The carriage passed through the southern city gate and re-entered Beichuan County. Pei Ying peered out through the window, noticing that the previously sealed gate was now reopened. Though entry remained lenient while exit was strictly controlled, some people were indeed allowed to leave the county.
"This little town isn’t much to look at. Jizhou has a couple of famous mountains—I’ll take you to see them someday," Huo Tingshan said, reaching to lower the curtain.
Just then, his expression abruptly sharpened. Without hesitation, he drew the dagger from his waist and hurled it forward. The series of movements was swift as lightning, completed in an instant. The dagger, fierce as an arrow, clashed midair with another weapon, producing a sharp metallic clang before both fell to the ground.
Pei Ying, still unaware of what had happened, saw the man suddenly turn and pull a cloak from the side compartment. With a sweep of his arm, the cloak draped over her like a net, covering her from head to toe.
Darkness enveloped her vision, and the faint scent of liquor mixed with the domineering aura of steel and battle—his scent—filled her nose.
"Don’t move, my lady. Wait for me to return," his voice came muffled through the cloak.
Pei Ying cautiously lifted a corner of the cloak to let in air but dared not remove it entirely. She had heard the clash of weapons.
Her first thought was assassination.
Upon reflection, it wasn’t surprising. Those in positions of power naturally attracted enemies. Only when such men fell would others have a chance to rise.
Understanding aside, Pei Ying wanted nothing to do with a man whose life was steeped in bloodshed. All she desired was a peaceful life with her daughter—no need for wealth, just stability. She had to leave, but how?
After Huo Tingshan stepped out, chaos erupted outside—screams, the wails of children, and the relentless clashing of weapons.
Pei Ying clutched the cloak tighter, her thoughts scattering. One moment, she pondered escape; the next, she wondered if there were corpses outside or whether the crying child had been taken to safety. Finally, she thought of her daughter, relieved that her little girl had arrived later and avoided this dreadful scene.
Time crawled, yet it also felt as though an eternity had passed before the turmoil gradually subsided.
Pei Ying’s fingers twitched, about to remove the cloak, when a hand beat her to it.
Light returned, and she blinked against the sudden brightness, her eyes adjusting as she leaned back against the cushioned seat.
A shadow loomed over her. Pei Ying looked up to see Huo Tingshan leaning in. He had returned, looking exactly as he had when he left—his robes neat, his hair undisturbed, as if he had merely taken a stroll. Yet, the metallic tang of blood clung to him.
The thought that it was the blood of a living person unsettled her. With no room to retreat, she pressed a hand against his chest to keep him at bay and changed the subject. "General, what happened outside?"
"Rest easy, my lady. The rebels have been dealt with," Huo Tingshan replied, glancing at the delicate hand on his chest. He moved to grasp it, but she withdrew before he could.
He chuckled, his raised hand diverting to smooth the disheveled strands of her hair. His long fingers combed through the dark tresses, occasionally brushing her cheek. "The world is a dangerous place. It’s best you don’t wander off. Three months ago, I heard of a tragedy—a merchant traveling with his wife and child to Youzhou to pay respects to their ancestors. Whether they were too conspicuous or simply unlucky, they encountered bandits on the road. Not a single one survived, not even the six-year-old boy."
Pei Ying shuddered, her gaze snapping to him.
Huo Tingshan continued as if oblivious to her distress. "Three months ago, the magistrate of Changsu in Bingzhou offered a hefty bounty for a man’s head, claiming the thief had stolen his family heirloom and murdered two servants."
Pei Ying noted the faint mockery in his tone. "And the truth?"
The bounty’s justification was the magistrate’s claim, but what was the reality?
Huo Tingshan tucked a loose strand behind her ear, his fingers lingering on the soft curve. "Sharp as ever, my lady. The man was indeed a thief, but his preference wasn’t cold treasures—he was a rapist. That night, he slipped into the magistrate’s residence, drugged the magistrate’s daughter and her maid, and violated them. Afterward, both women took their own lives out of shame. If such horrors can happen within guarded walls, imagine the dangers outside. A woman traveling alone with her daughter is like a lamb among wolves—devoured inside and out within days."
