After autumn arrived, the nights grew longer and darkness fell earlier.
Having finished washing up, Pei Ying went to bed early. She had used her mind too much today and was tired, so she wanted to rest sooner.
As for what a certain someone said about coming back early, she heard it, but she didn't want to bother about him. When this man was busy, he was truly busy; it wasn't unheard of for him to return in the dead of night before.
The autumn days grew cooler, and the ice basin by the bed had been removed. Pei Ying, curled up in the quilt, sat by the headboard, placing each of the bedside luminous pearls into black bags.
The light was extinguished, and darkness surged in like a tide.
She lay down and pulled the covers over herself. The breathing of the person on the bed soon became even.
Time flowed like water, quietly passing by. It was unknown how much time had passed when low voices of greeting came from outside. No words were spoken, only the sound of approaching footsteps.
The footsteps stopped right outside the room but didn't enter directly. Instead, they turned and went elsewhere.
About a quarter of an hour later, a man, still carrying the dampness of water and the scent of soap, returned to the master bedroom. The redwood door was pushed open, and the darkness inside seemed to silently stir.
The man chuckled softly, not at all surprised by this.
He entered and closed the door.
Pei Ying usually slept very soundly and rarely dreamed, but tonight she dreamt she had become the Great Sage, the Great Sage Sun before his journey to the west, still trapped under the Five-Finger Mountain.
The mountain was immense and heavy, pressing down on her until she could barely breathe. Moreover, this towering peak seemed to hold immense energy, containing fiery magma within capable of melting metal and stone. The magma overflowed, gradually submerging her mouth and nose.
Pei Ying's eyes snapped open.
In the darkness, a towering figure seemed to loom over her.
Their breaths slowly overlapped, the exhaled heat so scorching it felt as if her very soul was trembling. That trip he had taken out earlier seemed to have its traces erased by an invisible hand, the beginning and end reconnected across time and space.
The autumn weather was cool, and as she was about to sleep, Pei Ying wasn't wearing much—just a dudou and a pair of trousers she had shortened.
Now, however, this conveniently served Huo Tingshan's purposes. The man straightened up slightly. His palm opened, gripping that section of fair, delicate calf, then lifting and resting it against his shoulder blade.
Pei Ying used her other foot to push against his thigh, which was kneeling on the bed. Seeing it didn't stop him, she then pressed her foot against his firm abdomen. "Huo Tingshan, did you wash?"
"Didn't wash," he said deliberately.
Pei Ying didn't catch the hint of amusement in his words, only feeling that she was done for.
Didn't wash?
He had gone out, covered in the dust of travel, and dared to come to bed without washing?
"It's not like we don't have the means now, can't you change this habit of not caring about cleanliness?" Pei Ying pushed harder with the foot on his abdomen, attempting to shove him away, but the man was as immovable as a mountain.
"I did wash," he changed his tune.
Pei Ying was suspicious and didn't retract the force from her foot, still not letting him get closer. "Really or not?"
Huo Tingshan gave a soft laugh. "If my lady doesn't believe me, you can check for yourself."
He grasped the ankle of her other foot. The man's fingers were long, easily encircling it in his palm, and he pulled it to the side.
The gauze curtains of the bed fell, the light fabric rippling like water. Occasionally, a corner of the thin gauze would lift slightly, offering a faint glimpse of a glimmering white.
The autumn night was quiet, but the commotion in the room was not small.
When the commotion subsided slightly, a low voice asked, "Has my lady finished her inspection?"
Pei Ying's face was flushed, a light sweat beading on her forehead. She now knew he had been teasing her earlier and didn't want to humor him now. "The inspection is clear. You didn't wash. Huo Tingshan, you're filthy."
In the darkness, the man raised a long eyebrow. "Fine. Since my lady finds me unclean, I mustn't sully her eyes."
He turned her over, making Pei Ying lie on her stomach.
Pei Ying, hands braced on the bed, was about to push herself up when she felt a light bite on the back of her neck. A sensation of heat traveled from her nape down along her spine.
