When the two woke up, it was already the hour of Wei, past lunchtime. Pei Ying's fever had subsided in the morning, and now she couldn't bear to stay in the tent any longer: "I'll go get some food. You can sleep again after you eat."
Huo Tingshan furrowed his long brows: "The camp cooks can bring the food. Why should my Madam trouble herself to make the trip?"
Pei Ying ignored him and walked straight out: "The General left fifty thousand soldiers unused and personally launched a night raid on the Yanzhou military camp. As the General's wife, I should also lead by example. How could I trouble the camp cooks?"
Huo Tingshan: "..."
The tent flap lifted and fell, leaving him alone in the main tent. The man massaged the space between his eyebrows, a sense of ominous premonition rising within him.
As soon as Huo Mingji received the news of his father's death in battle, he immediately ordered someone to send a message to Prefect Shi Xiangsong, asking him to temporarily manage Luoyang, while he himself rode a fast horse straight to the border of Si and Yu provinces.
Traveling by the light of the stars and moon, he journeyed day and night without rest, changing horses twice at post stations along the way. Huo Mingji rushed all the way, agonizing emotions tearing at his chest, making him unable to sit or stand still.
In his memories from childhood to the present, his father had always been a very busy man. He was first busy taking lessons from his tutors, then busy helping his grandfather bring the powerful local families of Youzhou to heel, and later busy continuing to fight battles in the north and south after taking up the banner of the Huo family.
The times his father had leisure were few and far between. When they spent time together, it was mostly his father asking about his studies, examining his schoolwork, and occasionally offering a pointer or two.
Majestic, solemn, busy, and insurmountable. These were almost all the impressions Huo Mingji had of his father.
And in reality, his father was indeed like a towering mountain standing firmly behind the Huo family. All the glory of the Huo family and the futures of the younger generation rested entirely on his shoulders. He was the pillar of support for everyone in the Huo family, shielding them from all storms.
Yet now he was told that this mountain had collapsed.
Luoyang City, the Prefect's Manor.
The letter home that Shi Chenglei had written was first sent to the Provincial Governor's Manor in Luoyang. After Huo Mingji read it, it was then taken by the messenger to the Prefect's Manor.
Prefect Shi had just received the directive to take over Luoyang City, and he couldn't help but beam with joy. Although he didn't know why Eldest Young Master Huo suddenly rushed to the front lines, for him, this was undoubtedly excellent news.
With no one pressing down on him from above, and given the foundation he had built in Luoyang over many years, the people Eldest Young Master Huo left behind had been in Luoyang for too short a time to suppress him.
He could restore his former glory in Luoyang City.
However, his happiness lasted only a few moments. Shi Xiangsong saw the messenger guard in front of him take out a letter from his chest: "Prefect Shi, this is a letter from your son."
Shi Xiangsong, who had been calm and composed just a moment ago, was overjoyed. He excitedly took the letter, saying "good" repeatedly. "Good, good, good, this boy has finally written home."
Anxious to go back and read the letter, Shi Xiangsong took it and turned to leave. He doted on his youngest son, Shi Chenglei, the most. The calm and experienced demeanor he had shown in front of the guard completely vanished. Shi Xiangsong couldn't even wait to return to his study; he directly tore the letter open on the way.
As a result of this look...
The nearly sixty-year-old Luoyang Prefect's body shuddered. He looked in disbelief at the sentence in the letter: "Governor Huo of Youzhou was killed in action."
Huo Tingshan was dead?
Such a situation was vastly beyond his expectations. That formidable warlord who had stood in the hall with a hanging sword, who had once grandiosely threatened him into building ships, was unexpectedly gone just like that.
In that instant, a hundred thoughts flashed through Shi Xiangsong's mind.
He thought of Luoyang City, he thought of the sovereignty over Sizhou, and he quickly associated it with the forces surrounding Sizhou, as well as the one who caused Huo Tingshan's defeat and death...
But after these myriad thoughts swept through his mind one by one, Shi Xiangsong's eyes, washed bright by ambition, shifted, and his gaze continued to move down the letter.
He saw his youngest son's earnest words, every sentence from the bottom of his heart. Even without seeing him in person, Shi Xiangsong could almost picture his youngest son pleading with him sincerely.
His ambition faded, and Shi Xiangsong's bright eyes slowly dimmed. His straightened back hunched over once more. "Forget it, I'm old, I won't cause any more trouble."
During the few days that Shi Xiangsong spent sighing and lamenting, Huo Mingji had already rapidly crossed hundreds of miles and arrived at the border of the two provinces.
