Huo Tingshan's remark about "the food being quite good" sent Pei Ying fleeing—she couldn't stand staying in that commander's tent a moment longer.
The beautiful woman hurried away, leaving Huo Tingshan seated where he was, still holding the small embroidered pouch in his hand.
The tent had just been used for a hot pot meal, and the cauldron, having boiled various "dyes" (spices), filled the air with an intense aroma. Amidst the mingling scents of seasonings, the faint, elusive fragrance from earlier was slowly drowned out.
Watching the tent flap sway slightly in the breeze, Huo Tingshan clicked his tongue. "Can't scold her, and now even compliments don’t work?"
His gaze returned to the pouch in his hand. After a moment of contemplation, he fastened it to his belt before eventually leaving the tent as well.
"General."
Sha Ying, Xiong Mao, and the other officers were dining in another tent. By the time Huo Tingshan entered, they were still eating.
"General, have you eaten yet? If not, why not join us?" Xiong Mao offered.
During past campaigns on the grasslands, Huo Tingshan had often shared meals with them, so the officers were accustomed to his lack of pretension.
Huo Tingshan shook his head. "No need. I’ve already eaten."
Xiong Mao wondered inwardly—if the General had already eaten, why was he here? Had urgent military news arrived, requiring an immediate strategy meeting?
With that thought, he shoveled a large mouthful of meat into his mouth, speeding up his meal to finish quickly.
Noticing his haste, Huo Tingshan said, "No urgent matters. I’m just here to look around."
Sha Ying’s eyes flickered, and his attention quickly shifted elsewhere—specifically, to Huo Tingshan’s attire.
At a glance, he noticed something different.
The General now had a pouch hanging from his belt.
Though pouches were common among the people, military officers rarely used them. Their lives were rough—constantly exposed to wind and rain, fighting and killing—so pouches were easily dirtied or lost.
Those without wives at home had even less reason to carry one, as there was nothing sentimental to keep inside.
Sha Ying himself had never worn one.
He distinctly remembered that the General hadn’t carried one before either. But now…
Some things became clear in an instant. Sha Ying smiled. "General, that morning duck on your pouch—"
"You also think the eagle on my pouch looks well-fed and carefree?" Huo Tingshan interjected, cutting him off.
Sha Ying choked on his next word, his face flushing—though his darker complexion hid it well.
Hearing the conversation about the pouch, Xiong Mao, Qin Yang, and Chen Yuan also turned to look.
Qin Yang caught on immediately. "Indeed, that eagle looks prosperous and well-nourished—an excellent omen for Youzhou’s future abundance!"
Chen Yuan paused, then nodded. "Qin Yang speaks wisely."
Xiong Mao’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
It was just a pouch—and one embroidered with a plump duck at that! How had this suddenly become a symbol of Youzhou’s prosperity?
Were they spouting nonsense? Did they not fear the General’s reprimand?
But the next moment, Huo Tingshan’s lips curved into a smile. "Good eye. I’m impressed."
Qin Yang and the others grinned.
Only Xiong Mao remained wide-eyed, his expression so baffled it stood out among the group. Huo Tingshan’s mouth twitched, but he couldn’t be bothered to explain.
After lingering in the tent a while longer, Huo Tingshan finally left.
The moment he was gone, Xiong Mao scowled and burst out, "Why did you all say that? That was clearly a duck, not an eagle! Twisting facts like that—even dragging Youzhou’s prosperity into it—isn’t that absurd? If the General misidentified it, shouldn’t we correct him as subordinates?"
A beat of silence followed.
Then Qin Yang waved a hand. "Come, sit farther from that blockhead. Who knows if his idiocy is contagious?"
Sha Ying and Chen Yuan promptly shifted their seats.
Xiong Mao fumed. "You’re all intolerable!"
No one paid him any mind. Sha Ying and Qin Yang had already moved on.
"Winter’s here. Do you think Youzhou will have a new mistress by spring?"
"Spring might be too soon. Taking Sizhou in just one winter seems unlikely."
"True. Then perhaps after Sizhou falls."
Xiong Mao could only stare, utterly lost.
After that day, Pei Ying found excuses for the next two days to avoid dining with Huo Tingshan.
The awkwardness was simply too much.
Their days of camping on the march soon ended when the Youzhou army arrived at a small town. They reached the settlement by mid-afternoon, securing lodgings with time to spare.
"Mother, I’d like to go out and explore," Meng Ling’er said.
