"Huo Tingshan, have you gone mad?" Pei Ying blurted out.
Ever since she learned that he had taken two packets of contraceptive medicine from Xin Jin, Pei Ying knew he wanted a child.
Regarding the matter of offspring, she and he were bound to argue, but Pei Ying hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
Huo Tingshan's voice was calm: "Madam, it's normal to want children after marriage."
Pei Ying retorted: "You already have two sons, and I have a daughter. That makes three children altogether. Besides, you're nearly forty now, which, rounded off, means you're halfway to a hundred. What more children do you need?"
A vein throbbed on Huo Tingshan's forehead: "I am only thirty-six, not yet forty. Who taught you to round numbers like that?"
For the first time, Huo Tingshan was conscious of his age. Thirty-six was clearly the prime of life, yet from her mouth, it sounded as if one foot was already in the grave.
Could it be she was comparing him to her short-lived late husband? That man was only a year older than her, unlike him, who was four years her senior.
But it was only a difference of four years.
Pei Ying remembered the matter of divorce: "You said before that Emperor Zhao is in poor health, and once he passes away, we will divorce. I might only stay in your Huo household for a year or two at most. What's the point of having a child?"
"Madam, the palace is full of renowned physicians, and the Emperor is the foundation of the state. The imperial doctors will surely exhaust every means to prolong his life. Who knows when he will actually pass away? Three years, five years, even ten years is possible," Huo Tingshan said, his gaze darkening.
Pei Ying furrowed her delicate brows: "Even if he passes away ten years from now, there's still no need for a child."
"Having a child would give you someone to rely on in the future," Huo Tingshan said.
Pei Ying shot him a glance: "Can't you be my reliance here in the mansion?"
Huo Tingshan paused briefly, the dark currents in his eyes dissipating. He gave a light cough: "Of course I can."
"Well, that settles it then," Pei Ying said, picking up her travelogue again.
Huo Tingshan's eyebrow twitched.
"Anyway, forget about having a child. It's absolutely impossible," Pei Ying said, even giving him a push. "It's getting late, General. You should go back and rest."
Huo Tingshan remained seated, unmoving. "Why don't you want another child? Having only the little girl as a single seedling is ultimately too few."
"I'm too old, I can't bear children," Pei Ying said offhandedly.
Huo Tingshan frowned deeply. He took the travelogue from Pei Ying's hand, casually tossed it onto a small side table, then cupped her chin with his hand, making her look up.
He looked at her face straight on, then turned her head slightly to view both profiles before letting go. "Nonsense. Madam is clearly in the bloom of youth, like a maiden of sixteen."
Pei Ying: "..."
Hearing a compliment from this man's mouth was truly a rare occurrence.
"I have self-awareness. If I'm not young, I'm not young," Pei Ying said, pushing him again.
Still, he didn't budge. Huo Tingshan's gaze slid down from Pei Ying's face, settling on her ample bosom. "Though in some places, Madam is indeed far beyond what a maiden of sixteen could match."
"Huo Tingshan!" Pei Ying flushed crimson under his gaze. "You're tired. Go back to your room and rest."
"I'm not sleepy yet."
...
Thud. The door was shut.
Huo Tingshan stood outside the door, looking at the door panel that had nearly hit his face moments before, and remained silent for a few breaths.
The man turned and went back to his own room.
When Pei Ying had said she would give the drawings to Huo Tingshan later, this "later" actually only took half a day.
This era had no phones, and entertainment activities were limited to reading books, going out to the market, or playing chess.
For Pei Ying, a modern person cut off from the internet, it was actually quite boring. Now that she had finally found something to do, she was fully motivated.
"Madam, what is this?" Huo Tingshan looked at the mulberry paper in his hand.
Pei Ying first gave him the name: "This is a distiller, called a 'heavenly pot.' It's the key to making liquor. General, when can this set of equipment be ready?"
