Pei Ying followed Pei Huizhou a few steps to a corner of the inn's main hall.
Pei Huizhou stood with his back against the wall, facing outward, his gaze able to see the others in the main hall. He saw Huo Tingshan stopped at the foot of the inn's staircase, seemingly waiting for Pei Ying. The man was some distance away and likely couldn't hear them now.
Thus, Pei Huizhou carefully began, "Yingying, today is only the bridal procession, not the wedding. You cannot indulge his every whim. What would become of things in the future otherwise?"
The bridal procession was not the wedding ceremony; how could they sleep together directly? Improper, utterly improper.
His phrase "what would become of things in the future" was quite euphemistic. The direct meaning was actually: If you let him act recklessly today, it would break convention. How could he respect you as the principal wife in the future?
"Elder Brother, I understand," Pei Ying nodded.
She had her back to the hall and couldn't see anyone other than Pei Huizhou, but after she spoke, she felt a gaze settle upon her.
He was looking at her.
That gaze seemed to carry an additional meaning.
Pei Ying curled her fingers slightly, ultimately unable to resist glancing back. She saw Huo Tingshan standing at the staircase entrance, indeed some distance away.
An ordinary person certainly wouldn't have heard, but this man had dog-like ears. Who knew if he had caught a word or two.
After offering a couple more admonitions, Pei Huizhou let her return.
Pei Ying turned and walked back.
The inn's first floor had rooms, but it was prone to rodents and insects, so it was only used for ordinary guests.
Their rooms were on the second and third floors. Reaching the foot of the stairs, Pei Ying said to Huo Tingshan, "General, let's go upstairs."
Unexpectedly, the man gave a light laugh and suddenly remarked, "I just realized your elder brother shares quite a few similarities with you."
Pei Ying's eyes showed confusion.
What kind of talk was this? They were full siblings, born of the same mother; of course their appearances bore some resemblance.
"At certain moments, the boldness of you two is like that of a finless porpoise—seemingly unremarkable, yet always capable of surprising others," Huo Tingshan continued.
Pei Ying: "..."
So he had heard after all.
But heard or not, Pei Ying had reason on her side. "Elder Brother is also thinking of my welfare. Moreover, what you suggested earlier does not conform to propriety."
"Propriety." Huo Tingshan rolled the word around in his mouth, chuckled with an ambiguous meaning, and said nothing more.
Pei Ying's room was on the third floor, next door to Huo Tingshan's quarters.
After returning to her room, Pei Ying had Xin Jin remove the hair ornaments from her head.
A cosmetic case lay open in front of them. The box had originally been empty, but Pei Ying watched as Xin Jin placed one piece of jewelry after another inside.
Gold earrings inlaid with turquoise, shaped like a peacock spreading its tail; a golden flower hairpin; a hairpin with gold inlaid jade pendants; slender jade hairpins used for securing the hair; a necklace of white jade and various colored gemstones...
One piece after another, first filling one layer of the cosmetic case, then a second, a third, a fourth.
Just removing the headdress kept Xin Jin busy for two quarters of an hour.
Once the ornaments were off, Pei Ying felt her head was so light it seemed to float.
Xin Jin said, "Madam, this servant will go prepare the bathwater."
Due to the dry climate, people in the north didn't bathe daily. However, Pei Ying was a southerner at heart and wished to bathe whenever conditions allowed.
After a comfortable soak, Pei Ying finally felt the tension that had been taut since she rose at the hour of Yin this morning begin to ease.
"Madam, this fire starter is truly easy to use," Xin Jin couldn't help but remark again.
As servants, especially those attending to their masters within the inner quarters, it was common to carry a pair of flint stones. Even though she was skilled, flint was hard, and women's strength was naturally lesser, making starting a fire no easy task.
With the fire starter, everything was different.
Starting a fire could be this effortless—just a gentle puff of breath. And one fire starter could be used for a long time.
After obtaining it, this novel item had clearly become Xin Jin's new favorite.
"It is indeed convenient," Pei Ying agreed, noticing the weariness on her face. "You've worked hard today. Rest early as well."
"May Madam sleep peacefully. This servant takes her leave." Xin Jin exited the room and closed the door.
After Xin Jin left, Pei Ying took out a small booklet from another box.
This was the dowry list Pei's Mother had given her before departure, instructing her to look at it only after leaving Yuanshan County.
