After Pei Ying spoke, the room fell silent.
She saw him standing in the darkness, silent, his tall shadow seeming to merge into the gloom, as if transforming into some eerie demon.
Pei Ying bit her lip, about to find an excuse to leave, when the man finally spoke.
"May I borrow the bathing pool in your chamber, my lady?"
Pei Ying watched helplessly as he turned and headed toward the side room. Flustered, a thought suddenly struck her. "General, if you're injured, bathing now would be unwise."
A voice laced with amusement drifted back. "Set your mind at ease, my lady. Not only have I returned victorious, but I’m also entirely unscathed."
Pei Ying: "..."
Not content with just using her bathing pool, he added, "Would you kindly fetch me a fresh set of clothes from my room?"
By then, his tall figure had already disappeared into the side chamber.
Pei Ying stood still for a moment before sighing in resignation and stepping out to the adjacent room.
She had lived in the Governor’s residence for quite some time now, having explored many of its corners, even venturing into some of the unused courtyards.
But this was her first time entering the room next to hers.
Both were master chambers, laid out similarly, though his was far simpler—barely furnished beyond the original pieces, with no additional decorations.
Pei Ying found the clothing chest. There was only one, and when opened, it revealed two compartments.
The smaller one held undergarments—drawers and inner robes—while the larger one contained outer garments.
Pei Ying stared at the haphazardly stuffed robes, now crumpled into long, twisted strips, and felt a wave of exasperation.
She muttered under her breath, "This man has no sense of order at all."
Fortunately, the fabric was of good quality, so even when pulled out in such a state, the creases smoothed out quickly.
She took an outer robe, then the inner garments and drawers. After gathering them, out of habit, she rummaged through the smaller compartment again.
After searching fruitlessly, it suddenly struck her—underwear hadn’t been invented yet. Back when their circumstances had improved slightly, she had made undergarments for herself and her daughter, only for him to mock her for the unnecessary effort.
Pei Ying closed her eyes, trying not to dwell on him—or the fact that most men in this era didn’t wear underwear.
Closing the chest, she carried the clothes back to her room.
The sound of splashing water echoed from the side chamber, steam rising from the hot spring and blurring her vision.
"General, I’ve brought your clothes. I’ll just—Huo Tingshan, are you using my soap?"
Pei Ying had intended to hand over the clothes and leave, but the sight of the soap in his grip made her pause.
The soap itself was white, smooth as milk curd, but now, more than half of it was stained a faint red.
Blood had seeped into the soap.
He’d claimed he wasn’t injured, so the blood must belong to someone else.
She had been next door for some time, yet the soap still looked like this—how much worse had it been earlier?
"My lady, this is the only soap here," Huo Tingshan said from the water, watching her stand a few paces away with his clothes in her arms. Strangely, this pleased him more than shooting Shi Lianhu, that old fool, with an arrow.
Pei Ying frowned. "There’s a small box beside it with a new one inside."
Huo Tingshan replied lazily, "I wasn’t aware at the time."
Pei Ying’s gaze drifted to the water around him. Whether it was her imagination or reality, she thought the water near him carried a faint tinge of red.
"My lady, do you wish to join me?" Huo Tingshan took a step closer to the edge of the pool.
Without a word, Pei Ying set down the clothes and walked out.
Huo Tingshan watched her retreating figure and clicked his tongue.
So she was upset over a bar of soap. If she felt cheated, she could always use his in return.
This bath took Huo Tingshan far longer than usual. By the time he emerged, dressed, he found Pei Ying reading a travelogue on the daybed.
He summoned Xin Jin and instructed her to bring dinner.
Though it wasn’t yet late, the kitchen, upon hearing of Huo Tingshan’s return and his request for a meal, promptly sent over the evening dishes.
They were delivered to Pei Ying’s room.
Pei Ying glanced at the table laden with food, then at the man devouring it with gusto, still puzzled as to why he remained here.
Noticing her gaze, Huo Tingshan looked up. "Did you have something to say, my lady?"
Pei Ying had nothing to say.
Huo Tingshan resumed eating.
The kitchen had prepared enough food to cover the entire table—enough for Pei Ying to last two or even three meals. Yet Huo Tingshan polished it all off in one sitting.
Once finished, he announced, "My lady, pack your belongings tomorrow. We leave for Bingzhou."
Pei Ying hesitated. "Bingzhou… has it been taken?"
She knew nothing of warfare, but she could still calculate time.
From Yuanshan County to the border between Jizhou and Bingzhou, an ordinary journey would take three days. With a fast horse and urgent haste, one might arrive in a single day.