From Luoyang City to the border, his emotions had slightly cooled as time stretched on and exhaustion accumulated. By the time Huo Mingji arrived at the military camp, he was no longer as distraught as he had been at first.
However...
He quickly noticed something unusual.
The military camp was filled with a joyous and harmonious atmosphere. The soldiers were humming songs, still in the mood to savor the extra food from today's lunch. Someone, having heard some amusing anecdote, burst into loud, hearty laughter.
A thought kept springing up, and Huo Mingji's heart suddenly began to pound wildly.
Chen Yuan, who had been waiting on the west side, saw Huo Mingji. He cupped his hands in greeting and got straight to the point: "The news of the Great General's death in battle was intentionally released by the Yanzhou army. The Great General returned last night, so please set your mind at ease, Eldest Young Master."
Huo Mingji let out a long breath of stale air. As his highly strung nerves suddenly relaxed, his hands and feet actually began to tremble a little. When dismounting, he stumbled unsteadily and was caught just in time by Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan continued to recount what had happened earlier, telling him how Huo Tingshan had taken Li Qiongqi to launch a night raid on the Yanzhou military camp, successively killing Governor Yuan of Yanzhou and the Young Prince of Jiang. He also mentioned that during the days Huo Tingshan was absent, Pei Ying had taken charge of the army, and that Pei Ying had been ill for several days prior, and so on.
Huo Mingji wearily rubbed the space between his eyebrows. "Then I won't disturb Father and Mother for now. Have Medical Officer Feng come to see me."
When Feng Yuzhu arrived, he unexpectedly ran into Pei Ying, who was fetching food. He observed Pei Ying's complexion, his brows relaxing: "Looking at the Madam's complexion, I presume the high fever has receded. My hanging heart can finally be put at ease."
"I troubled Medical Officer Feng these past few days," Pei Ying said with a smile.
Feng Yuzhu hurriedly cupped his hands. "As a medical officer, it is my duty to relieve the Madam's worries and solve her problems."
Pei Ying remembered that her eldest son had come to the military camp, and associating this with Huo Tingshan's injury, she asked, "Did Mingji call you over?"
Feng Yuzhu: "Indeed."
"I'll go with you." Pei Ying asked Xin Jin to take the food back to Huo Tingshan first, while she went over together with Feng Yuzhu.
Thus, Huo Tingshan, who was resting in the tent with his eyes closed, waited for a long time until he finally heard the sound of the tent flap lifting. He curled the corners of his lips and was about to speak, but instead heard another woman's voice.
"Great General, on her way back, Madam happened to run into Medical Officer Feng and went with him to see the Eldest Young Master. She will return a little later, so please have your meal first," Xin Jin told the truth.
Huo Tingshan opened his eyes, the corners of his lips that had just curled up now flattening into a straight line. He didn't say anything, just letting Xin Jin set out the food.
Because of his injury, the camp cooks had put a lot of thought into the meal. There was both rice porridge and wheat rice, in addition to mutton and braised pork chunks. Vegetable dishes weren't left out either; a small pot of wild vegetable soup with ginseng slices had been boiled. The wild vegetables could be scooped out and eaten on their own, or consumed as a soup.
The food alone filled two large food boxes. Xin Jin couldn't carry them by herself and had to call another soldier to help bring them over.
The food filled the entire table to the brim. The camp cooks wished they could feed Huo Tingshan back to his former state in a single day, replenishing all the color he had lost.
The meal was very lavish, but the diner remained expressionless.
Huo Tingshan finished his nourishing meal in silence.
Xin Jin waited to the side. As soon as he finished his meal, she quickly cleared away the utensils. Just as she closed the lid of the food box, she saw the man in the tent stand up, casually grab an outer robe and drape it over his shoulders, covering the bandages that wrapped his body.
Xin Jin was alarmed and uncertain.
Was the Great General going out?
But he was injured. The medical officer had previously told him to rest well and not do as he pleased. However, she was merely a servant and had no right to question her master's affairs.
Pei Ying was talking with Huo Mingji. Upon learning that he had rushed over overnight and had gone without rest for a long time, she wanted him to go back and get some sleep.
It was now the Shen hour, nearing sunset. He could take a short nap and get up to eat, or simply sleep until tomorrow. Anyway, Governor Yuan of Yanzhou and the Young Prince of Jiang were already dead, and the opposing side was like loose sand. Acting a few hours later would not change the final outcome.