The journey had been long, confined to the carriage—and she suffered from motion sickness. The girl was desperate for fresh air. Now that they’d reached a town, she wanted to walk around.
Pei Ying agreed. "I’ll go with you."
As mother and daughter descended to the inn’s main hall, they saw Sha Ying chatting with the shopkeeper.
Spotting them, he asked, "Madam Pei, are you heading to the market?"
Pei Ying nodded.
Sha Ying offered, "Shall I arrange a carriage?"
Pei Ying declined. "No need. We’ve ridden enough today—we’d prefer to walk."
Sha Ying didn’t press further. Instead, as they stepped outside, he quietly summoned two guards to follow them discreetly.
The town was small, far less bustling than Yuanshan County. But with winter approaching, many shops sold spices.
Cold weather made hot pot a popular choice—warming the body and lifting spirits, especially with a cup of wine.
Pei Ying considered buying some spices to prepare a private hot pot meal with her daughter later.
While she browsed, the inner door of the shop opened, and two men emerged—one dressed as the shopkeeper, the other a merchant.
"Yingying?"
Pei Ying heard the voice but didn’t immediately connect it to herself.
Sha Ying, standing by the entrance, turned at the sound and saw the man staring intently at Pei Ying. He stepped forward, ready to intervene—
But then Meng Ling’er gasped in delight. "Uncle! You’re here?"
Sha Ying paused, retracting his foot. He remained outside, listening.
Only when her daughter spoke did Pei Ying realize the earlier call had been for her.
"Uncle"—was this the elder brother of the late Madam Pei?
She turned and saw a man in deep-colored robes standing a few paces away. Around thirty-five or thirty-six, with sharp brows and bright eyes, he was strikingly handsome.
Recognizing her, Pei Huizhou’s smile widened. "Yingying, it’s been five years. How have you been? And why are you and Ling’er in Jizhou?"
Though they had never met before, Pei Ying felt an inexplicable familiarity when she looked at Pei Huizhou. "Elder Brother, why don't we go to a teahouse?"
Pei Huizhou, having calmed down slightly, nodded repeatedly. "You're right, Yingying."
He then turned to Shopkeeper Jiang of the spice shop and said, "Shopkeeper Jiang, regarding the goods we just agreed upon, please deliver them to the dock at noon the day after tomorrow. Someone will be there to receive them and settle the remaining payment."
Shopkeeper Jiang smiled in acknowledgment.
After concluding their business with the shopkeeper, Pei Huizhou, Pei Ying, and her daughter left the spice shop, intending to find a nearby teahouse.
These were troubled times, and commerce was fraught with danger. A single misstep could cost a merchant both wealth and life. As such, Pei Huizhou had long cultivated the habit of staying alert to his surroundings.
The moment they stepped out of the shop, he sensed something amiss.
Someone was following them.
Pei Huizhou grew wary and lowered his voice to warn Pei Ying, "Yingying, we might not make it to the teahouse. There are troublemakers tailing us—likely after the silver I’m carrying. Let’s split up. I’ll shake them off and find you later. Where are you staying now?"
Pei Ying paused before realizing the "troublemakers" he referred to were likely Sha Ying and his men. She glanced back and confirmed it was indeed them, keeping a discreet distance.
Pei Huizhou urged her anxiously, "Yingying, don’t look back."
They might alert their pursuers.
"Elder Brother, it’s fine. They’re acquaintances of mine," Pei Ying said vaguely.
Pei Huizhou was stunned, but then it occurred to him that Pei Ying wouldn’t have come to Qiaoding County alone. His tension eased.
They found a teahouse and secured a private room.
One of life’s greatest joys was encountering an old friend in a distant land—let alone a blood relative.
The moment the door closed, Pei Huizhou couldn’t hold back his questions. "Why are you in Qiaoding County? How have you been all these years?"
The Pei family were merchants who had relocated to Bingzhou years earlier for business. Pei Huizhou’s presence in Qiaoding County was for trade.
Pei Ying’s lashes fluttered slightly as she hesitated, unsure where to begin. Ever since the turmoil in Beichuan County, everything had spiraled out of control, veering far from its intended course.
Noticing her hesitation, Pei Huizhou pressed, "Yingying?"
Finally, Pei Ying decided to start from the beginning—the "bandit raids" in Beichuan County, the near annihilation of the Meng family.