The booklet was thick and quite heavy in hand. Pei Ying opened it and found many of the dowry items looked rather familiar.
She had seen them before on the betrothal gift list Huo Tingshan had shown her.
Pei Ying flipped through the booklet from beginning to end.
Roughly two-thirds of the betrothal gifts Huo Tingshan had sent were listed here. Betrothal gifts belonged to the bride's parents, while the disposal of the dowry was in the bride's hands.
It was as if Pei's Mother had simply transferred most of the betrothal gifts, placing them directly into her personal possession. Parents who love their children plan deeply for their future. Pei's Mother had likely considered all eventualities.
Pei Ying carefully put the booklet away. A wave of drowsiness washed over her. The journey today had been exhausting; better to retire early.
The beautiful woman rose from the couch, intending to lock the door.
An inn was not comparable to the manor. Although the current guests were all from their party, it was still wise to be cautious.
However, just as Pei Ying reached the door and before she could touch the bolt, she heard two knocks.
"Knock, knock."
The force was slightly heavy, neither hurried nor slow.
Pei Ying's reaching hand stilled. Even with a door between them, she knew Huo Tingshan was already outside.
This man, as always, was merely giving notice. Deeming the notice sufficient, he proceeded to push the door open.
With a creak, the door swung inward.
Pei Ying promptly took a step back to avoid being hit by it.
With the barrier removed, as if a mist had parted, their gazes met unimpeded.
"My lady personally welcomes me. I am most pleased," Huo Tingshan said, the corner of his mouth lifting.
Pei Ying: "...I wasn't welcoming you."
She had only intended to lock the door.
Huo Tingshan looked at the beautiful woman before him. She had already bathed and changed. The dark crimson round-collared dress from the day was replaced by a peach-red inner garment.
It was late April, the temperature pleasant. She wasn't dressed thickly. Beneath the peach-red garment, the outline of her full, graceful figure was faintly visible.
The man's Adam's apple bobbed.
Pei Ying suddenly sensed something amiss in his gaze. He had looked at her this way ten days ago, and then her hand had suffered.
Instinctively, she took a step back, which coincidentally created just enough space. Seizing the moment, Huo Tingshan stepped into the room with a long stride.
"Huo Tingshan, you..." Pei Ying choked on her words.
This man truly took an inch and demanded a mile.
"My lady, today is an auspicious day for the bridal procession. Sleeping in separate rooms is improper. I am only here to sleep, I won't do anything," Huo Tingshan declared, walking straight inside.
The inn room was not as large as the master bedroom in the Governor's manor, its furnishings simple, with no elegant screen before the bed. Pei Ying watched helplessly as he walked all the way in and settled down on the couch.
Pei Ying: "..."
Perhaps because no footsteps followed for a while, the man on the couch turned his head. "My lady, come and rest."
After a moment's hesitation, Pei Ying went to extinguish the lamp. "Huo Tingshan, a gentleman keeps his word."
"Alright." The reply from the other side came swiftly.
Pei Ying blew out the lamps one by one, then pushed open the window facing the back of the building a little.
Moonlight streamed in. By its light, Pei Ying walked towards the bed.
That area was a patch of darkness; the bed curtains blocked the moonlight, casting a large shadow. Within that shadow, Pei Ying saw a corner of white clothing.
She knew it was his inner white garment, revealed after he had removed his outer robe. The white fabric lay at the edge where light met dark, like the pale claws of a tiger peeking from its paw.
Pei Ying stared at that piece of cloth for a long moment before slowly approaching.
She had just sat down at the bedside when an arm like an iron band reached out from the darkness and circled her waist, like a hunter capturing a beloved prey, dragging it back to his den with satisfaction.
"Dragging your feet like that, the whole night's almost gone," Huo Tingshan teased her.
Pei Ying was held in his embrace, her head resting near his collarbone, where she could faintly hear his heartbeat.
Thump, thump. Steady, strong, and powerful.
Pei Ying shifted uncomfortably, and then she brushed against it. She froze instantly.
A light chuckle sounded by her ear. The man stroked her back once, as if soothing a rabbit. "Relax. I keep my word."
Pei Ying said, "Huo Tingshan, loosen your hold a little."
