The moon hung bright and sparse in the winter night sky, casting an uneasy silence over the townsfolk of Qiaoding County.
At dusk, the thunder of galloping horses had stirred the streets, followed by frantic searches through stables and brothels. Then came the clamor of gongs and drums, shouts of "Fire!"—chaos erupted like a boiling pot. Yet when the people rushed out to investigate, they found nothing. The night remained as deep and still as ever, illuminated only by the faint moonlight. No flames licked the sky.
The commoners scratched their heads in confusion.
Ah well, no trouble was still good news.
Yawning, they returned home, eager to catch the last remnants of sleep before dawn.
Meanwhile, in a room within the largest stable—now fully occupied by Youzhou's soldiers—Pei Ying found no such rest. The man who had just returned from the night's darkness was busy burying his face against her neck, his lips trailing relentless kisses along her delicate skin.
The first thing Pei Ying had heard was the first half of Huo Tingshan's words: "My elder brother has returned? Where is he? Is he injured?"
She tried to rise, but the man atop her was as immovable as his name suggested—a veritable mountain. Bracing her arms against the bed, she attempted to push herself up, but failed.
When she pressed for news of Pei Huizhou, Huo Tingshan merely grunted in acknowledgment before promptly resuming his own affairs.
The brocade quilt still covered the beautiful woman, but a small gap had formed at the side, allowing slivers of moonlight to reveal the man's forearm slipping beneath.
Nightwear was always minimal—Pei Ying wore only thin trousers and a loosely tied undergarment.
Despite returning from the biting winter winds, his hands were scorching hot. His rough palm slid over her soft, trembling skin, calloused fingers leaving trails of fire in their wake.
"Huo Tingshan, what are you doing?" Pei Ying snapped, irritation flaring.
What was wrong with this man? Barely two words exchanged after his return, and he was already ravaging her.
She grabbed his wandering hand, her legs kicking out in protest—one strike landing on his knee. But her strength was no match for him; it might as well have been a playful scratch. Still, it gave him pause.
Yet he didn’t retreat. Instead, he lifted his head, easily capturing both her wrists in one large hand and pinning them above her head.
"Have you forgotten your own words, my lady?" Huo Tingshan’s voice was low, his gaze piercing even in the dim light.
He saw her eyes widen—clear yet bewildered, like a rabbit that had lost its burrow.
Ah, so she had forgotten entirely. After he’d spent the night running errands for her, she was ready to discard him without a second thought.
How very like her.
Pei Ying truly couldn’t recall.
Fresh from sleep, her mind was still foggy, and her thoughts had been wholly preoccupied with Pei Huizhou. His earlier words had been vague, leaving her utterly confused. "W-what? What did I say...?"
Huo Tingshan scoffed. "Men are said to whisper sweet nothings in bed, but my lady, you rival them effortlessly. If you can’t remember, then take your time—I’ve brought your man back safely. We have all night."
With that, he descended upon her again.
His calloused hands mapped her body with deliberate precision. The thin straps of her undergarment loosened, barely clinging to her frame.
Trapped in the narrow space between him and the bed, the quilt might as well have vanished. Flames of desire licked at her skin as he pressed closer, his stubble scraping against her, sending prickling waves of pain and pleasure across her flesh.
A flush crept up Pei Ying’s neck, her lashes fluttering as moisture gathered at their roots, glistening like morning dew.
His kisses stole her breath, stoking the fire in her chest until it roared.
What had she forgotten?
She was certain she hadn’t forgotten anything. And even if she had, couldn’t he just speak plainly?
Even a rabbit will bite when cornered—and Pei Ying bit down, her teeth sinking into his tongue.
Huo Tingshan hissed sharply, withdrawing his hand from beneath the quilt to grip her chin with three fingers. "Who taught you to bite?"
Pei Ying glared. "You started it. Don’t blame me."
The formalities were gone—her tone dripped with defiance.
Huo Tingshan laughed darkly. She dared to glare and talk back? "When have I ever been unreasonable? It was you who broke your promise first. When you heard Pei Huizhou had been taken, who was it that begged to go see him immediately, saying you’d continue when I returned? Who told me to come back early, saying the night was cold and damp? And now you accuse me of being unreasonable?"
Pei Ying froze.
His words cut through the haze in her mind like a blade, peeling back the fog.