But Huo Mingji refused. "Please do not worry, Mother. Your son can hold on. Father went through untold hardships to create such an excellent situation. It would truly be a pity not to press our advantage now."
Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, Pei Ying sighed. Knowing she could not persuade him, she considered having the guards bring in some food so Huo Mingji could eat something before getting back to work.
Just then, someone boldly lifted the tent flap and walked right in.
From the corner of her eye, Pei Ying caught sight of a tall and very familiar figure. Her eyelids twitched, and turning her head, she saw it was indeed him.
Huo Mingji cupped his hands and bowed. "Greetings, Father."
The autumn days were growing colder. Seeing that this man only had a robe draped over his shoulders, the anger in Pei Ying that had yet to subside flared up again. "Huo Tingshan, instead of staying in your tent, what are you doing running around?"
Her tone was far from gentle, and the irritation in her voice was palpable. Since he could remember, Huo Mingji had never heard anyone other than his grandparents speak to his father like this.
The young man hurriedly lowered his eyes, keeping his face impassive while his mind began to anticipate what would happen next.
"I just finished eating and my stomach is quite full, so I came out for a walk," Huo Tingshan said with a smile.
Huo Mingji kept his eyes fixed downward in respectful silence, but in his heart, he thought, 'Just as I expected.'
Pei Ying frowned. She was just about to chase him back to rest when the man acted as if he had only just noticed Huo Mingji and began speaking to his eldest son. "How are the arrangements over in Luoyang?"
Huo Mingji replied, "I have instructed Gu Tan to keep a close eye on the movements of all parties in Luoyang these days. Furthermore, before I left, I sent someone to deliver to Prefect Shi the family letter personally written by Young Master Shi."
At this point, Huo Mingji looked at Pei Ying. "It was Mother who was thoughtful. When she ordered people to relay the message, she also had them bring back Young Master Shi's letter. With the help of this letter, Prefect Shi will not act rashly in the short term."
As for the long term, there was no need to worry either, because his father had not died in battle at all. On the contrary, they could use this matter to test whether this Prefect Shi was truly as honest as he had previously appeared.
Huo Tingshan suddenly brought up another matter. "A few days ago, the Yanzhou army spread rumors everywhere that I had been killed in action. I heard that some people in the army were quite restless at that time and were unwilling to obey your mother's arrangements. You see to dealing with these people."
"See to dealing with them"—this meant Huo Mingji was to exercise his own discretion in how far to go. It was essentially assigning him a task.
Huo Mingji knew in his heart that this matter might be even more difficult than leading troops into battle. If he punished them too lightly, his father might become dissatisfied with him; if he punished them too harshly, it might chill the hearts of some of the soldiers.
However, since the task had been assigned, Huo Mingji could only give a crisp nod of agreement.
After giving instructions to his eldest son, Huo Tingshan reached out and grasped Pei Ying's wrist. "Madam's high fever has just subsided. It is not suitable for you to be exposed to the wind. Why don't you return to the tent with me to rest?"
"Great General, Governor Lei of Yuzhou requests an audience," a guard outside suddenly reported.
The corners of Huo Tingshan's mouth, which had been turned up in a smile, fell once more.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Pei Ying saw this Governor Lei of Yuzhou again. The last time she saw Lei Chengshuang, although he was over forty, he was still high-spirited and radiant. Now, having not seen him for just a few days, he had become visibly haggard, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had multiplied significantly.
"In-law, upon hearing the news of your safe return, I couldn't help but heave a long sigh of relief. It is truly wonderful that you could come back. Otherwise, I would have truly suffered an unjust grievance, and the lifelong reputation of the Lei family might have been ruined in my hands," Lei Chengshuang sighed with deep emotion.
Neither Huo Mingji nor Pei Ying spoke. The two of them silently observed Lei Chengshuang, watching the changes in his expression.
It was an ironclad fact that the warship Huo Tingshan was on had been rammed and sunk, and the group of people who subsequently fired arrows into the water were all from the Yuzhou army.
Jiang Hongbin, who had steered the ship, was missing, and no corpse had been found later, making it seem like there was no evidence or witness left.
Not much time had passed since the incident. Therefore, up until now, Pei Ying and many military generals still hadn't figured out whether this Governor Lei of Yuzhou was truly unaware and had inadvertently been framed, or if he was faking it and had only come to perform a bitter flesh trick now that he saw the situation was turning against him.
Huo Tingshan was not at all surprised that the other man had come knocking.