"Two days," Huo Tingshan gave a timeframe.
The object was quite peculiar, with both pots and long, wide plates, along with some smaller parts. The craftsmanship wasn't overly complex, but it was novel.
They needed to rush, but not at the expense of neglecting details for speed, so Huo Tingshan set it at two days.
"Also, there's one more thing. I want some semi-finished wine product, the kind that still contains the fermented grains," Pei Ying said.
Yesterday she had thought of using fully brewed wine for distillation, but upon waking this morning, Pei Ying suddenly wasn't so sure.
It seemed it wasn't the finished product, but the semi-finished one, the kind with the fermented grains. She couldn't remember clearly, but it didn't matter; she could do a comparative experiment later.
Huo Tingshan: "How much does Madam want?"
Pei Ying gave a number.
Huo Tingshan nodded. "Alright. It will be delivered along with the equipment in two days."
"Good. Thank you for the trouble, General," Pei Ying said, perfectly satisfied.
...
The sun rose and set, and two days passed in the blink of an eye.
That morning, just after Pei Ying had finished breakfast in her room, Xin Jin came to report: "Madam, the General is looking for you. He says the heavenly pot is ready."
Pei Ying was overjoyed. It was still early morning; that was really fast.
When Pei Ying arrived in the courtyard, she found that besides Huo Tingshan and Chen Yuan, Huo Zhizhang was also present.
The young man was full of energy, wearing a sapphire-blue robe. His slightly rounded eyes quickly glanced at Pei Ying before looking away.
"Cat got your tongue?" Huo Tingshan said coldly.
Pei Ying glanced at him in surprise; this was the first time she had heard Huo Tingshan use such a tone.
Huo Zhizhang subconsciously stiffened his back. The first time he opened his mouth, no sound came out. The second time, he managed, "Mother."
Pei Ying froze. After a moment of staring wide-eyed at Huo Zhizhang, she said, "That's not necessary. Your father and I are not yet married."
"Madam, it seems the little girl has a day off today. I just had someone call for her as well," Huo Tingshan suddenly said.
Pei Ying looked at him, then shifted her gaze to Huo Zhizhang beside him, feeling a sudden headache. "Don't say anything improper later."
This remark was directed at both father and son.
Huo Zhizhang stole a glance at his father. Seeing not anger but a slight curl at the corner of his mouth, and that he actually seemed to be in a rather good mood, a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
Pei Ying then said to Huo Zhizhang, "My surname is Pei. You can call me Aunt Pei."
Huo Zhizhang readily complied: "Aunt Pei."
After this address, both Pei Ying and Huo Zhizhang breathed a sigh of relief.
Huo Tingshan scoffed: "Unnecessary trouble."
Pei Ying: "..."
Just then, Meng Ling'er arrived. She had the day off, had gotten up much later than usual, and therefore had breakfast much later as well.
"Mother, General, Captain Chen." Meng Ling'er greeted them in turn, then rested her gaze on Huo Zhizhang, her eyes holding a hint of confusion.
While Meng Ling'er was looking at Huo Zhizhang, he was also sizing her up.
Meng Ling'er was merely puzzled, but Huo Zhizhang was astonished.
When he had heard her say she had a daughter, he had assumed the child was only a few years old. He never imagined she would be this grown up.
She looked like she was about to have her coming-of-age ceremony.
Pei Ying introduced her to Huo Zhizhang: "This is my daughter, Meng Ling'er."
Then Pei Ying introduced to her daughter: "Sweetheart, this is the general's youngest son, Huo Zhizhang, Young Master Huo. From now on, you can..."
"Just call him Second Brother." Someone interjected abruptly.
Pei Ying secretly glared at Huo Tingshan. She had just told him not to speak out of turn, yet it seemed this man's dog ears were selectively deaf.
Meng Ling'er frowned inwardly.
Second Brother?