Hearing her tone, Huo Tingshan knew that her rabbit-like courage was turning leopard-like again now that she had his promise. He complied and loosened his grip. "I'll settle with you on the eighth day of the sixth month."
Pei Ying moved closer to the inner wall. Just as she was about to fall deeply asleep, he pulled her back over.
By then, drowsiness was overwhelming. Pei Ying merely kicked out a leg, hitting his sturdy calf. Finding she couldn't break free, she mumbled something and sank into slumber.
That faint, sweet fragrance lingered around his nose. Huo Tingshan calmed his thoughts, slowly closed his eyes, and also fell asleep.
That night, the two slept nestled together, necks entwined.
Qinghu County was merely a stop along the way, not a place for a long stay. Upon waking the next day, everyone began to pack up.
During breakfast in the main hall, Huo Tingshan looked at his youngest son. "You and Sha Ying lead the troops back to Youzhou first."
Huo Zhizhang said in surprise, "Father, what about you?"
Huo Tingshan said, "Your mother and I have other places to go. We'll return later."
An army on the march consumed vast amounts of supplies every day. In the absence of war, it was best to turn soldiers back into farmer-soldiers as soon as possible.
After absorbing Bingzhou and Jizhou, Huo Tingshan had indeed become much wealthier, and Youzhou's finances were no longer strained. But he remembered the lean years of his youth, and knowing this wasn't the final destination, it was wiser to send the main army, which wasn't needed for now, back to Youzhou sooner.
The matter was thus settled.
However, in Pei Ying's view, when they set off again, everything seemed largely unchanged. She still rode in a carriage, still surrounded by cavalry outside.
Leaving Qinghu County, Huo Zhizhang led the troops directly north, while Huo Tingshan's group headed northwest.
Even a hundred-mile escort for the bride must end. After passing through two more towns, the Pei family, led by Pei Huizhou, stopped here today.
"Yingying, take good care of yourself from now on," Pei Huizhou said, his eyes slightly red.
Pei Ying comforted him, "Elder Brother, don't be sad. Jizhou and Youzhou are adjacent, not too far apart. We can exchange many letters in the future."
Pei Huizhou nodded.
Pei Ying suddenly remembered something. "Elder Brother, don't leave until after noon. I'll treat you to a fine feast for the midday meal."
Pei Huizhou thought Pei Ying meant a regular farewell banquet and agreed with a smile. In truth, he didn't have high expectations for this "fine feast."
Having traveled widely for business for years, he had tasted many local delicacies. Few dishes could truly impress him anymore.
Well, that stir-fried pork had been one exception.
Pei Ying planned to slaughter a pig.
She currently had six black pigs in total. Four were bought initially from the meat market in Yanmen Commandery, and the other two were acquired later in Xiaojiang Commandery when Huo Tingshan happened to purchase them from a hunter.
After over four months of careful feeding, the pigs had grown considerably. Well-fed and content, they were no longer "little." Though not fully grown, Pei Ying was determined to put one black pig into the pot today.
Pei Ying found Guo Dajiang, who had once been a butcher, and told him she wanted a pig slaughtered.
Guo Dajiang said, "That's easy. Which one do you wish to slaughter, Madam Pei?"
Pei Ying said, "The biggest one."
Guo Dajiang acknowledged the order, deftly caught the largest black pig, and took it to the kitchen set up in the stable area. Soon, the sound of a pig squealing came from the kitchen.
Pei Huizhou had been on the first floor and heard the squeals as well. He now understood that his sister's "fine feast" referred to pork.
Pork... Pei Huizhou recalled the taste of pork.
Less than impressive.
Hearing the pig's cries, Meng Ling'er ran downstairs. "Mother, are you finally slaughtering a pig?"
Pei Huizhou, hearing his niece's eager and delighted tone, was puzzled.
Pork was smelly and rank. What was so good about it? Could it be that Ling'er hadn't had many fine things?
But he quickly dismissed that thought.
Impossible. Even when times were hard, Yingying never shortchanged her daughter, let alone now. Could it be that Yingying had a way to make pork taste without the foul odor?
Pei Ying answered her daughter, "Your eldest uncle has to leave today. We'll slaughter a pig to make a good meal to see him off."
Guo Dajiang was skilled at butchering. Before long, the pig was slaughtered and cut into pieces.
With the ingredients ready, Pei Ying entered the kitchen.