One day to go, one day to return—that left three days.
Had he truly conquered the vast Bingzhou in just three days?
Pei Ying found it hard to believe.
"Not yet. But the Bingzhou Governor is gravely injured now, and Bingzhou is left leaderless. His sons are mediocre at best—sooner or later, I will take Bingzhou," Huo Tingshan stated plainly.
Given Shi Lianhu’s injuries, he wouldn’t last much longer. Perhaps he was already unconscious most of the time, waking only briefly.
The old master still lingered, his authority and prestige not yet dissipated. His sons, vying for power, formed factions and fought amongst themselves—though they couldn’t go too far, for their father wasn’t yet dead.
At first glance, this seemed better than if Shi Lianhu had died outright, triggering an immediate power struggle. Yet the old master’s lingering state also meant this chaos wouldn’t end quickly.
Beyond Yanmen Pass, from east to west, Bingzhou had no other major fortresses left to defend it.
Bingzhou was already his for the taking.
Though his tone was calm, Pei Ying detected an undercurrent of arrogance. She understood that Bingzhou was as good as his.
"My congratulations, General," Pei Ying offered sincerely.
Now that their interests were aligned, a great victory for Youzhou was good for both her and her daughter.
Huo Tingshan smirked. "I owe some of this to your auspicious words before the battle. That night’s wind came at just the right time. In a few days, I’ll take you to live in the Bingzhou Governor’s residence. That old miser Shi Lianhu was greedier than Yuan Ding—his treasures must far outnumber those here."
Pei Ying didn’t understand the significance of the night wind he mentioned, but it was rare to hear something almost decent from his lips.
After he finished his meal, Pei Ying rose from the couch and called Xin Jin outside to clear the table.
The room still carried the lingering scent of food. She opened several windows, then turned to open the one beside the couch—only to find Huo Tingshan lying in the spot she had just vacated.
His eyes were closed. He was asleep.
Pei Ying paused, then approached and called softly, "General..."
She called twice, but he didn’t stir.
She studied him for a long moment, lips pressed together.
Considering his rushed journey and likely lack of rest during the campaign, he must have fallen into a deep slumber.
She didn’t call again. Once the smell of food had mostly dissipated, she closed the window slightly.
With a charcoal brazier in the room, she couldn’t shut everything completely.
Glancing back at the couch, she finally fetched a brocade quilt.
Winter nights were harsh, and catching a chill was dangerous—without modern medicine, a simple cold could be fatal.
She spread the quilt over Huo Tingshan, then left him be. After blowing out the candles, she walked past the screen to the bed inside.
She didn’t consider changing rooms. She still owed him twice over—if he acted decisively, all the better. She’d sleep easier once it was done.
Pei Ying drew the gauzy bed curtains and lay down, pulling the covers over herself.
Yet beyond the screen, the man she thought was fast asleep opened his eyes—sharp and clear, without a trace of drowsiness.
Huo Tingshan lifted a corner of the quilt to his nose, and the faint, sweet fragrance intensified, enveloping him.
He turned over, wrapping himself in the quilt, and closed his eyes again, drifting off on the cramped couch.
......
When Pei Ying awoke the next morning, daylight streamed through the windows. Huo Tingshan was no longer on the couch—she didn’t know when he had left.
Outside, snow was falling.
This was her first time seeing snow in this ancient world. A pristine white blanket covered everything, purifying the land.
"Madam, it’s snowing. You should wear this cloak today," Xin Jin said, holding out a thicker fox-fur mantle.
"The one from yesterday will do. Snow isn’t the coldest part—it’s when it melts," Pei Ying replied with a smile. "Oh, Xin Jin, pack our things. We’ll be leaving Yuanshan County with the General."
"So soon?" Xin Jin gasped.
He had only returned yesterday, and now they were setting off again?
Pei Ying nodded. "I suppose things have stabilized there for now."
Xin Jin hurried to gather their belongings.
Pei Ying went to her daughter’s courtyard to tell Meng Ling’er about their departure.
Meng Ling’er was delighted. "Bingzhou? That’s where Grandfather lives! Can we visit them, Mother?"
Pei Ying suddenly remembered she hadn’t yet told her daughter about the family’s move. "Ling’er, they’ve returned to Jizhou."
Meng Ling’er was stunned. "When did that happen?"
Pei Ying said, "Not long ago. We are now with the Youzhou army, and it wasn’t suitable for my maternal grandparents’ family to stay outside the region, so they moved back."