An electric-like feeling exploded from her neurons. Pei Ying couldn't help but arch her back, a barely audible whimper escaping her lips as the brocade quilt beneath her hands was clutched into a crumpled ball.
The night was like a tide, vision not very clear. The white before him trembled and whimpered softly, also seeming to flicker in and out of view with the black tide. Huo Tingshan let out a satisfied sigh and continued downwards.
Liao Pingwei had been facing a string of misfortunes lately. His son was detained in the Prefectural Governor's residence. At first, he didn't know the situation, but after a few days, inexplicable rumors began to spread, saying his son was gravely ill in the Governor's residence and was said to be on the verge of death.
Liao Wenbo was neither Liao Pingwei's eldest son nor his youngest, but he was his favorite. The reason was simple: this son most closely resembled him in appearance.
Upon hearing that Liao Wenbo was half-dead, Liao Pingwei grew so anxious that blisters erupted on his lips.
He thought left and right and could no longer sit still.
Setting aside the alleged critical illness of his son, Huo Tingshan's recent series of actions alone made Liao Pingwei extremely uneasy.
Sizhou had already been taken by the other party. As the new master of Sizhou, whether Huo Tingshan replaced certain officials or made an example of some powerful family in Luoyang City, it was actually quite normal.
To establish authority, one must take action; otherwise, how could there be any prestige?
However, Liao Pingwei keenly noticed that ninety percent of the officials who were replaced were his subordinates. The powerful families being made examples of were also, for the most part, those he was closest to.
Looking further at the entire Luoyang City, well, it seemed only he was being targeted; everyone else was going about their business as usual.
On the fourth day of his son's detention, Liao Pingwei grew increasingly restless. He finally decided to go to the Prefect's residence to seek out Shi Xiangsong, intending to discuss with him how to respond.
In the past, entering the Prefect's residence was as easy as walking into his own home for Liao Pingwei, but today he was stopped outside the gate.
The servants said the Prefect was busy with matters today and was not at home.
Liao Pingwei was furious, inwardly cursing Shi Xiangsong for having the courage of a mouse and a mind clouded by greed. At such a time, cutting ties with him was no different from destroying one's own Great Wall.
Apart from the Prefectural Governor, within Luoyang City, he and Shi Xiangsong held the most power. Now that Huo Tingshan had aimed his blade at him, Shi Xiangsong remained unmoved. Could it be that old fellow surnamed Shi really thought that after he, the Chief Inspector, fell, the remaining Prefect would fare any better?
A single pillar cannot support a house; when the lips are gone, the teeth will feel the cold!
At first, when the servants said Shi Xiangsong wasn't home, Liao Pingwei didn't believe it. He acted forcefully and barged in directly. He discovered the residence was indeed empty, and no one knew where Shi Xiangsong had gone.
Liao Pingwei simply decided not to leave and waited right in the Prefect's residence. After all, he held an official position, and the servants could do nothing about him. They could only watch helplessly as he sat in the main hall and reluctantly served him tea.
He waited until the sun began to set in the west, and later until the sky grew dim and the curfew was approaching, but Liao Pingwei still didn't manage to wait for Shi Xiangsong's return.
The other party did not even come back to his own residence.
When asked where Shi Xiangsong had gone, the servants claimed to know nothing. Liao Pingwei could only leave in a rage, flicking his sleeves. He naturally would not know that, since the day before, Shi Xiangsong had entered a state of being completely absorbed in shipbuilding.
All the shipyards in Luoyang City were requisitioned, and the private soldiers raised by the Prefect's mansion were mobilized in full force for shipbuilding.
Carpenters worked day and night without rest; wood snapped into sections with the "creak-creak" sound of saws pulling back and forth; hemp fibers were scraped into dense clusters by conscripted laborers; tung oil mixed with lime emitted a foul odor, then was stirred together with the disordered hemp fibers to create a waterproof lacquer for coating ship hulls.