In Pei Ying's opinion, pork without the foul smell was delicious no matter how it was cooked. Today, she planned to make braised pork belly and stir-fried pork slices.
One of the guesthouse rooms had been temporarily used by Huo Tingshan as a study. He wasn't in a hurry to return to Youzhou, but that didn't mean there were no affairs to handle.
Generals from Youzhou had been installed to manage Bingzhou and Jizhou. They could handle minor matters themselves, but significant issues, such as where bandits were active and how much harm they caused the people, all had to be reported.
After the discussion, the door to the "study" opened. As the men were about to go downstairs, they suddenly caught a whiff of an incredibly enticing aroma, one that made their mouths water just from the smell.
Xiong Mao took a deep breath right then. "That smells amazing! This kitchen isn't being fair. Why didn't they bring out their specialty when we arrived yesterday?"
"I'll go take a look," said Qin Yang, who also loved good food, and he headed downstairs immediately.
Reaching the first floor, before even entering the kitchen, he saw a crowd gathered at the kitchen door—soldiers from Youzhou and servants from the Pei household.
This scene... could it be Madam Pei in the kitchen?
Qin Yang, who had tasted the stir-fried pork from the iron wok, thought so.
He pushed past two Youzhou soldiers and peeked into the kitchen. Sure enough, it was Madam Pei. No wonder then; Madam Pei always had novel things.
Pei Ying's braised pork belly was in its final stage of simmering over a low flame.
Pei Huizhou stood beside her, practically drooling. "Yingying, when will this 'braised pork belly' you speak of be ready?"
His earlier indifference had completely transformed into intense anticipation. If it smelled this good, surely the taste wouldn't be far off.
Pei Ying said, "Soon. Another quarter of an hour."
"The kitchen isn't being fair..." Xiong Mao's loud voice came from outside just then.
However, his words were cut off halfway by Qin Yang, who forcefully interrupted, "Stop shouting. The one inside is Madam Pei."
Xiong Mao immediately fell silent, then whispered, "My voice shouldn't have been too loud just now, right?"
"You truly have no sense of how loud your voice is," Qin Yang shot him a sidelong glance.
Xiong Mao: "..."
While the braised pork was stewing, Pei Ying had the army cooks stir-fry meat. They used the largest iron wok, cooking the meat from one black pig in several batches, planning to finish it all at the midday meal today.
A quarter of an hour later, the red-braised pork was ready.
The pot of meat was richly colored, and with the sauce poured over it, the pork's surface glistened.
"I only cooked three pots. Let's not serve individual portions today," Pei Ying said.
Before the Tang Dynasty, individual servings were the norm—one person, one low table, each with a set portion of food, everyone eating their own. But now there were only three pots of meat, yet many people, and not every piece of meat was the same, making individual servings impractical.
No one objected. They were, after all, military officers accustomed to hardship, less particular than scholars or the wealthy who lived in luxury every day.
So, when the meal began again, they pushed the small tables together, and everyone sat around the combined table.
This method felt quite novel. Everyone was in high spirits, and sitting down like this seemed to shorten the distance between them.
"Madam Pei, how can there be so much pork?" someone exclaimed in surprise.
Three pots of red-braised pork, the rest stir-fried. When served, it filled a huge basin.
Yes, plates were insufficient; it was presented directly in a basin.
Pei Ying knew not everyone had paid attention to the pigs she raised, so she explained, "Because this pig was large in size, naturally it yielded more meat."
To Pei Ying's right sat Huo Tingshan, and to her left, her daughter.
Huo Tingshan similarly hadn't had time to pay attention to those pigs. Hearing Pei Ying's words now, he asked her, "Madam, approximately how heavy was this pig?"
Pei Ying estimated and gave a number.
Huo Tingshan narrowed his eyes.
Xiong Mao was astonished, "If I remember correctly, you've only raised this pig for a little over four months. Even if we count it as one month old when bought, that's at most five months total."
Chen Yuan chimed in, "It already looks the size of a fully grown pig now."
"It grew far too quickly. If the meat yield is this high, it far surpasses sheep," Qin Yang couldn't help saying.
At these words, the table fell quiet.
It truly did far surpass sheep. Especially since it only grew for five months and was already equivalent to two sheep. If allowed to reach full maturity, it would surely weigh as much as three sheep.