Information traveled slowly in these times, and Pei Huizhou had no knowledge of these events, which had unfolded just one autumn ago. His face paled upon hearing the news, his heart aching.
His beloved youngest sister had become a widow so young.
"What happened afterward?" he asked urgently.
Pei Ying chose her words carefully. "Later, due to some coincidences, Ling’er and I ended up staying with the Youzhou army."
Youzhou army.
The name struck Pei Huizhou like thunder, his pupils contracting slightly.
Suddenly, he noticed the extraordinary quality of Pei Ying’s robes—the fabric shimmered faintly, smooth as flowing water. Though he had never seen Shu brocade, he could tell this material surpassed even the famed "ice silk," which cost a fortune per foot. Such luxury was beyond the means of ordinary wealthy families.
Considering his sister’s beauty, Pei Huizhou’s heart ached even more. "Yingying, let me take you back to Bingzhou."
The Pei family might not be nobility, but they were respectable merchants. How could their daughter become someone’s concubine?
What was a concubine?
A concubine was little more than a slave—property to be given away or sold at will. Even if mistreated by the primary wife, a concubine had little recourse.
Mindful of the child present, Pei Huizhou didn’t spell it out.
But Pei Ying understood his implication. "Elder Brother, it’s not what you think. Many things can’t be explained in just a few words."
Pei Huizhou insisted, "If a few words aren’t enough, then take your time. I have all day. Speak slowly, Yingying."
Pei Ying didn’t know what to say.
Her situation with Huo Tingshan was… complicated.
Her silence only reinforced Pei Huizhou’s belief that his sister had been beguiled and refused to see reason.
His thoughts spiraled, imagining Pei Ying being abused. Gritting his teeth, he blurted, "Yingying, there’s a promising man in my trade caravan—thirty-five years old, upright and reliable. His family is well-off, no less than ours. His wife passed away a few years ago, leaving behind a son and daughter. Now, only his elderly mother remains. How about I invite him to dine with us tonight?"
Meng Ling’er finally grasped his meaning and exclaimed, "Uncle, are you trying to arrange a match for Mother?"
Pei Huizhou gave her an apologetic glance but didn’t deny it. Though he cared for his niece, his sister’s welfare came first.
With her husband gone and her beauty intact, Pei Ying could easily remarry. But as a concubine? If the primary wife was jealous, her life could be forfeit at any moment.
Rather than let his sister sink deeper into this mire, he’d rather see her safely wed to a dependable man.
Pei Ying hadn’t expected her brother to jump straight to matchmaking upon their reunion. Flustered, she said, "Elder Brother, there’s no need. I’m content as things are. In time, everything will settle peacefully."
She still owed Huo Tingshan two nights. Once that debt was repaid, the unspeakable entanglement between them would dissolve.
For now, as honored guests of the Youzhou army, she and Ling’er were safe. Until she found a way to leave completely, this arrangement would suffice.
But to Pei Huizhou, phrases like "in time" and "settle peacefully" sounded ominously like waiting for the primary wife to die so she could take her place.
As a man who’d traveled widely, Pei Huizhou knew how fickle men could be. Sweet promises during passion often meant nothing once feelings cooled.
His sister’s beauty made her a target. Some might deceive her with pretty lies, trapping her until she was too deep—or worse, with child—to escape.
Seeing the frustration in her brother’s eyes, Pei Ying regretted speaking.
She’d misspoken.
---
Sha Ying had followed Pei Ying to the teahouse, posting one guard outside her private room before settling into another with tea and snacks.
A rare moment of leisure.
Or so he thought—until fragments of conversation drifted through the thin walls. The room’s poor insulation, combined with the man’s agitated tone, allowed snippets to carry.
Though incomplete, the words were enough.
Sha Ying’s expression darkened. His romantic experience let him predict where this was headed.
Unacceptable.
Lady Pei was Youzhou’s future mistress—she couldn’t possibly entertain other suitors. But the man inside was her elder brother, her closest kin. Barging in would be inappropriate.
After a moment’s thought, inspiration struck. If he couldn’t handle this, he’d pass it to the general. Reporting the situation would absolve him of negligence.
With that, Sha Ying summoned a guard outside and whispered instructions: "Go, quickly."
The guard bowed. "At once."
Huo Tingshan finished handling the letters from Youzhou in his room and stepped out. Next to his chamber was Pei Ying’s quarters. He had known about her earlier outing with her daughter, but now, as he emerged, the neighboring room remained silent—clearly, she had yet to return.