Memories of their earlier conversation resurfaced. Her face paled, then burned crimson—the flush spreading from her cheeks down to her collarbone.
Huo Tingshan watched as she, who had just been puffing up like an angry, bloated river dolphin, now deflated rapidly as if punctured.
The little flame in Pei Ying's heart had been drenched by the rain, leaving not even a spark.
This matter was her fault.
Pei Ying's gaze flickered uncertainly before she met Huo Tingshan's dark eyes again, forcing a meek smile onto her lips. "General, you must be exhausted after being out all night."
She knew his mouth often ran unchecked, and she truly feared he might retort with something like, "Not exhausted—just cursed with bad luck." Fortunately, he didn't. He remained silent, merely looking at her with mockery in his eyes.
Pei Ying cleared her throat and smoothly shifted to flattery. "You risk your life for the people, fearless in the face of danger—truly a man of great valor. You must be thirsty after such a long night. Shall I fetch you some water?"
She tested her wrist, trying to pull free.
Still, he said nothing, but this time she managed to slip away. Pei Ying then attempted to push the man looming over her.
Huo Tingshan observed her, noting how quickly she abandoned her defiance and switched to appeasement. At least she had some sense of self-preservation.
Not terrible—she hadn’t stubbornly resisted him to the end.
Slowly, Huo Tingshan sat up, releasing his weight from her.
Pei Ying caught the hint. So he responded to this approach? Immediately, she adjusted her slipping sash and hurried off the bed to pour him water.
She didn’t dare dawdle, afraid he might flare up again.
Soon, she returned with a teacup. "General, please drink."
Huo Tingshan took it, pausing the moment it touched his lips.
Cold. Stale overnight tea.
It had nothing to do with being pleasant—only a man on the brink of dehydration would find joy in it.
His gaze flicked to Pei Ying, still standing, her eyes tinged with unease. Without a word, he downed the entire cup.
Fine. It was rare for her to serve him anything at all.
Pei Ying watched him finish, then tentatively asked, "Are you still angry?"
Huo Tingshan suddenly understood the saying, "He who takes a gift shortens his tongue." Still, he replied, "My temper isn’t so petty."
Pei Ying relaxed slightly and added another layer of flattery. "I thought as much."
She reached to take the teacup back. Her fingers closed around it, but the large hand holding it suddenly slid forward, wrapping around her slender wrist instead.
With a firm tug, Huo Tingshan pulled her into his arms, drawing a startled gasp from her.
The empty cup tumbled onto the bed, then rolled noisily to the floor.
Neither paid it any mind.
In the next moment, Pei Ying found herself flipped onto her back, the man above her fierce and unrelenting, as if certain of her guilt—this time far more intense than before.
The fire seemed to reignite, flames licking across her skin before finally punishing her with a searing kiss.
Pei Ying raised an arm to shield her face, trying to steal a breath of air—only to feel a sharp nip on her forearm.
She froze, a glimmer flashing in her eyes.
After thoroughly ravishing her lips, Huo Tingshan was about to move lower when the beautiful woman beneath him timidly murmured, "General… have you bathed?"
A vein pulsed at his temple. "Are you rejecting me again?"
Pei Ying spoke with earnest reason. "Not at all. Cleanliness is vital for health. Neglect invites illness."
Huo Tingshan’s gaze darkened. "I washed yesterday."
She had caught the scent of soap on him last night, so she knew he had.
But last night and now were entirely different. He’d been outside all night—even without sweat, the dust alone was enough.
Pei Ying murmured, "Zhou rites held the eleventh month as the start, with red as its color, and midnight as its dawn."
Meaning: past midnight marked a new day. Yesterday no longer counted.
Huo Tingshan stared at her impassively before suddenly smirking. "Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"
Pei Ying feigned innocence. "Not at all. This was our agreement—bathe before intimacy."
Huo Tingshan scoffed. "And once I’ve bathed, will you then claim my beard isn’t shaved well enough?"
Pei Ying stiffened, pressing her lips together to suppress a smile.
Huo Tingshan caught her fleeting expression and nearly saw red.
She really was scheming this way. By the time he finished bathing and shaving, dawn would approach—she was timing this to cut him short.
Every bit of her cunning was spent on him.
Silence stretched between them. Pei Ying held his gaze briefly before looking away.
