After discussing pigs and wheat with Huo Tingshan in the main tent that day, Pei Ying was invited to dine with him every evening thereafter.
She remained the only one present, as Meng Ling'er had yet to recover from her motion sickness. Each day, the girl would stumble out of the carriage, dizzy and disoriented, collapsing into bed as soon as the tent was set up.
In the main tent, Pei Ying sat beside Huo Tingshan, their conversations often revolving around wheat. Huo Tingshan made no effort to hide his keen interest in the crop.
Pei Ying understood—food was the foundation of the people’s livelihood, and ensuring they were well-fed was the true path to governance. As the Governor of Youzhou, Huo Tingshan wielded considerable authority. Setting aside other matters, Pei Ying considered him an exemplary official. To such a man, she saw no reason to withhold knowledge.
Yet, there were drawbacks...
"Did County Magistrate Meng learn all this from his close friend?" Huo Tingshan asked casually, his tone deceptively light.
The sudden shift in topic caught Pei Ying off guard. It took her a moment to follow his train of thought—he was probing again.
Pei Ying gave a soft hum of affirmation. "Indeed."
"If he knew of such effective strategies, why didn’t County Magistrate Meng present them to the Governor of Jizhou?" Huo Tingshan’s gaze fixed on Pei Ying, scrutinizing every flicker of her expression.
The beautiful widow lowered her eyes. "It was I who dissuaded my late husband from offering the plan."
Huo Tingshan frowned. "Why would you stop him? Madam, you must realize that presenting such a strategy to the Governor of Jizhou could have earned County Magistrate Meng promotions, even an audience with Emperor Zhao in Chang’an."
Pei Ying feigned a sigh of melancholy. "General, since you’ve investigated the Meng family, you must know my late husband kept no other women in his household. Promotions would have been welcome, but with greater status comes more social obligations. He might have grown distracted, bringing home other ladies to compete for his favor. Truly, I would have regretted urging my husband to seek glory."
Huo Tingshan fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.
To think she had forbidden her husband from presenting a valuable strategy simply out of fear of sharing him with other women? With her striking beauty, why would she worry about his affections straying?
Moreover, if she forbade it, did Meng Ducang truly obey without question? Was the man so henpecked?
Had Huo Tingshan been from a later era, he might have recognized this as a moment where words failed him.
As Huo Tingshan studied Pei Ying, she, too, observed him. His prolonged silence and the gravity in his expression secretly delighted her.
He seemed to believe her.
"Why withhold the information before, yet share it now?" Huo Tingshan finally asked.
Pei Ying had prepared her answer. "I see in you, General, a man who values talent and cares deeply for the people. Sharing this knowledge with you is only fitting. And I confess my own selfish motives—my husband is gone, but I still have my daughter. Should misfortune befall us, I hope you might extend your aid."
Silence followed. Pei Ying stole a glance at Huo Tingshan and found his expression altered.
Gone was the contemplative gravity. His narrow eyes now gleamed with the sharp intensity of a hawk, as though piercing through her very soul.
Pei Ying held her breath, her heart skipping a beat. For a fleeting moment, she feared he saw through her deception.
The world around her seemed to fade. Her nerves tightened, a faint sheen of sweat forming on her palms—until a low chuckle broke the tension.
The oppressive atmosphere dissolved instantly.
Huo Tingshan studied her, then suddenly took her delicate hand in his own, enveloping it firmly. "Madam, you need not worry. I—"
He paused mid-sentence, his grip shifting to unfold her fingers.
The dim evening light in the tent was just enough to reveal the faint glisten of moisture on her palm.
Huo Tingshan lowered his gaze, his calloused fingers tracing slow circles over her soft skin, wiping away the dampness.
Pei Ying trembled at his touch, attempting to withdraw her hand, but his grip tightened, unyielding.
"Why the sweat, Madam? Does speaking with me unsettle you so?" His voice was deep, laced with amusement. "Or perhaps you’ve been spinning lies again?"
Pei Ying stiffened. "N-Not at all. The tent is merely stuffy."
Huo Tingshan smirked. "Then the fault must be mine."
After that evening’s meal, Pei Ying sensed Huo Tingshan’s suspicion had deepened. Every subsequent dinner became an ordeal, leaving her on edge.
Fortunately, the discomfort did not last long—Guangping Commandery lay ahead.
Guangping Commandery was where the Blue Scarf Rebellion had first risen. As the rebellion grew, the terrain made it unsuitable for a permanent stronghold, so the rebels relocated their base to Changping Commandery, leaving Guangping as a secondary stronghold.
"Grand General, scouts report forces from Yanzhou in Heqing Commandery," Sha Ying reported.
Xiong Mao added, "Grand General, traces of Sizhou troops have been spotted in Changshan Commandery."
Gongsun Liang stroked his goat beard. "Quite the gathering!"
Heqing Commandery lay in the southeast of Ji Province, occupied by Yanzhou forces, while Changshan Commandery in the southwest had fallen to Sizhou. Clearly, Youzhou’s army wasn’t the only one encroaching on Ji Province—others had the same idea.
Each faction lingered around Guangping Commandery, watching and waiting for someone else to make the first move.
Chen Shichang clasped his hands. "My lord, why not test the new cavalry’s prowess on Guangping?"