She and this Young Master Huo were merely meeting for the first time today. They weren't relatives, not even friends. How could she directly call him Second Brother?
Meng Ling'er looked at Pei Ying, only to see her mother glance at that man and then surprisingly say nothing.
So the young girl obediently said, "Second Brother."
Huo Zhizhang gave a slight start, feeling at a loss.
He had no biological younger sisters, nor any half-sisters in his household. While there were many girls among the Huo family's collateral branches, boys and girls did not share the same seat after the age of seven, and besides, he didn't enjoy playing with those delicate, pampered cousins.
Suddenly having a sister appear out of nowhere... what was he supposed to do...
A gaze, sharp and hidden, shot towards him. Huo Zhizhang dared not delay. "Younger sister, greetings."
After the two youngsters exchanged greetings, they both retreated to the side, each feeling awkward.
"Madam, how is this 'heavenly pot' to be used?" Huo Tingshan asked.
They were currently in the courtyard of the kitchen. The heavenly pot had been moved into the kitchen, and the semi-finished wine liquid Pei Ying requested had also been brought over.
One jar after another, lined up in a row—six jars in total.
"The general will find out shortly. For now, we need to pour the wine liquid along with the lees into the large pot first." Pei Ying pointed.
The beautiful woman pointed not at the heavenly pot, but at the iron pot resting on the stove in the kitchen.
Without needing a signal from Huo Tingshan, upon hearing Pei Ying's words, Chen Yuan deftly removed the lid from a wine jar.
After the jars were brought in, a faint aroma of wine had already permeated the courtyard. Now, with the lid removed, the rich scent of wine instantly overflowed.
The jar was large enough for one person to encircle with their arms. Chen Yuan simply lifted it and tilted it, pouring the contents into the open mouth of the pot.
"Splash, splash." The liquid poured down like a pillar.
This large iron pot was specially made later, four times the size of an ordinary small pot, used for cooking dishes when entertaining guests.
After one jar was emptied, the pot was less than a third full. Chen Yuan fetched two more jars.
Once three jars were poured, the pot was full.
"Mother, what are we doing?" Meng Ling'er asked quietly.
Pei Ying: "Distilling wine. You can also think of it as brewing wine. Distilled wine is more mellow and fragrant. Later, you..."
Pei Ying changed her words: "Sweetheart can't drink wine. Later, you can just have a smell, or watch me drink."
Meng Ling'er didn't understand: "Why can't I drink?"
"Because you're young," Pei Ying said seriously. "The wine that comes out from distillation is very strong. Sometimes just a few sips can make someone drunk."
Huo Zhizhang stood to the side, listening to Pei Ying speaking gently to her daughter. He couldn't help but glance over, once, then again.
"Captain Chen, please start the fire." Pei Ying saw that the wine had been poured.
Chen Yuan took out a flint stone.
Pei Ying looked at the flint stone in his hand, thoughtful.
Using dried grass stalks as tinder, the fire was soon lit.
Pei Ying instructed them to build a strong fire to first boil the lees. When white bubbles appeared, she took a shovel and stirred the pot thoroughly to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
"Captain Chen, please bring over that chimney-shaped iron bucket." Pei Ying put away the shovel.
As the iron bucket came into view, a young voice asked, "Do we just cover the pot with it directly?"
This heavenly pot was a chimney-shaped iron bucket, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, like a cone with its tip cut off.
When Pei Ying provided the drawings, she had specifically measured the dimensions of the large pot, so the bottom of the "chimney" fit perfectly over the rim of the pot.
Meeting Huo Zhizhang's slightly rounded eyes, Pei Ying paused briefly, then said, "Yes, thank you, Zhizhang."
"No trouble at all, no trouble," Huo Zhizhang hurriedly replied.
Huo Tingshan looked at Huo Zhizhang, then at Pei Ying, twisting the thumb ring on his hand.
She was slipping into the role of an elder quite quickly.