She assumed Huo Tingshan, a man of high status, would storm off in anger—such men despised being manipulated, even in trivial matters.
But to her surprise, after a long pause, he suddenly chuckled.
Huo Tingshan smirked and said, "Since my lady values cleanliness, let’s refrain from it today. However, I’ve spent the entire night rushing about to rescue your elder brother. Shouldn’t you repay my efforts to ease my weariness?"
Upon hearing the words "let’s refrain from it today," Pei Ying was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Thank you, General. Are you thirsty? Let me pour you more tea."
Huo Tingshan’s lips twitched. The last time he drank her tea, the cost had been anything but trivial. "No need for tea. Just lend me your hands and feet."
At first, Pei Ying didn’t understand what he meant—until her hand was guided downward, and she found herself performing the same tasks she had done back at the Governor’s residence. The beautiful woman’s face flushed crimson once more.
"General, this is improper!"
"Tell me, did I bring your brother back or not?"
"...I haven’t seen him yet."
"Hah, so you haven’t seen him? Fine, I’ll go cut him down right now, as if I never saved him."
Huo Tingshan pretended to rise, and Pei Ying hurriedly pulled him back.
The man turned, feigning ignorance. "What’s the matter, my lady?"
Pei Ying lowered her voice. "General, please don’t go. You saved my brother, and I’m endlessly grateful."
Huo Tingshan was satisfied. With a sweep of his arm, he pulled her close. "Since you understand, then comfort me properly."
The quality of the inn’s bed was inferior to that of the Governor’s residence—made of ordinary wood rather than sturdy rosewood. Pei Ying heard the creaking sounds with every movement.
Each groan of the bed made her increasingly uneasy, her face burning with embarrassment, her hands equally aflame. Before long, the heat spread elsewhere, settling between her legs.
Time passed slowly until, at last, the long-rocking bed fell silent.
The gauzy curtains parted, and a muscular arm reached out, casually tossing a brocade quilt to the floor.
Pei Ying turned over slowly, only to find herself pressed against a wall of warm flesh. She glanced at Huo Tingshan in surprise. "Aren’t you leaving?"
The first two times, she had been too exhausted to notice whether he stayed afterward. But the third time, he had left once finished.
"A place like this inn—where I rest makes no difference. I’ve exhausted myself running about for others tonight. Consider your bed borrowed for now," Huo Tingshan said lazily.
For two people of ordinary stature, the bed would have been spacious enough. But Huo Tingshan’s large frame made it feel cramped, and Pei Ying found herself nearly pushed against the wall.
She tried to shove him away. "Move over a little."
Instead, Huo Tingshan wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Sleep."
With that, he closed his eyes, burying his face against the curve of her neck. The sweet fragrance enveloping him was pleasant, and with the warm, soft woman in his arms, Huo Tingshan allowed himself to drift into slumber.
He slept soundly, but Pei Ying lay awake, staring at the wall. His unshaven stubble prickled against her neck, an unfamiliar discomfort.
Yet as time passed, lulled by the steady rhythm of his breathing beside her ear, the prickling sensation grew familiar. Before she knew it, she too had fallen asleep.
When she opened her eyes again, daylight streamed through the window, and the bed was empty. Pei Ying rose slowly.
She inspected her hands and legs—still functional, much better than after the first two times.
Once properly dressed, she stepped out of the room and encountered Xin Jin approaching. "Xin Jin, which room is my brother in?"
Xin Jin shook her head. "My lady, I don’t know. I haven’t seen Lord Pei."
Pei Ying was stunned.
If her brother wasn’t here, where was he? Had Huo Tingshan rescued him only to send him back to his previous lodgings?
Surely not something so absurd.
She decided to ask Sha Ying instead.
Sha Ying was easy to find on the first floor—and as it turned out, he did know.
"Lord Pei is in a room downstairs. Please follow me, Lady Pei," Sha Ying said.
On the way, Pei Ying asked whether Pei Huizhou had been injured.
"Not that I could see," Sha Ying replied.
From the moment Pei Huizhou’s abduction was reported to the rescue, everything had happened swiftly. At the very least, he hadn’t noticed any wounds.
Pei Ying’s worries finally settled.
Sha Ying knocked on the door.
"Enter," came Huo Tingshan’s voice from inside.