Liao Pingwei had been running around for days, meeting with repeated rejections, and had absurdly failed to even see a single person he wished to meet.
His heart sinking steadily, Liao Pingwei watched as only a small sliver of the Golden Crow remained in the sky and dusk gradually darkened. He made a decision in his heart.
If you show no benevolence, don't blame me for lacking righteousness, Huo Tingshan. You forced my hand.
Undercurrents surged in Luoyang City, yet within the Provincial Governor's mansion, it could be considered a haven of peace.
Pei Ying had heard rumors of the external conflicts, but they were of little consequence to her. However, she also knew that times were rather unsettled lately, so she hadn't gone out to stroll the markets, staying within the mansion all day long.
Bedchamber, study, main hall. She merely frequented these few places.
After having the midday meal with her mother, Meng Ling'er idly wandered the mansion grounds. The autumn sky was high and the air crisp, the temperature most pleasant.
Huo Tingshan had brought fifty thousand men to Luoyang this time, but the core circle of military officers and advisors numbered only a sparse few. Consequently, the young lady, whose schedule had once been packed with lessons, found herself with much more free time.
Normally, there were only two lessons per day: one taught by the medical officer Feng Yuzhu, and the other entrusted to Ke Zuo. The latter had been quite busy recently, so Meng Ling'er's load lightened again, from two daily lessons to just one.
Meng Ling'er walked along the small stone path, strolling until she reached the rear garden. There was a swing in the garden, and the young lady sat down on it.
Shui Su stood behind her, gently pushing the swing, when she suddenly heard a murmur.
"It's been a month and a half already."
Shui Su was momentarily puzzled. Having grown up with Meng Ling'er since childhood, their bond was deeper than that with other maidservants, and she dared to speak and ask many things. "Young Mistress, what has been a month and a half?"
Meng Ling'er's gaze flickered, and she said nothing.
Standing behind her, Shui Su noticed the young mistress's slightly pink-tinted ears and suddenly understood.
A young maiden's heart is always poetic. As a personal maid, Shui Su faintly heard the beautiful recitation of that poetry.
"Yuzhou isn't far from Luoyang. With a fast horse galloping there and back, the round trip would only take a few days. Once matters there are settled, he can surely return quickly," Shui Su said softly.
Back when they were still in Shenyuan Dao, Lord Chen was sent to Yuzhou by the General, seemingly to find something. The specifics weren't very clear to Shui Su.
But she knew that on the first day Lord Chen left, the young mistress ate nearly half a bowl less at mealtime. Normally she could eat two bowls, but that day she only had one and a half.
Shui Su didn't mention who was in Yuzhou, but Meng Ling'er understood perfectly. "You really are, this girl..."
Just as Meng Ling'er thought to lightly scold the maid for teasing her, she suddenly heard a cry of pain.
The young lady's eyes sharpened.
Having experienced those few days of wandering outdoors, Meng Ling'er was now quite sensitive to certain sounds. Moreover, unlike many young ladies secluded in boudoirs who truly knew nothing of the world outside, she was not ignorant.
Master Ke had told her about the external situation. While her father was building ships, he clearly also intended to make some adjustments to Luoyang's official circles, adding a batch of his own people.
For some to rise, naturally others must vacate their positions.
Whether any of those being displaced might become desperate enough to lash out, Meng Ling'er did not know, but being extra vigilant was certainly not wrong.
"Let's go see," Meng Ling'er rose from the swing.
Leaving the garden, mistress and maid followed the sound, passing through two courtyards before Meng Ling'er arrived at a training ground.
This training ground had been modified after they moved into the Provincial Governor's mansion. Two such places were set up, and this rear one had seldom been used.
Why did it seem there was activity here now?
As she drew closer, Meng Ling'er realized it wasn't just "seeming"; there was indeed considerable commotion.
There were people in the training ground, and quite a few of them.
The courtyard had been expanded to its maximum width, equipped with wooden stakes, a martial arts platform, and she even spotted a millstone.
