liang’s people, sent by the grain transport guild once she judged that the time was right and the court had no attention to spare for the capital.
The several gangs that had previously joined forces to swallow Li Shen’s territory also reached an agreement at a gathering organized by Pei Liang.
She then approached the wealthy households and landowners who had been unable to flee in time, requiring every family to contribute manpower. In an instant, Pei Liang took control of the capital.
While those who had once held power fled, she rapidly reshuffled the city and sank her own roots into it.
It was only after order had been restored that Pei Liang heard that Li Shen and Wei Yingshu, who had originally been imprisoned in the death cells, had both disappeared.
According to the low-ranking constables left behind at the government office, Wei Yingshu had been rescued in the chaos by the Young Master of the Minister of Revenue’s family, while Li Shen had escaped on his own during a prison riot.
It could not exactly be called Pei Liang’s carelessness. In truth, when the entire court had been shocked by the Northern Barbarian invasion, she had had the opportunity to have both of them secretly killed. Once the chaos began, no one would have pursued the matter.
However, in the future, she would be traveling constantly from one world to another. She needed to test the extent to which the inertia of the plot could spread, the level at which its logic operated, and precisely how far the protagonists’ halo of protection extended.
The opportunity was rare, so she might as well give it a try.
Meanwhile, the situation in the capital grew increasingly stable after the court fled. This, too, was connected to the results from the front.
Although the defeat in the first clash had terrified everyone in the capital, the army proceeded with steady, methodical advances afterward and never retreated another step.
They held the Northern Barbarians firmly at a distance of several dozen miles from the capital.
In fact, with the supplies and equipment Pei Liang had provided, as well as the preparations made in advance, Shi Feiyu could have defeated the Northern Barbarians in the very first clash and sent them fleeing back to the grasslands.
But that initial defeat was necessary to drive the court away. The battle reports sent south afterward continued to emphasize setbacks while concealing the victories.
As a result, the emperor and his entourage fled all the faster.
In reality, Shi Feiyu had long since cleared out everything within the retreat route, leaving the Northern Barbarian army no resources with which to replenish their supplies. In the depths of winter, even the mountains had been stripped bare.
The Northern Barbarians believed themselves unstoppable, but after several days of stalemate, their provisions began to run short.
Most fatal of all, a large force of the Northern Army appeared behind them. Taking advantage of the enemy’s lack of clothing and food and their exhausted warhorses, they surrounded them and wiped them out.
The Northern court had originally cobbled together this army of tens of thousands after the plague, assembling whatever forces they could find for the purpose of plundering. In the end, every last one of them became a prisoner of war.
Shi Feiyu pursued his victory, advancing with irresistible force until he directly overthrew the Northern court.
The southern usurpation had only just begun, yet the north had already been destroyed. This had never happened in the original story. Given the conditions at the time, the original outcome had been no more than a hard-won victory.
At that moment, the battle reports reaching the south still claimed that the Northern Army had achieved only modest gains.
In reality, Shi Feiyu and his troops had already returned from the Northern court, bringing with them vast numbers of cattle, sheep, and captives.
The prisoners of war killed their tribal commanders and subcommanders. Those deemed impossible to tame were separated for individual conditioning, while most were dispersed and incorporated into the army.
The scattered members of the various tribes were also gathered together, and the resources of the Northern court were redistributed.
That was simply the way of the world. While corpses lay everywhere outside, the palace remained opulent and well stocked. As a result, most ordinary people at least had enough food to survive the winter.
Shi Feiyu did not slaughter indiscriminately. He offered humane appeasement and reassurance. Moreover, the ordinary Northern Barbarian civilians were hostages in his hands.
Thus, in a short period of time, he managed to tame the Northern Barbarian cavalry, causing the army under his command to expand rapidly once again.
The emperor fled, abandoning the Northern Resistance Army. As a result, the imperial power completely lost the soldiers' awe. Thus, the Northern Resistance Army, along with the captured Northern Barbarians, became Shi Feiyu's private army.
The Northern Barbarians invaded the south mainly for food. Now, they were better fed in the military camp than before, and their lives were safe. Moreover, General Shi, who captured them, was a brave and valiant man.