Sha Ying pushed the door open. "General, Lady Pei is here."
The private room was the largest on the first floor. Pei Ying saw the two men seated by the window at a small table, a pot of steaming tea beside them.
"Elder Brother, what exactly happened last night? Were those men your enemies?" Pei Ying asked Pei Huizhou urgently.
Pei Huizhou maintained a calm smile, though inwardly he was astonished—Yingying had entered without even greeting Huo Tingshan first.
He shot a quick glance at Huo Tingshan, only to find the man sipping his tea leisurely, his expression unreadable, as if he were already accustomed to such disregard.
"After leaving the teahouse yesterday, Brother Cheng and I returned to our lodgings. The business matters had already been settled, and I was about to rest after washing up when I suddenly heard a knock at the door. The person claimed to be a servant," Pei Huizhou recounted slowly. "At the time, I didn’t think much of it and went to open the door. Outside stood four men. Before I could even ask why they had come, the leader attacked me and knocked me unconscious."
Having traveled as a merchant for so many years, Pei Huizhou had picked up some self-defense skills, so he managed to dodge the first strike. Cheng Yunzheng, next door, heard the commotion and came out at that moment. However, the four men had merely underestimated him at first—once they got serious, they subdued Pei Huizhou effortlessly.
Pei Ying listened in alarm. "Elder Brother, did they say why they wanted to capture you?"
Pei Huizhou nodded but looked puzzled. "They demanded I hand over a recipe. I was utterly confused and asked them what recipe they meant. Those men accused me of playing dumb and then…"
He trailed off, realizing he had spoken too much and quickly tried to backtrack.
But Pei Ying had already heard. Her face paled. "They hit you?"
"It’s nothing, just one punch. Look at me now—I can talk and laugh, so it’s clearly not serious," Pei Huizhou hurriedly reassured her, steering the conversation away. "But I truly have no idea what ‘recipe’ they were talking about, let alone one that could bring in mountains of gold. Maybe those thugs mistook me for someone else. If I had such a treasure, why would I still be toiling away like this?"
Pei Ying froze at his words.
A recipe.
Mountains of gold.
Could it be… the soap recipe?
She turned to Huo Tingshan, who had remained silent, and murmured, "General, I suspect they were after the soap recipe."
Huo Tingshan gave a faint hum. "Correct. They were targeting the soap—they just went after the wrong person."
Pei’s soap had taken Chang’an by storm, its profits indeed vast enough to stir envy. The name "Pei’s Soap" naturally led people to assume the owner bore the surname Pei.
In the military, his wife was referred to as "Madam Pei," using her own surname rather than that of her late husband. Anyone who dug deeper could easily trace it back to her.
But like most of the world—and even himself, once—they likely never imagined a mere woman could possess such a marvel. They assumed the mastermind behind "Pei’s Soap" had to be a man, a Pei family gentleman.
By chance, they had connected Pei Ying to Pei Huizhou, learned they were siblings, and promptly kidnapped him.
Pei Huizhou listened, his mind reeling.
Of course he knew of Pei’s soap—a rare luxury, nearly priceless outside Chang’an.
He’d heard it originated in Youzhou, but never had he guessed this "Pei" might be tied to his own sister.
Realizing her brother had suffered this ordeal because of her, Pei Ying was overcome with guilt. "Elder Brother, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault."
Pei Huizhou was stunned. "Yingying, why would you say that?"
Pei Ying confessed, "I was the one who created Pei’s soap."
Though the thought had fleetingly crossed his mind earlier, Pei Huizhou had dismissed it as impossible.
His sister had always been sheltered, skilled only in needlework and household management—how could she have invented something so revolutionary?
Unless… her late husband had passed the recipe to her?
If so, branding it under the Pei name was improper.
He was about to ask when Huo Tingshan cut in with a cool glance. "Such formality between family. Must my wife account for every ledger to her brother from now on?"
The Pei siblings fell silent, and even Sha Ying was taken aback.
The general’s words carried an unmistakable implication—was he considering elevating the Pei family?
Merchant houses like the Peis were a dime a dozen in Youzhou, numbering in the thousands. But those handpicked by the governor? Fewer than the fingers on both hands.
Pei Huizhou, sharp as any merchant, felt his pulse quicken.
Visions of endless wealth flashed before him—of minor officials treating the Pei family with respect, even clapping him on the shoulder like an old friend.