After fitting the "chimney" in place, Pei Ying had Huo Zhizhang set up the slanted trough inside it. Finally, she placed another pot right-side-up, embedding it into the top of the "chimney."
Thus, a heavenly pot was officially assembled.
The stove below continuously heated the contents. The wine liquid boiled into steam, rising upwards. Upon contacting the cold bottom of the top pot, it condensed back into liquid.
When the liquid accumulated enough weight, it dripped onto the slanted tray set below, then automatically flowed along the inclined "little bridge," passing through a small hole to the outside of the "chimney."
"This needs to be filled with water," Pei Ying pointed to the pot on top. "And the water in this pot must be kept cool. That way, the efficiency will be higher."
Hot steam rising and meeting a cold pot bottom helps it condense quickly into droplets.
After Huo Zhizhang filled it with water, Meng Ling'er asked curiously, "Mother, is it ready now?"
Pei Ying: "Sweetheart, please bring me the hemp cloth."
"Oh, okay."
After tightly wrapping a circle of hemp cloth around the opening of the top pot to prevent steam from escaping, Pei Ying nodded. "Now it's truly ready."
The fire burned under the stove. Moments later:
"Mother, the wine is coming out here!"
"It's coming out!"
Two voices almost overlapped. After speaking, both felt a moment of awkwardness.
But they couldn't help staring at the outlet. Faced with this novel sight they had never seen before, both Meng Ling'er and Huo Zhizhang were utterly fascinated.
Pei Ying estimated the timing was about right and switched the bowl catching the wine.
In distilling wine, there is a saying to "cut off the head and discard the tail," meaning the initial and final portions are discarded because they not only contain high levels of methanol but also have a rather ordinary taste.
As the wine vapors rose within the heavenly pot and the liquid dripped continuously from the side, the entire kitchen was filled with an intensely rich aroma of wine.
Huo Tingshan had started tasting wine since he was seven or eight years old. Now, nearly thirty years later, he had never smelled such a potent wine fragrance.
It was like the most untamed wild horse, also like the sharpest blade that could split a hair. It was the kind of thing every man cherished, making his heart race with longing.
Sensing the scorching gaze from behind, Pei Ying simply had Chen Yuan fetch a few small bowls and collected a little from the outlet into each.
"General, Captain Chen, would you like to try some?" Pei Ying asked, then added, "But this freshly distilled wine might be a bit harsh, not yet mellow and smooth."
"No matter." Huo Tingshan stepped forward to take the wine she offered.
He first held it under his nose, inhaling for a few breaths. Then the man raised the bowl and drank.
The wine was even more potent upon entering his mouth than Huo Tingshan had imagined. It was like a ball of fire burning, spreading from his throat to the tendons and meridians of his limbs—an indescribable feeling of exhilaration and pleasure.
"Excellent wine!" Huo Tingshan exclaimed heartily.
Chen Yuan also took a bowl and drank. His usually impassive, handsome face revealed astonishment. "This wine is peerless."
"Aunt Pei, I'd also like a bowl," Huo Zhizhang said eagerly.
Pei Ying remembered Huo Tingshan saying his second son was only seventeen this year. In principle, he shouldn't drink. But he was from ancient times, and he wasn't her own child; she couldn't really control him.
In the end, she gave him a bowl.
"Thank you, Aunt Pei." Huo Zhizhang happily accepted it.
He drank it all in one go. The young man's eyes overflowed with delight. "I've been drinking for ten years, but I've never tasted such a unique wine."
Pei Ying: "..."
Is this how Huo Tingshan raises his son?
"Mother, I want some too," Meng Ling'er said at that moment.
In the kitchen, apart from her mother, everyone else had wine to drink, and she wanted some as well.
Pei Ying's gaze swept over Huo Tingshan, his son, and Chen Yuan in turn. After downing a whole bowl of wine, not one of them had flushed faces.