Pei Ying paled. Huo Tingshan pinched her earlobe, rolling it between his fingers, satisfied as the trapped beauty flushed from white to pink. "So stay by my side. The Youzhou cavalry will keep you safe."
She turned her head away, skeptical. "That happened in Bingzhou. How would you know of it? Are you spinning tales to frighten me?"
Huo Tingshan scoffed. "I’ve no time for such games. Had the magistrate not been from Bingzhou, I wouldn’t have known."
Pei Ying understood his implication.
Just then, a gust of wind lifted the curtain, carrying the heavy stench of blood inside. Pei Ying glanced out—and froze.
The phrase "cut in half" had always referred to an interruption, but now she saw its literal meaning.
Not far away lay a corpse severed at the waist—the upper half in one place, the lower half several meters away, the ground between them soaked in blood. The sheer force required to cleave a man like that was unimaginable.
Her pupils contracted, the color draining from her face once more.
Huo Tingshan, already watching her, noticed her sudden terror—as if her soul had fled her body. He turned and saw the bisected corpse through the window.
"It’s just a corpse. The dead won’t rise to haunt you. If it frightens you, don’t look," he said, shifting his hand from her ear to cover her eyes.
To him, the dead were the least frightening. They couldn’t betray, scheme, or strike from the shadows—far safer than the living.
Yet two breaths later, he felt the woman in his arms go limp, collapsing against him.
Huo Tingshan paused, then clicked his tongue. "Seems the dead have their own troubles. Xiong Mao!"
Hearing his call, Xiong Mao hurried over. Before he reached the window, Huo Tingshan’s voice came through: "Take us to the infirmary."
Xiong Mao’s first thought was that the general had been injured—but that was impossible. The great general’s martial prowess was unmatched. Even in his youth, he had ventured alone behind enemy lines to behead their commanders. Now, in his prime, such a thing was unthinkable.
If not the general, then it must be Lady Pei.
Not daring to delay any longer, Xiong Mao swiftly drove the carriage to the medical clinic. The wheels rattled as they arrived quickly, stopping at the entrance for half an hour before departing again.
By the time they returned to the magistrate’s residence, Pei Ying still hadn’t woken up. Huo Tingshan carried her directly out of the carriage.
Compared to other residences, the magistrate’s estate was far more spacious, with numerous rooms. After the magistrate’s family had either fled or been killed, the estate was left vacant, and Huo Tingshan had taken up residence in the main chamber—the same quarters previously occupied by the magistrate.
Now, as he carried Pei Ying back, he didn’t take her to the side chamber where she had stayed before, but instead brought her to the room next to his own.
Huo Tingshan turned and instructed Xiong Mao, "Move Madam’s belongings here."
Xiong Mao thought to himself that the general probably couldn’t hold back any longer. He was more than happy to see this happen—Madam Pei was as beautiful as a flower, a sight pleasing to the eyes.
Xiong Mao returned shortly after, followed by the maidservant Xin Jin and two guards, each carrying items: three chests of clothing and one chest of miscellaneous belongings, totaling four.
At a glance, it was clear these weren’t just one person’s belongings. Huo Tingshan’s brows furrowed slightly. "Only move Madam’s belongings here. Leave Young Lady Meng’s where they are."
Xiong Mao was stunned.
Was he separating mother and daughter?
Xin Jin, standing behind Xiong Mao, immediately responded. She asked one guard to return the two chests he was holding and directed the other to carry his single chest inside.
Huo Tingshan gave Xin Jin an extra glance. "From now on, you will serve at Madam’s side. As for the maidservant who came with Madam from the Meng residence, have her stay with Young Lady Meng."
Xin Jin bowed her head. "As you command."