"It’s not feasible," Pei Ying was the first to recover. "The Pei family has already relocated to Bingzhou."
If word got out that the Peis were tied to Huo Tingshan, they might face retaliation there.
Huo Tingshan dismissed the concern. "Then move them back."
As the two debated, Pei Huizhou regained his composure.
With the governor’s backing, the Pei family’s rise would be unstoppable. But if the price was his sister becoming Huo Tingshan’s concubine? He’d rather pass on the opportunity.
The Peis were doing well enough—they lacked nothing and owed no one.
Thus, Pei Huizhou feigned a headache and sighed, "Yingying, you’ve been away from home for so long that you don’t realize how much busier the family business has become these past few years. Your second brother and I are often so overwhelmed we lose track of time."
Seeing her elder brother’s reluctance, Pei Ying didn’t press further and humored him, "Elder Brother, take care of your health. Money can never be fully earned, but your well-being comes first."
Pei Huizhou was deeply comforted. "Yingying is right."
A cup was slammed onto the table with a sharp clack, and Pei Huizhou froze.
Huo Tingshan rose from his seat with a cold expression, wordlessly striding out the door. After he left, Sha Ying followed, leaving the room to the Pei siblings.
"Yingying, I think I’ve angered Huo Tingshan," Pei Huizhou said nervously.
Pei Ying reassured him, "Don’t worry, Elder Brother. He’s all thunder and no rain—he won’t do anything drastic."
Pei Huizhou recalled the scout from Sizhou whose throat had been slit the night before and fell silent.
Thunder and no rain? He had a feeling it was more like thunder followed by a downpour.
Huo Tingshan headed to the woodshed at the back, which had been repurposed at dusk and now held two captured Sizhou scouts.
When he entered, the two men hung from the wooden beam, their feet barely two inches off the ground. Their bodies were covered in blood, heads slumped, barely clinging to life.
"General," Xiong Mao put away the iron whip. "They’ve confessed. They came for the soap recipe—to either kidnap the Pei family or extract the formula."
Huo Tingshan asked, "Who’s their direct superior?"
Xiong Mao answered, "Li Xiaotian, the Governor of Sizhou."
A smirk curled Huo Tingshan’s lips. "Cut off their heads and toss them into Li Xiaotian’s governor’s mansion. Chop their bodies in half—scatter one part inside the mansion and pack the other in a gift box for his son."
Xiong Mao lowered his gaze in acknowledgment.
As Huo Tingshan turned to leave, he paused at the door. "And send Li Xiaotian a message: if he dares send men after the Pei family again, I’ll repay him in kind—kidnap his son and use him as a sacrifice for my Youzhou army’s banner."
"Yingying, you never fully explained yesterday—what exactly is going on between you and Huo Tingshan?" Pei Huizhou studied his younger sister intently.
Pei Ying lowered her eyes. "Nothing much."
"Lies. It’s only been a few years apart, yet Yingying won’t even be honest with her elder brother now?" Pei Huizhou’s expression darkened.
Pei Ying had an older brother back home—ten years her senior—who had raised her while their parents flew around the world managing the family business.
The stern tone Pei Huizhou used now was eerily similar to her brother’s, and she couldn’t help but shrink slightly. "It’s not that. It’s just… complicated. I don’t know how to explain."
Pei Huizhou massaged his temples in frustration. "This is something a sister should ask you, but Yingying is no naive young girl, and you’re the only daughter of our generation in the Pei family. Forgive my bluntness, but—have you and Huo Tingshan been intimate?"
This was critical. As a man himself, Pei Huizhou understood the inherent ruthlessness in men’s nature.
Sometimes, having tasted something didn’t mean the craving ended—it could also mean an insatiable hunger for more.
Pei Ying hadn’t expected such a direct question. She clenched her handkerchief tightly before finally nodding with a soft, barely audible mm-hmm.
To Pei Huizhou, it was like thunder crashing in his ears. Dizzy with shock, he blurted, "Yingying, you’re coming back to Bingzhou with me. There are plenty of fine young men there, I—"
Knock. Knock.
The sudden rapping at the door made Pei Ying tense.
Without realizing when, she had grown attuned to him—the sound of his footsteps when he didn’t hold back, and now… the way he knocked.