So, they were willing to follow him.
It was okay when Shi Feiyu was fully engaged in battles. But after the situation was largely settled and he had some free time, he would sink into a gloomy and melancholy mood all day long.
One of his lieutenants couldn't stand it. When they were having a meal in the tent after discussing important matters, the lieutenant stroked his beard and asked, "General, why are you so melancholy?"
"Now that we have defeated the Northern Barbarians and captured countless prisoners, our troops have grown stronger. That cowardly emperor has abandoned the throne on his own. So, the world should belong to the capable."
"With a great future in sight and the chance to dominate the world, why are you sighing, General?"
This lieutenant was called Hu Huzi. He had a full beard and was both brave in battle and shrewd beneath his rough exterior. He had made outstanding contributions on the battlefield but had been frustrated because he offended a treacherous court official. It was only after Shi Feiyu came to power that he was promoted. He had always been loyal to General Shi.
Shi Feiyu didn't want to go into details with this rough - hewn man at first, but unexpectedly, Hu Huzi guessed it first: "Is the general worried about a woman?"
"Alas, I knew it. Those women are born to bring bad luck to us men. Just like my wife at home. When I'm on the battlefield and get cut by a sword, it doesn't hurt much. But if she calls me by my full name in a bad tone when I get home, I'll be scared for three days."
"I'm married, so I understand. General Shi, you might as well tell me."
Shi Feiyu endured it for a while. Finally, he was so pent - up that he decided to pour out his feelings from a different angle.
He said, "You tell me. A good man should stand upright and be self - reliant. But if a woman insults you with money, treats you like a male concubine, and humiliates you, what would you do?"
Hu Huzi slapped the table and stood up, shouting, "Humph! A real man should have the world in his heart. How could he be a spineless person for just a little bit of gold and silver?"
Then he glared at Sanxiang and Siji and said, "Don't let me catch you having such an idea. If you dare to be a gigolo, I'll break your legs."
Sanxiang and Siji looked at each other in dismay. Then Hu Huzi asked, "Then how much money is it?"
Shi Feiyu was secretly sad that Pei Liang regarded his male pride, which everyone should understand, as worthless, clearly showing no affection for him.
Suddenly, he was surprised to hear Lieutenant Hu's tone change so abruptly and looked up in shock.
Hu Huzi scratched his beard and looked righteous, saying, "General, why are you looking at me like that? I'm just curious."
Shi Feiyu sighed and said, "It's not a small amount. For example, it's equivalent to the food, supplies, weapons, and military equipment for several months, as well as the winter coats."
As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Huzi jumped up and asked, "General, where is that insulting woman?"
"Money doesn't matter. It's just that I'm a cheapskate. I just like being looked down upon by women."
Shi Feiyu and the other two were stunned. They said, "Lieutenant Hu, we didn't expect you to be such a spineless person. Shame on you for pretending to be so upright just now."
Lieutenant Hu immediately burst into tears and said, "Upright my ass! I haven't seen a copper coin for half a year."
"Hey, humiliation. Only you unmarried fools still take it seriously. When you have wives in the future, you'll know that even the watchdog is more precious than you."
"Which one of you is it? Let me tell you, if a woman is willing to give you money, just be happy secretly under the covers."
"Is it you, Siji? You young guys are most popular with those rich old ladies."
Siji quickly shook his head. Then Hu Huzi looked at Sanxiang.
"Sanxiang? Well, you're always quiet. Maybe those rich ladies like your type."
The two of them laughed angrily and said, "Then why don't you guess it's the general?"
Hu Huzi glanced at Shi Feiyu and laughed loudly, saying, "The general has been melancholy these days because he's worried about you two kids."
"Our general stands tall and is outstanding. How could he be a gigolo? Hahaha."
"The corrupt court officials have withheld the military pay and supplies for several months, but the general solved the problem in just two outings. He has a magnificent and bold style."
"Can a gigolo achieve such a feat?"
While Hu Huzi was flattering, he wondered if it was just his imagination. Why did the general's face seem to turn darker the more he flattered?