Meng Ling'er nodded in understanding. "When it concerns life and death, it’s better to return."
Meng Ling'er instructed Shui Su to pack their belongings while she and Pei Ying stepped outside.
Pei Ying gazed at the endless expanse of white and couldn’t resist scooping up a handful of snow, shaping it into a small snowball.
Before arriving in ancient times, she had been a southerner, married to a man from the south as well. From birth until her transmigration, the number of times she had actually seen snow could be counted on one hand.
The last time had been eight years ago...
After making a small snowball, she found it unsatisfying and gathered another handful, intending to shape a larger one.
"Sweetheart, go back inside and fetch a long scarf. Let’s build a snowman," Pei Ying said to her daughter.
They could wrap the scarf around the snowman once it was done.
Meng Ling'er agreed and hurried back into the house.
Pei Ying stared at the vast whiteness, lost in thought. The unpolluted ancient world, combined with the pristine courtyard, presented an elegant and immaculate white that lifted her spirits.
She didn’t know how much time had passed before she heard her daughter’s voice behind her.
"Mother, I’ve brought the scarf. Shui Su had stored it in the clothing chest, buried under other garments. It took some searching, so I’m sorry to keep you waiting."
Pei Ying snapped out of her reverie and was about to turn around when a sharp pain stabbed through her eyes. The light dimmed inch by inch until her vision plunged into complete darkness.
Her heart sank.
Belatedly, she realized she had been staring at the snow for too long. Pure, soft snow reflected light intensely, far more damaging than dirty snow.
She had carelessly given herself snow blindness.
Hearing footsteps, Pei Ying slowly turned. "Sweetheart, I can’t see. Help me back inside."
Meng Ling'er gasped. "Mother?"
Her gaze landed on Pei Ying’s reddened eyes, and she instantly understood what had happened. "How could you be so careless? Let me help you inside, and then I’ll fetch Physician Feng—"
She stopped mid-sentence, remembering that Feng Yuzhu, the physician, had been among those taken away on the campaign.
Meng Ling'er quickly amended, "Physician Feng isn’t here. I’ll find another doctor. First, let’s get you inside."
Pei Ying gripped her daughter’s hand tightly. Even with someone guiding her and knowing the area was open, she still moved hesitantly, step by cautious step.
Pei Ying walked slowly, and Meng Ling'er didn’t rush her, patiently leading her inside. She then asked Shui Su to look after Pei Ying while she hurried out to find a physician.
After walking a short distance, Meng Ling'er spotted Chen Yang and called out, "Village Chief Chen, please wait!"
Chen Yang turned and cupped his hands in greeting. "What can I do for you, Miss Meng?"
Meng Ling'er said, "Could you help me find a physician? My mother accidentally got snow blindness."
Chen Yang’s expression turned serious. "I’ll go at once."
Grateful, Meng Ling'er thanked him and returned to her courtyard.
After the young girl left, Chen Yang recalled Huo Tingshan’s instructions before the campaign and decided to send a guard to report the matter before heading out to find a physician.
Not long after Meng Ling'er returned, she heard footsteps entering. Assuming Chen Yang had brought the physician, she looked up to thank him—only to see a towering figure stride in.
She froze.
Why was he here?
Huo Tingshan’s gaze immediately landed on Pei Ying, seated on a cushioned chair, clutching a handkerchief tightly. Perhaps because her daughter was present, she didn’t show too much panic.
"How is my wife?"
Blindness had sharpened Pei Ying’s other senses. Recognizing the footsteps, she had guessed it was Huo Tingshan, so his voice didn’t surprise her.
"It’s not too bad. I just can’t see," Pei Ying murmured.
Huo Tingshan knew she was downplaying it to save face in front of their child. "The physician will arrive shortly at the main courtyard. Come with me."
Pei Ying was about to call for her daughter to assist her when she was suddenly lifted from the chair, cradled in someone’s arms.
"Huo Tingshan!" Instinctively, she grabbed his collar.
A silk handkerchief fluttered to the ground.
Huo Tingshan carried her out. "Just a short while without supervision, and you’ve managed to harm yourself like this. You truly have a talent for trouble."
Pei Ying flushed, embarrassed, and remembered her daughter was still nearby. "Put me down first."
Huo Tingshan ignored her.
Meng Ling'er gaped at Huo Tingshan’s retreating figure.
Him… and her mother…
"Shui Su, come help me!" Meng Ling'er felt her limbs go weak, dizziness washing over her.