Wasn't it said that freshly distilled wine was pungent? Moreover, distilled liquor had a much higher alcohol content than brewed wine. Yet these three had drunk a bowl each and seemed completely unaffected.
Could it be that some step had gone slightly wrong, and the alcohol content of this wine was actually similar to that of brewed wine?
Pei Ying was puzzled. Hearing her daughter's soft request for a drink beside her, she simply took a small half-bowl of wine: "Wait a moment, darling. Let me first test if this wine is too strong."
Pei Ying didn't dare to drink it all in one go, only taking a small sip.
But the moment the wine entered her mouth, she regretted it. The wine, not having been aged, was still rough and fiery. The pungent taste rushed straight to her head. Pei Ying couldn't help but cover her lips, coughing repeatedly without pause.
"Mother?!"
Meng Ling'er was greatly alarmed and hurriedly patted Pei Ying's back to help her catch her breath.
At that moment, a large, bony hand with distinct knuckles reached over and took the wine bowl from Pei Ying's hand.
"If you can't drink it, why force yourself?"
After the wine bowl was taken away, a small bowl of water was soon brought to Pei Ying's lips.
Pei Ying slowly raised her eyes. Having just coughed a spell, her eye rims were now slightly red, and a delicate pink tinted her jade-like cheeks, as beautiful as peach and plum blossoms in March. She looked at the small bowl held to her lips, her gaze holding a hint of confusion not usually present.
Just as Huo Tingshan thought Pei Ying would reach out to take the small bowl from her lips, he never expected her to lean in slightly and drink from it directly.
Huo Tingshan's eyebrows lifted slightly. Accommodating her movement, he tilted the small bowl slowly: "No hurry, no one is fighting you for it."
Meng Ling'er beside them was stunned.
After finishing the water, Pei Ying stood quietly.
"Madam, I'll escort you back," Huo Tingshan said, casually setting the small bowl aside.
Pei Ying paused for a moment, then shook her head: "Can't go back."
"Why?" Huo Tingshan asked.
Pei Ying pointed at the distillation pot ahead: "The wine in that pot hasn't finished distilling yet."
Huo Tingshan: "Chen Yuan will keep an eye on it. There's no need for you to trouble yourself here."
Pei Ying thought for a moment, then instructed seriously: "Captain Chen, then remember when it's almost done, the tail of the distillate is no good, you mustn't keep it."
Chen Yuan: "Madam Pei, at what point is it considered the tail?"
Pei Ying: "At the one percent mark."
"This time you should be reassured. Let's go, I'll escort you back," Huo Tingshan said with a laugh.
Pei Ying didn't respond to him, but turned and began walking slowly towards the door.
Huo Tingshan followed.
Meng Ling'er watched the two figures gradually walking away. For an instant, it felt as if her head had been forcibly stuffed full of coarse hemp cloth, and then the edges were grabbed and yanked out violently.
Her head ached terribly.
Seeing Meng Ling'er's complexion change repeatedly, a guess surfaced in Huo Zhizhang's mind.
Could it be that she still didn't know?
It seemed quite possible. Given Aunt Pei's resistant attitude, she might have delayed telling her daughter about this matter.
Thinking this, Huo Zhizhang's eyes held a bit more sympathy.
After leaving the kitchen, Pei Ying headed towards her own main courtyard.
Her wrist was suddenly grasped. Pei Ying tried to pull her hand free but couldn't shake off the large hand holding her wrist. She then turned her head to look at the man beside her, displeased: "Huo Tingshan, what are you doing?"
"Afraid my lady's big eyes aren't working well again, that you might stumble or bump into something while walking. I'll lead you," Huo Tingshan said. The large hand that had been holding her wrist slid down and enveloped her much smaller, delicate hand.
"I don't need you to lead me. You walk especially fast," Pei Ying muttered.
"Not fast. Today, everything will be as you say," Huo Tingshan said, his lips curving.
Seeing she couldn't break free, Pei Ying muttered something.