The man descended the stairs unhurriedly and asked Xiong Mao, who was on the first floor, "Has my wife returned?"
Xiong Mao shook his head. "Not yet."
Huo Tingshan’s brows furrowed.
What was there to see in this shabby little town? The shops were few, and the market was no bigger than a sparrow’s nest. Back in Yuanshan County, she had gone out often enough—hadn’t she had her fill of wandering yet?
He glanced at the sky.
Winter nights fell early, and the outside had already dimmed, no longer as bright as before.
Huo Tingshan twisted the jade ring on his finger.
It was nearly time for the evening meal, yet she still hadn’t returned. Did she plan to dine at some eatery in town?
Just then, a guard hurried in.
Spotting Huo Tingshan on the first floor, the guard brightened and rushed forward. "General, Battalion Commander Sha has a message for you."
Huo Tingshan asked first, "Where is Sha Ying?"
The guard replied, "Battalion Commander Sha is with Madam Pei at a teahouse in town."
Huo Tingshan nodded and inquired about the matter.
The guard stepped closer and whispered a few words.
Xiong Mao, standing nearby, watched as Huo Tingshan’s entire demeanor turned icy, his oppressive aura bearing down like a storm. His sharp eyes darkened, turbulent as a raging sea—though if one blinked, it might have seemed an illusion.
The next moment, Xiong Mao heard a crisp crack.
The jade ring in Huo Tingshan’s hand had split open, fissures spiderwebbing across its surface until the entire piece was engulfed.
"Which teahouse?" he asked the guard, his voice eerily calm.
The guard quickly named the place before hastening outside.
Huo Tingshan followed, his hand dropping as the shattered ring fell to the ground, the once-pristine jade now broken beyond repair.
Xiong Mao was stunned. How had the general flown into a rage in mere moments? What had that guard said?
He needed to question Sha Ying later—this itch of curiosity was unbearable.
Pei Ying hadn’t expected her elder brother, who appeared so refined, to be such a decisive man.
He had come alone to negotiate with the dye shop’s owner, bringing no attendants. But this posed no difficulty for Pei Huizhou—he simply hired a teahouse servant, paying the man to deliver a message to an acquaintance at a nearby inn.
"Elder Brother," Pei Ying sighed.
Pei Huizhou reassured her, "It’s not as though you must decide after one meeting. Brother Cheng is a friend of mine. Think of it as gaining another elder brother, and you can hear tales of my travels over the years."
He had phrased it this way, even invoking their long separation. Pei Ying couldn’t refuse.
The real Madam Pei was gone now, having never reunited with the brother who adored her. Now, meeting kin in a foreign land, she couldn’t bring herself to avoid Pei Huizhou over such a trivial matter.
Pei Ying exhaled in resignation.
Pei Huizhou took it as agreement.
Perhaps the inn wasn’t far, for the man he called "Brother Cheng" arrived swiftly.
The door slid open with a creak.
A man in a dark green robe stepped in. Tall and well-built, his features were pleasant, and though he was a merchant who traveled frequently, his complexion remained fair, giving him a scholarly air.
Cheng Yunzheng hadn’t expected Pei Ying and her daughter to be present. Upon entering, he cheerfully called Pei Huizhou by his courtesy name—only to freeze at the sight of Pei Ying, his cheeks flushing instantly.
He averted his gaze, not daring to look too long. "Minghua, who is this...?"
Pei Huizhou smiled warmly, ushering him inside. "Brother Cheng, this is my younger sister, and that is my niece. What a coincidence—we met by chance at the dye shop earlier. It’s been years."
Then, turning to Pei Ying, he introduced, "Yingying, Brother Cheng is my business partner. We’ve worked together for four years, traveling north and south, supporting each other. Though not bound by blood, we are as close as family."
His words carried an implicit message: he knew Cheng Yunzheng well—not just his character, but their shared ventures ensured stability. If Pei Ying were to marry him, her life with Meng Ling’er would be secure.
Despite the introduction, Cheng Yunzheng still bowed respectfully to Pei Ying and her daughter.
Pei Ying and Meng Ling’er returned the gesture with a curtsy.
Once seated again, Meng Ling’er lowered her eyes.
Her uncle and his friend conversed, occasionally steering the topic toward her mother. Casually, they touched upon the bandit troubles in Beichuan County—and then revealed that her mother had married a man from there.