The distance between Meng Ling'er’s courtyard and the main one wasn’t far, and Huo Tingshan carried Pei Ying there swiftly.
"My lady?" Xin Jin, who had been packing, looked up in surprise.
Huo Tingshan set Pei Ying down on a cushioned seat, cupping her chin to tilt her head slightly as he examined her eyes.
Pei Ying's eyes were rimmed with red, her lashes damp at the roots, making the dark feathers of her eyelashes stand out even more distinctly.
"Even a three-year-old child knows not to stare at snow for too long after a snowfall. How is my wife less sensible than them? Unless this year you’ve regressed past three." Huo Tingshan teased.
Pei Ying quickly defended herself, "I simply forgot—it’s been so long since I last saw snow."
Huo Tingshan paused.
Beichuan County, located in the northern part of Jizhou, saw snowfall every year.
Realizing her words sounded off, Pei Ying hastily added, "So much has happened this year. Thinking back to last winter feels like a lifetime ago."
Unable to see Huo Tingshan, Pei Ying didn’t notice the man raising a skeptical eyebrow, his expression utterly disbelieving.
When no response came, she assumed he bought her excuse.
Huo Tingshan studied her reddened eyes and chuckled. "My wife truly resembles a little rabbit now."
Not long after, the physician arrived.
The physician Chen Yang had summoned was a young man barely past his capping ceremony, around twenty-three or twenty-four. Carrying a bamboo case, he was led by Chen Yang into the main courtyard.
"General, the physician is here," Chen Yang announced, unsurprised to find Huo Tingshan present.
Huo Tingshan commanded, "Let him in."
Zhao Xinglin adjusted the strap of his bamboo case and entered cautiously, reminding himself to mind his words and actions. Yet the moment he caught sight of the beautiful woman seated on the soft chair, he froze momentarily.
A sharp, icy gaze immediately pinned him in place.
Zhao Xinglin snapped back to attention, his muscles tensing instinctively as if bracing for an attack. Not daring to look further, he hastily lowered his head.
"Approach," Huo Tingshan ordered, his voice deep.
Zhao Xinglin hunched slightly as he stepped forward.
Huo Tingshan said, "Examine my wife."
Pei Ying felt her pulse being taken, then heard the physician say, "Madam’s condition isn’t severe. I’ll prescribe a few doses of medicine—take them twice daily, morning and night. In three days, the ailment will be gone. Right now, your eyes likely sting. You may apply a cold compress with snow or ice to ease the pain. Additionally, it’s best to cover your eyes with black gauze these next few days to avoid further irritation."
Huo Tingshan glanced at Xin Jin, who hurried off to prepare the compress.
After writing the prescription, Zhao Xinglin was escorted out by Chen Yang.
"General, I’ve already told our daughter about our departure today. Are we leaving after lunch?" Pei Ying asked.
Huo Tingshan replied, "In your state, you still wish to travel?"
Pei Ying countered logically, "It’s not as though I’ll be the one driving the horses."
Huo Tingshan considered this, then conceded, "Very well. We’ll depart after the midday meal."
Xin Jin returned with an ice-wrapped cloth and gently pressed it against Pei Ying’s eyes. The cold soothed the sharp sting considerably.
Lunch was a hot pot meal. Unable to see, Pei Ying relied on Xin Jin to cook the ingredients and place them in her small bowl, from which she slowly scooped bites with a spoon.
Huo Tingshan joined her for the meal. Watching her fumble, he remarked dryly, "If my wife has no need for her maid, we might as well sell her off."
Xin Jin immediately pressed her forehead to the floor in fright.
Hearing the faint rustle beside her, Pei Ying knew Xin Jin had been startled. She glared in Huo Tingshan’s direction. "Of course I need her! Must you always frighten people for no reason?"
When he didn’t respond, and with no way to read his expression, she added firmly, "Xin Jin serves me well. Unless she has family matters to attend to or wishes to marry when the time comes, I intend to keep her by my side."
Xin Jin trembled slightly, overwhelmed with emotion.
Life serving Madam was beyond comfortable—Pei Ying was gentle, never harsh with her servants, and often shared fine trinkets or delicacies with her.
Xin Jin could confidently say even the daughters of the county magistrate didn’t live as comfortably as she did.
Huo Tingshan asked with amusement, "And when does my wife believe is the right age for marriage?"
He often heard her say Meng Ling'er was too young, even referring to Second Master Hua the same way. So in her mind, what age counted as grown?
Pei Ying hesitated, then added two years to the conventional age of adulthood. "At least twenty. Marriage is no trifling matter. If one is too young, they might misjudge character. A poor match could waste years of their life."