......
When Pei Ying woke again, dusk had already draped over the window. She lay on the bed in a daze for a moment before abruptly sitting up.
"Madam has indeed awakened. It seems that physician does have some skill."
Pei Ying stared in surprise at the shadowy figure by the table. As the man rose from his seat, the shadow stretched taller, as if a vengeful ghost had crawled out from the abyss.
"Fssst."
A flame flickered to life on the lamp’s wick, soon filling the room with light.
Pei Ying belatedly realized the shadow wasn’t a ghost but Huo Tingshan. Still, this man had no business being in her chamber—hardly better than a specter.
Huo Tingshan gazed at the shaken Pei Ying, his eyes trailing from her pale face downward, lingering on the soft curves beneath. He had seen—even kissed—those captivating sights before, and the memory haunted him.
Pei Ying noticed his stare and hastily pulled a brocade quilt over herself. "General, why are you here?"
Huo Tingshan replied, "Madam fainted because of me. Naturally, I had to see you wake with my own eyes before I could rest easy. Do you still feel unwell?"
Pei Ying thought, I wouldn’t feel unwell if you weren’t here. But she couldn’t say that aloud, so she shook her head.
"In that case, Madam should have some supper." As he spoke, Huo Tingshan strode to the bed, reached out, and scooped Pei Ying straight out of the covers, carrying her toward the outer chamber.
Pei Ying flushed with embarrassment and irritation. "General, 'men and women should not touch when giving or receiving'—such is propriety."
Huo Tingshan glanced down at the woman in his arms. "Your daughter called me a barbarian. She wasn’t entirely wrong. I am a barbarian—one who knows nothing of etiquette, with countless souls fallen beneath my blade. So, Madam, don’t blame me."
Pei Ying’s struggling halted, her face clouded with unease.
Barbarian—a term laced with contempt, worse than brat.
She didn’t know when her daughter had said those words or how Huo Tingshan had overheard them, but none of that mattered now. What mattered was ensuring he didn’t hold a grudge. Quickly, she flattered him.
"Starving, he feasts on the flesh of northern invaders; thirsty, he laughs and drinks the blood of the Huns." The general’s fame shakes the world—who doesn’t revere you? You are the guardian of the northern frontier. The peace and prosperity of Youzhou’s people are all thanks to you. My daughter’s words were careless—please treat them as nothing more than the wind passing your ears."
Huo Tingshan smirked. "And do you revere me, Madam?"
Pei Ying’s gaze darted away. "Of course I do."
"Lying again." Huo Tingshan set her down beside a small table.
Pei Ying recalled his earlier warning about "three strikes" and held her breath. But Huo Tingshan merely called out to Xin Jin, who had been waiting outside. Soon, a bowl of rice porridge topped with minced mutton and two side dishes were brought in.
Huo Tingshan gestured. "Eat, Madam."
The porridge, garnished with scallions, looked appetizing. But with Huo Tingshan sitting so close, showing no intention of leaving, Pei Ying frowned and didn’t reach for the silver spoon.
First, she wasn’t used to his presence. Second, she couldn’t shake the memory of those two severed corpses—her appetite was gone.
Pei Ying spoke up. "General, I’d like to see my daughter."
Huo Tingshan pulled her back as she tried to rise, pressing her into the seat again. "Don’t worry about her. She’s fine. Just eat."
Pei Ying pressed her lips together, still unwilling.
Huo Tingshan saw through her and said coolly, "In times of war, food is precious. Once, a single peck of rice was worth two taels of gold, and people resorted to trading children to survive. Though these aren’t such desperate times now, we’re far from an age of overflowing granaries and prosperity. Madam would do well not to waste food."
Just as Huo Tingshan expected Pei Ying to obediently start eating, she turned to him, her dark eyes earnest.
"General, do you remember what I once said about terraced fields?"
Huo Tingshan froze, a deep light flashing in his gaze.