Meng Ling’er listened quietly, her handkerchief twisting tighter in her hands. She understood her uncle’s concern for his sister, but the ache in her chest was undeniable.
Like any child, she didn’t want either parent replaced hastily after loss.
If her mother remarried, there might be new siblings. Where would that leave her?
She would no longer be her mother’s only child.
Moreover, remarriage would mean leaving the Youzhou army—and her studies would end. Had she never known the joy of learning, it might not matter. But she had tasted it, and the thought of losing it was unbearable.
She wanted to keep studying under her teachers.
Yet, deep down, she knew her wishes were secondary.
What mattered was her mother’s happiness. If Pei Ying found someone, then so be it...
Cheng Yunzheng, though a merchant, was perceptive. Catching Pei Huizhou’s hints, his restraint toward Pei Ying lessened, his attentiveness growing.
Pei Ying shifted uncomfortably, about to tactfully decline—when a thunderous bang erupted.
The door to their private room had been kicked open.
The frame shuddered violently, the right panel tearing free and crashing to the floor.
In the now-open doorway stood a towering figure.
Clad in black robes and a dark crown, a jet-black ring-pommeled sword hung at his waist. His face wasn’t classically handsome, but his piercing eyes held the weight of a thunderstorm, his presence as immovable as a mountain.
Huo Tingshan’s gaze swept the room, locking onto Cheng Yunzheng. After a brief glance, he scoffed.
Another pretty-faced scholar. Was this preference of hers unchangeable?
Cheng Yunzheng felt a chill crawl up his spine, cold sweat breaking out.
Pei Ying gasped. "You—how did you get here?"
And he’d broken the teahouse’s door!
Huo Tingshan’s brows lowered, his eyes glacial. "I’m not allowed?"
Pei Ying hesitated.
They were still in Jizhou. Technically, there was nowhere in this province he couldn’t go.
Pei Huizhou’s expression darkened as he connected Huo Tingshan to the heartless man who had once made empty promises to Pei Ying. His tone grew sharp: "Who are you? What business is it of yours if I introduce my sister to my friend? The world speaks of the Youzhou army as a pack of wolves—does that mean they’re only fierce in battle but abandon all sense of propriety elsewhere? Does Governor Huo know about this brutish behavior of yours?"
Pei Ying inwardly cursed the situation and quickly rose from her seat, stepping close to Huo Tingshan. In a hushed voice, she said, "Come with me."
She had to get him out of there before things escalated.
Her eyes flickered to the ring-pommeled sword at Huo Tingshan’s waist, dreading the moment it might be drawn—her brother could be sliced in half in an instant.
As she spoke, Pei Ying glanced at Sha Ying, who stood behind Huo Tingshan. But Sha Ying kept his eyes down, refusing to meet her gaze.
Based on past experience, when the general was angry, the consequences were dire—a couple of deaths would be the least of it.
Huo Tingshan watched as Pei Ying’s gaze darted everywhere but at him. His anger flared, twisting into a cold laugh. "My lady, begging others won’t help you as much as begging me."
Finally, Pei Ying lifted her eyes to meet his. His gaze was unfathomable, like two bottomless black pools, yet she thought she saw her own reflection in them.
"Come with me," she repeated softly.
He didn’t react—no words, no movement.
After a brief hesitation, Pei Ying reached out and grasped his sleeve, trying to pull him toward the private room Sha Ying had prepared next door.
Still, he stood unmovable. She couldn’t budge him, but at last, he spoke: "What is my lady doing?"
His voice was icy, the earlier fury now tightly leashed.
Undeterred, Pei Ying tugged again. "Come with me. I have something to say to you."
Huo Tingshan studied her for a moment, then swept his gaze over the two men inside the room. Their faces were pale, caught between shock and dismay. His attention returned to her.
She barely reached his chin, standing so close now, her fingers clutching his sleeve as if they were holding hands. That delicate fragrance of hers—subtler than wine, soothing to the senses—drifted over him, cooling the fire in his chest.
His brow arched slightly. "Just to me?"
Pei Ying nodded. "Just to you."
Huo Tingshan said nothing else, merely giving a low hum.
Fine. He’d hear her out—let her explain why she hadn’t returned by mealtime, why she was out here forgetting herself, chatting merrily with some pretty-faced scholar.
Pei Ying pulled again, and this time, he allowed himself to be led.
Sha Ying watched as Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan disappeared into the adjoining room, his astonishment plain.
So… the general’s fury had flared up and then… just fizzled out?