The man beside her chuckled: "Tell me, madam, how exactly am I so terribly bad?"
Pei Ying listed them one by one: "Especially domineering, autocratic, chauvinistic, also full of schemes, always setting traps for me."
The smile at the corner of Huo Tingshan's lips deepened: "My lady knows me quite well. But dare I ask, madam, what is this 'chauvinism' you speak of?"
Pei Ying said succinctly: "It's not respecting women."
Huo Tingshan gave a soft, scoffing laugh: "Respect is given to those with capability. It's like the wild grass by the roadside and the precious ginseng—they are destined for different treatment. I can't possibly treat wild grass and ginseng equally, and no one does so nowadays. However, madam, I do not look down upon you in my heart."
Listening to his fallacious analogy of wild grass and ginseng, Pei Ying disagreed: "Wild grass and ginseng are two different species, how can they be lumped together? Men and women are the same. It's just that nowadays men can study, while women are confined to the inner courtyards, their intelligence and talents having no outlet. If given equal conditions, women would not be the slightest bit inferior to men."
Huo Tingshan sighed slightly: "Madam, such conditions do not exist. Unless I give orders to Gongsun Tai and the others, which family would be willing to accept female disciples..."
As he spoke, the man's narrow eyes suddenly narrowed further: "Has my lady seen many scenes of young women studying?"
"Naturally, I have," Pei Ying replied.
After saying this, the beautiful woman frowned: "Huo Tingshan, why are you asking this?"
Huo Tingshan looked down, meeting her gaze. The redness around her almond-shaped eyes had faded somewhat. Those beautiful eyes still held a trace of confused haze, yet they weren't entirely muddled.
"Lately, I often worry that one day I'll wake up and find my lady suddenly gone, like those celestial maidens in the operas who abandon everything in the mortal world and return to the heavenly palace," Huo Tingshan asked in a low voice: "Will you leave, madam?"
Pei Ying shook her head.
Huo Tingshan was about to smile when he heard her say: "I don't know either..."
In an instant, he tightened his grip on her hand, but then released it just as quickly.
The speed was so fast that Pei Ying wondered if the pain in her hand was an illusion.
"Madam still has your daughter here. How could you bear to abandon her and leave?" Huo Tingshan stared intently at Pei Ying: "Or does madam have a way to take her with you when the time comes?"
Pei Ying murmured, as if talking to herself, her voice so soft an ordinary person couldn't hear: "It's not up to me. I don't know why I'm here either. I was just sleeping at the time, that's all."
Huo Tingshan said softly: "After the matters in Bingzhou are dealt with, I'll take you back to Beichuan County. Consider it as having returned home. From then on, don't keep thinking about going back."
Pei Ying still shook her head: "I don't like it here. There's nothing here except for my darling daughter. I often encounter dead people too. It's too chaotic."
"But your daughter is here. Could you stay here for that little girl's sake?" Huo Tingshan asked, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on her.
Pei Ying remained silent.
Huo Tingshan looked at her profile. The warm sunlight fell on her jade-like face tinged with light pink, even her thick eyelashes were gilded with a faint golden hue.
Her pupils, under the light, took on a clear, translucent glass-like color, pure as ice and snow. Her flower-like face shimmered with a radiant, rippling light, so beautiful she seemed unreal.
"It's time to go back," Pei Ying suddenly said.
Huo Tingshan's pupils constricted sharply, and he tightened his grip on her hand once more.
This time he held on tightly, not releasing it instantly as he had the last time.
Pei Ying winced in pain and tried to shake off his large hand. "Huo Tingshan, are you losing your mind again? I'm already at the main courtyard; I don't need you to lead me."
Huo Tingshan took two ragged breaths, the heart in his chest settling back into place as if rescued from a scalding wok.
He let out a heavy sigh, pressing his fingers to his throbbing temples. "I'll be the death of you one of these days."