After he returned last night, one of the instructions he gave was to have someone leak the news to the Yuzhou army. Calculating the time, Lei Chengshuang must have struggled with the decision for an hour or two after receiving the news before deciding to come over.
Huo Tingshan gestured with his hand. "Don't just stand there talking. Sit. Someone, serve tea."
Lei Chengshuang took a seat. Seeing Huo Tingshan's pale face, he guessed that he must be injured, so he said, "This time, I brought some medicinal herbs, including agarwood, ginseng, and moutan bark. Please do not decline them, In-law."
"That is very thoughtful of you. I thank you in advance. Speaking of which, I have been away from the army for a few days. Why don't you guess where I went, In-law?" Huo Tingshan threw out a topic.
Following his lead, Lei Chengshuang guessed, "After falling into the water, were you saved by a kindhearted family, and then returned to the army?"
Huo Tingshan smiled and said, "Not so. I first sought out the other Youzhou soldiers who had fallen into the water, led them in a night raid on the Yanzhou army, and killed Governor Yuan of Yanzhou and the Young Prince of Jiang."
He said this with a smile, speaking as casually as if they were chatting about the weather, but to Lei Chengshuang's ears, it sounded like a clap of thunder.
Wh-what?
Huo Tingshan had turned the tables and killed Governor Yuan of Yanzhou and the Young Prince of Jiang?
D-didn't this mean that the Yanzhou allied forces' defeat was a foregone conclusion?
This war could be concluded!
Looking at his shocked face, Huo Tingshan smiled and continued, "After I killed them, I searched their tent and found a letter that Governor Yuan of Yanzhou had just finished writing but had not yet sent out."
Lei Chengshuang asked curiously, "Is there something strange about this letter? Who did Yuan Xiu intend to send it to?"
Huo Tingshan stared unblinkingly at Lei Chengshuang's face, not letting go of the slightest change in his expression, nor missing the look in his eyes.
He didn't speak immediately. Lei Chengshuang subsequently realized the implication and couldn't help but smile bitterly. "It truly wasn't me who harmed you like this. As the saying goes, a good bird chooses its tree to roost, and a wise man chooses his neighbors. You now control four provinces, have elite troops and ample provisions, and behind you is Madam Pei's Pei Family Merchant Guild continuously supplying wealth. You are like the sun at high noon. Why would I choose to associate with Yuan Xiu and his lot? Moreover, such back-and-forth treachery goes against my Lei family's principles of upright and honorable conduct."
Huo Tingshan's smile became much more genuine. "In-law, I never suspected you."
The matter of the letters was entirely fake, something he had fabricated. Time was tight during the night raid, and Li Qiongqi had led no more than twenty men. How could they have possibly won him enough time to rummage through chests and cabinets?
He had merely been bluffing Lei Chengshuang.
Huo Tingshan was quite satisfied with this outcome.
"The letters were written to Chang'an," Huo Tingshan lied smoothly. "They were reporting the situation to Ji Xianbai, discussing how to carve up Yuzhou, Sizhou, and other territories once the deed was done."
Lei Chengshuang believed him, cursing in anger, "These arrogant brats have ambitions higher than the sky, pure nonsense."
After exchanging a few more words with Lei Chengshuang, Huo Tingshan used physical discomfort as an excuse to hand his guest over to his eldest son. He planned to return to his quarters with Pei Ying to recuperate and share some private words.
But just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside.
Huo Tingshan's brow twitched.
"Reporting to the Great General, the cotton clothes have arrived!" a guard announced excitedly.
Huo Tingshan: "..."
"In-law, is something troubling you?" Lei Chengshuang asked in confusion.
"Not at all. In fact, I have good news." Huo Tingshan rubbed his brow and ordered the guard to fetch a piece of cotton clothing. "It is easy to kick a man when he is down, but hard to offer help in his time of need. I know that you, my in-law, have visited my Youzhou military camp several times to clear up any misunderstandings between us. I have seen the sincerity of the Yuzhou army. I have always been someone who repays an inch of respect with a yard of gratitude. Since you have come to visit me and gifted me so many medicinal herbs this time, how could I let you return empty-handed?"
The guard who went to fetch the cotton clothing returned, holding an extra, pure white garment in his hands.
That touch of white was as pure as snow, looking quite fluffy and warm. Lei Chengshuang stared at it in great amazement. "In-law, what material is this garment made of?"
He was very familiar with the raw materials of silks and satins, but none of them resembled the material of this seemingly soft garment.
Coarse linen was even more out of the question.
Just now, the other party had said this was... cotton clothing?