Huo Tingshan countered, "With parents to guide them, how could they misjudge?"
Pei Ying disagreed. "Parents aren’t the ones marrying. The children’s own wishes should come first. Forcing a match without affection is pointless."
Huo Tingshan opened his mouth to argue further, then remembered her history with Meng Ducang—childhood sweethearts, wedded in love, their marriage harmonious as honey.
The man’s eyes lowered.
Meng Ducang had died in early autumn. Two seasons had passed since then. But he wondered whether the woman before him now was even the same one from before...
After the meal, preparations for departure began.
Xin Jin helped Pei Ying into the carriage, which was stocked with all necessities. Pei Ying reached forward, her fingers brushing against a small table.
She then felt to her right, finding a low cabinet. Relaxing slightly, she recognized this as the same carriage she always rode in.
The sound of the curtain lifting made her assume her daughter had boarded. "Sweetheart, did you pack the citrus fruits?"
"Does my lady wish to eat hawthorns?" The voice that came was unmistakably Huo Tingshan's.
Pei Ying started in surprise. "General, why have you come here?"
Huo Tingshan took a seat across from her. "The recent battles have been exhausting. Today, like my lady, I shall ride in the carriage."
Pei Ying hesitated. "My daughter, she—"
Huo Tingshan lifted his gaze, studying the beautiful woman before him.
Today, she wore a crimson-black cross-collared ruqun, its neckline embroidered with golden thread that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
Yet that delicate gleam paled in comparison to the radiant glow of her jade-like skin under the sun—her fair complexion and lotus-like face, each feature a masterful stroke of an artist's brush. Her usual languid, autumn-water eyes were now veiled behind a black gauze, lending her an air of cool elegance rarely seen.
Huo Tingshan reassured her, "Rest easy. Your daughter is in the neighboring carriage."
Just then, the carriage jolted into motion, its wheels rolling over cobblestones with a soft clatter. Pei Ying swallowed back the words, "Perhaps I should join my daughter instead."
They had set out in the afternoon, the carriage passing through the bustling marketplace toward the city gates.
After riding for a while, Pei Ying reached toward the small cabinet on her right, where she had stored some dried plums.
Her hand had barely brushed the surface when his voice came again. "What is my lady searching for?"
Pei Ying answered truthfully.
A few moments later, she felt a large hand gently nudging her inward until she was pressed against the far side of the carriage. Then, the seat beside her dipped slightly under his weight.
"General?"
Uncertain, she reached out and poked—only to meet the firm muscle of his arm, even through his robes.
"Dried plums, was it? Wait here." His voice was casual.
Soon, her wrist was clasped and drawn forward, a small paper packet placed in her palm.
Pei Ying gave the packet a light squeeze. The soft resistance confirmed it was indeed the dried plums. She thanked him, but he only responded with a lazy hum.
She had assumed he would return to his seat after fetching the plums, but he remained beside her, as if forgetting the matter entirely.
Since he had just helped her, it felt impolite to ask him to leave now. Pei Ying fiddled with the packet but said nothing.
Unwrapping it, she took a dried plum and ate it, then offered perfunctorily, "General, would you like one?"
He had never seemed fond of such snacks before—whether at home or during banquets, she had never seen him indulge in sweets.
"Eating first before asking me? How heartless of you, my lady." Huo Tingshan chuckled lightly.
Pei Ying's ears tinged pink. "You never liked them, and I did ask eventually."
"Who said I didn’t like them?"
She felt the weight in her palm shift—he must have taken one. She pursed her lips but held her tongue.
After eating two more plums, Pei Ying neatly folded the packet and handed it back to Huo Tingshan. She didn’t hear the cabinet close—perhaps he still held the plums.
So he really did like them.
As the carriage left the city, the clamor of the streets faded behind them.
Pei Ying usually napped in the afternoons, and now, lulled by the rocking carriage, the warm sunlight streaming through the window, and her closed eyes for rest, drowsiness washed over her like a tide.
She straightened her posture and let sleep take her.
Huo Tingshan listened as her breathing gradually evened out. He glanced at the woman beside him, waiting until she relaxed fully against him.
Before long, her head slumped onto his shoulder—no surprise there. Leaning back lazily against the cushioned seat, he gazed out the half-drawn curtains.
The breeze was gentle, the sky clear. It was a fine day.
Sunlight spilled through the window, illuminating the half-opened paper packet on the small table. Inside, three fewer dried plums remained than before.