A large millstone sat in a corner of the courtyard. This type of tool, usually pulled by a mule or donkey, was now being operated by human strength.
Three young men stood in a triangular formation around the millstone. Each had a cloth strap over their shoulders forming a harness, which was connected to a wooden beam above, almost as if they were suspended. However, their feet touched the ground, and they relied mainly on the strength of their shoulders and backs to pull the harness and turn the millstone.
This was the first time Meng Ling'er had seen people used as mules, especially since the mansion was not short of mules. The young lady couldn't help but stare in astonishment.
Over there, Wu Zile had just finished running ten laps of an obstacle course, utterly exhausted. It was now mealtime. Catching a glimpse of two petite figures at the courtyard entrance out of the corner of his eye, he didn't look closely, assuming they were maidservants bringing food.
Having trained all morning, his stomach growling with hunger, Wu Zile directly shouted, "Is there something wrong with your legs? Can't you walk faster!"
Besides the group of young men, Huo Mingji was also present. He first glanced at his somewhat bewildered sister, then silently walked over to the son of the Records Officer, and suddenly threw a punch, striking him in the abdomen.
Wu Zile doubled over from the blow. Having digested his morning meal long ago, he couldn't even vomit anything now.
Huo Mingji grabbed the back of his neck and straightened him up. "Watch your words in the future."
Meng Ling'er couldn't hide her astonishment. Her elder brother had always been steady and composed; this was the first time she had seen him resort to physical force.
However, she quickly understood. It was normal, after all. He was their father's son, and also hailed from Youzhou. Youzhou valued martial prowess; its customs were bold and fierce. His usual restraint didn't mean he was incapable of action.
"Elder Brother," Meng Ling'er finally walked over.
Hearing her form of address, Wu Zile felt his vision darken, wishing he could go back moments earlier and cover his own mouth.
Perhaps there had been initial dissatisfaction, resentment, and even some secretly simmering thoughts of revenge. But as days passed under the weight of intensified training, everyone was simply worn numb.
They had become obedient, begging for mercy.
Of course, mercy was not forthcoming. They were used as donkeys and mules, as punching bags, or as objects required to remain still.
The slightest disobedience met with kicks and punches.
The other side clearly had no fear of injuring them, as long as they avoided killing them.
"Is this training?" Meng Ling'er asked. Since the day these young men entered the mansion for training, Ke Zuo had suspended his lessons, so she truly hadn't known the mansion had acquired so many... laborers.
Huo Mingji replied, "Exactly. Their constitutions are too poor. Cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state—they've stumbled at the very first step."
Meng Ling'er nodded in agreement. "Then they certainly should train."
Wu Zile listened to those high-sounding words, seething with anger but not daring to speak out.
Just then, the real maid arrived with the meal box.
Earlier, Meng Ling'er had come to investigate, suspecting something unusual about this place. Now that she had seen it, there was nothing out of the ordinary—just a group of pampered, delicate-looking young masters who had been captured from who-knows-where.
She immediately lost interest.
"Sister." Seeing Meng Ling'er about to leave, Huo Mingji called out to stop her.
Meng Ling'er turned back, puzzled. "What is it, Eldest Brother?"
Huo Mingji curled the corner of his mouth. "This morning, I received a letter from the group sent to Yuzhou."
"What did it say?" the young girl asked eagerly. But seeing her elder brother's meaningful gaze, Meng Ling'er belatedly realized he had likely also noticed that matter. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Eldest Brother, you're teasing me."
Huo Mingji gave a light cough and stopped keeping her in suspense. "The item has been sent to Mother for verification. If confirmed, Chen Yuan should be able to return in a few days."
Hearing him mention the name so directly, Meng Ling'er averted her eyes. "It's good that it was found. Eldest Brother, I just remembered I haven't finished my studies. I should go back now."
Watching the young girl's hurried departing figure, Huo Mingji shook his head with a smile.
The Chen family isn't a bad match.
Otherwise, given how much Mother dotes on Ling'er, if she were to marry far away, Mother would surely be heartsick with worry.