"Cotton," Huo Tingshan answered his question. "This material is soft, lightweight, and extremely warm. It is perfectly suited for keeping out the winter cold. Why don't you try it on, my in-law?"
Lei Chengshuang had been eyeing it covetously for a while. Hearing Huo Tingshan's invitation, he naturally wouldn't refuse. "Then it would be impolite of me to decline."
He had come wearing armor on this trip. At this moment, Lei Chengshuang took the initiative to remove his armor and slipped on the cotton coat. Simply wearing it wasn't enough; he walked outside the tent.
Because the army possessed nearly a hundred warships, the Youzhou troops were stationed by the riverbank. The wind by the river was strong, and the autumn wind howled past, carrying a distinct autumn chill at this time near sunset.
Wrapped in the cotton coat with his hands tucked into his sleeves, Lei Chengshuang felt not a hint of the autumn chill; he even felt quite warm. He was instantly speechless with shock. "In-law, this, this..."
Lightweight and warm—if one were to wear this garment while marching urgently through a winter night, wouldn't it be like having divine assistance?
"This item was newly made on my wife's orders. The quantity is limited, so for now, I can only gift you a hundred pieces, my in-law," Huo Tingshan said.
Lei Chengshuang hurriedly said, "A hundred pieces is more than enough. A hundred pieces is plenty."
This was not just a gift of clothing; it was a signal representing that the alliance between Youzhou and Yuzhou remained as tight-knit as ever.
Huo Tingshan coughed lightly twice and once again pushed his eldest son forward. "In-law, I have been quite exhausted these past few days. You can discuss the upcoming battles with my son. He is currently managing the Youzhou army in my stead and can decide any military matters. My wife and I will return to rest first."
It was now approaching mealtime. Logically speaking, with a guest arriving—and an ally at that—Huo Tingshan should have hosted a banquet to entertain him. Leaving early was not only a breach of etiquette but also a sign of slight.
However, the Yuzhou army had first blundered and implicated him, causing his injuries. Following that, Huo Tingshan had led a night raid and successfully beheaded Yuan Xiu and the Young Prince of Jiang. Anyone could see that the dynamic of this alliance had completely flipped.
Originally, the Yuzhou army had taken the lead, but now the Youzhou army was in charge.
With the hierarchy clear, the guest must defer to the host.
Lei Chengshuang smiled and nodded. "Rest and recuperate with peace of mind. Just wait for the good news to follow. I can just discuss things with my son-in-law."
Huo Tingshan departed with Pei Ying.
After leaving the tent, Pei Ying couldn't help but look back at it repeatedly.
Huo Tingshan held her hand. "What are you looking at, Madam?"
"Mingji is so exhausted he looks like a panda," Pei Ying sighed.
"A panda? What is that?" Huo Tingshan raised a long eyebrow.
Pei Ying thought for a moment about the name for pandas in this era. "A mo, some people also call them iron-eating beasts."
There were no pandas in Youzhou, and Huo Tingshan had never seen this creature that only appeared in Shuzhong. Thus, he asked curiously, "What does this panda you speak of look like, and why do you say Mingji resembles it?"
Pei Ying gestured around her eye sockets with her hands. "Pandas have large dark circles under their eyes like this, and so does Mingji."
Huo Tingshan understood, curling his lips into a smile. "Young people are full of energy. Missing a sleep or two won't hurt. When I was in my early twenties leading troops to the North, I often went without rest day and night. It was a common occurrence to not close my eyes for three days straight."
Pei Ying glanced at him and said nothing.
The two returned to their tent.
Huo Tingshan had already eaten earlier, while Pei Ying's mealtimes were very standard. She could never eat much if she ate early, so it wasn't until sunset that she finally had a bowl of fishball noodles.
While she ate her noodles, Huo Tingshan sat beside her and talked about the past few days, lamenting that Li Qiongqi truly lived up to the name of a fierce beast. He also said that once the war was over, he would take her fishing again.
Pei Ying occasionally responded with a word or two.
The moment was peaceful and tranquil.
The sky gradually darkened, and it was time to retire for the night.
Huo Tingshan thought that after the joyous harmony during dinner, certain matters should have been put behind them. However, he saw that Pei Ying had somehow procured a small soft couch and placed it in the other corner of the tent, facing the other soft couch from across the room.
Pei Ying said indifferently, "General, you were previously struck by several blades and are now heavily injured. Since my sleeping posture is poor, it's best I don't disturb you."
Huo Tingshan: "...Madam, there is no need to go to such lengths."