Huo Tingshan had already considered it.
Guangping was no fortress—otherwise, the Blue Scarf rebels wouldn’t have abandoned it. With so many factions gathered, it was the perfect stage to demonstrate strength.
First, as a subject of Emperor Zhao, it was his duty to quell rebellions, bolstering his reputation for future ambitions. Second, it served as a warning to those scheming against Youzhou.
Huo Tingshan rose from his seat. "Qin Yang, Sha Ying—you two will ride with me tomorrow."
Qin Yang and Sha Ying were commanders of a thousand each. The newly forged stirrups and high-cantled saddles had been distributed to their troops. These were the men Huo Tingshan would lead into battle.
The two commanders burned with fervor, eager to test the legendary equipment.
"As you command!"
"As you command!"
Huo Tingshan turned to leave but paused, adding, "Chen Yuan, in my absence, ensure Madam Pei’s safety."
Chen Yuan bowed in acknowledgment.
When Pei Ying awoke the next morning, the camp’s atmosphere had shifted.
The soldiers buzzed with excitement, their energy palpable. Upon listening closely, she learned Huo Tingshan had led his newly outfitted cavalry into battle.
"Mother, one of the guards claimed we’d enter the city by late afternoon at the latest," Meng Ling'er said, her condition much improved now that the march had paused.
Pei Ying gazed at her daughter’s thin face, heart aching. "Once we’re inside the city, you must rest properly."
Meng Ling'er clung to her mother's slender waist, saying, "I'll listen to you, Mother."
The rumors Meng Ling'er had heard suggested they could enter the city by late afternoon at the latest, but in reality, when the order to advance finally came from the rear, it was barely noon.
Qin Yang, who returned to deliver the order, was drenched in blood. Though usually a composed man, he could hardly contain his excitement now, gesturing animatedly to his gathered comrades who pressed him for details: "That was a true army of tigers and wolves—divine warriors descended from heaven could be no more fearsome!"
"Go on, tell us more!"
Wiping his face, Qin Yang continued, "You’ve seen butchers slaughter sheep, haven’t you? The Blue Scarf rebels faced our Youzhou army like bleating lambs—we cut them down effortlessly. Arrows and halberds rained upon them, leaving no trace of their ranks intact. Hah! You’d think those rebels were quite capable, managing to gather so many horses and form a cavalry unit. But what good did it do? Against our horsemen, theirs might as well have been made of paper."
The crowd around him clamored for more. "And then? What else?"
Just as Qin Yang opened his mouth to pour out the rest of his exhilaration, a distant guard’s voice rang out:
"Report—!"
Qin Yang paused as the guard hurried over. "Governor Tan Jin of Yan Province requests an audience with the Grand General!"
Qin Yang and the others listening—Xiong Mao among them—exchanged bewildered glances.
The Governor of Yan Province seeking the Grand General?
A governor was no minor official; not just anyone could hold such a position. In wartime, a governor’s authority nearly rivaled that of a provincial governor, making him second only to the highest regional leader.
With Emperor Zhao still on the throne and the provinces not yet openly at war, Tan Jin had no reason to fear walking into a trap.
His visit was likely related to the Blue Scarf rebels, though due to the delay in communication, he probably hadn’t received word that the Grand General had led troops to suppress Guangping Commandery and was no longer in camp.
With Huo Tingshan absent, Gongsun Liang and Chen Yuan made the decisions together.
"It would be improper to refuse him. Let him in," Gongsun Liang said, then instructed Qin Yang, "Take your horse elsewhere—make sure he doesn’t see it."
Qin Yang acknowledged the order.
……
Huo Tingshan did not restrict Pei Ying’s freedom, so she occasionally strolled outside to stretch her limbs. However, she kept to the central area and the nearby mess tents.
Now, as Pei Ying and Xin Jin emerged from the mess tents with water gourds in hand, they spotted a procession heading toward the main tent from afar.
It was quite the spectacle.
Pei Ying was stunned.
Had he returned?
At such speed, it must be a triumphant return. Since she was still living under his roof, should she offer her congratulations?
But then she reconsidered—there were already many people there. She didn’t need to join the crowd just yet. With that thought, her steps slowed.
She had no intention of approaching, unaware that she had become a breathtaking sight in someone else’s eyes.
A lady in a dark-green gown walked gracefully forward, her robes and ribbons fluttering with an ethereal elegance, as if she were a celestial beauty stepping out of a painting. Her face was obscured by a veil, but glimpses of her raven-black hair beneath it lent her an air of mystique, stirring the heart.
Governor Tan Jin of Yan Province couldn’t help but let his gaze drift downward, lingering on the lady’s fair, delicate hands. Under the sunlight, her skin appeared impossibly smooth and radiant.
Tan Jin stared, entranced, wondering what such a beauty might look like beneath her veil.
As if answering his thoughts, a breeze swept by, lifting the edge of the veil just enough to reveal the lower half of her face.
Her skin was like flawless porcelain, her lips naturally crimson—her features, both in bone structure and complexion, were exquisite. Even without seeing her fully, Tan Jin was certain she was a peerless beauty.
Unable to restrain himself, he blurted out, "That lady must be Huo of Youzhou’s concubine, yes? Could he be persuaded to gift her to me? I’d repay him handsomely in gold and silver."