Fast growth, high meat yield, and pigs have far larger litters than sheep, meaning faster and more stable reproduction.
The only issue was the pig's diet. Pigs couldn't just eat grass like sheep. But once wheat cultivation was established and grain was no longer scarce, perhaps large-scale pig farming would become feasible.
With sufficient meat, soldiers could be fed until they were strong, mighty, and full of energy. Wouldn't it be easy to raise a large number of elite, fierce troops then?
Everyone at the table had the same thought.
The red-braised pork on the table seemed not just like meat, but the future of Youzhou itself.
Finally, Huo Tingshan picked up his chopsticks, breaking the silence first. "We're all family here, no need for so many formalities. Everyone, try Madam's red-braised pork."
Everyone began to eat. Eight people sat at the table, and more than half simultaneously reached their chopsticks towards the red-braised pork.
Pei Huizhou, who had been craving it for a long time, was quick-eyed and swift-handed. He snatched a piece and promptly put it in his mouth.
Just before the meat entered his mouth, he had actually prepared himself to taste a bit of the usual gamey smell, as pork was always like that, even though his sister had used plenty of seasonings while cooking.
But upon tasting it, Pei Huizhou was greatly astonished, almost forgetting propriety and exclaiming out loud.
He still had some restraint, but Xiong Mao's eyes widened like a tiger's, and he directly boomed, "Delicious!"
His voice was like a great bell, causing Qin Yang beside him to pause for a moment.
But only for a moment. Qin Yang quickly ate the meat from his chopsticks and instantly understood Xiong Mao's amazement.
Upon entering the mouth, there was not only no gamey smell, but there was actually a hint of subtle sweetness. It was fatty but not greasy, the skin smooth and delicious. One bite filled the mouth with fragrance, almost making one's tongue melt with delight.
"Haha, Zhizhang and Sha Ying have no such luck," Xiong Mao suddenly said cheerfully.
Thinking of Huo Zhizhang and Sha Ying who had been sent away on assignment, the others also smiled.
It was the first day using a communal table, and they were military men, so initially everyone was quite talkative. But after the meal started...
No one spoke.
Everyone buried their heads in eating, afraid the meat in the pot would disappear.
Huo Tingshan also picked up some red-braised pork. Having tasted the stir-fried meat from the iron wok earlier, he knew this red-braised pork would certainly be good, but it still exceeded his expectations.
It was delicious.
This one bite of meat made it seem like all the meat he had eaten in the past decades had been wasted.
Huo Tingshan raised his eyes and scanned the others at the table. Most were eating heartily, heads down, not looking up. Even the little girl was the same, her eyes bright, eating much faster than usual, clearly having never tasted this before.
Only the beautiful woman beside him was different. Apart from that first, seemingly nostalgic bite, she slowed down afterwards.
During an ordinary meal, this red-braised pork seemed no different to her than stir-fried cabbage.
Huo Tingshan lowered his gaze to the red-braised pork in his bowl, lost in thought.
For this midday meal, Pei Huizhou was utterly satisfied. Even the sorrow of parting lessened somewhat.
"Yingying, this red-braised pork is exceptionally delicious. When I return, I'll have Father and Mother taste it too," Pei Huizhou said.
He had been by her side the entire time she was making the red-braised pork and already knew what seasonings to add. Given the Pei family's current means, they could afford to eat meat daily. Thinking of having such fragrant delicacies with every meal in the future, Pei Huizhou's mood brightened considerably.
Hearing this, Pei Ying said, "The essence of red-braised pork isn't in the seasonings. Elder Brother, did you not taste any gamey smell in the meat?"
"Exactly," Pei Huizhou replied, then asked, "If it's not in the seasonings, then where is it? Could it be because of the iron wok?"
He remembered Yingying had an initial step of searing the meat, but forget ordinary households, even wealthy merchants didn't have iron woks at home.
"No, it's because this pig today was castrated when it was young. A castrated pig has a lighter odor. After years of proper feeding, it can become almost odorless," Pei Ying explained truthfully.
Only then did Pei Huizhou understand the key point and couldn't help sighing, "It seems we won't be able to eat it again for a while."
Castration must be done early. If done when young, one must wait many months for it to grow.
"It's not difficult if Elder Brother wants to eat it. I still have five pigs. You can take two back with you," Pei Ying said with a smile.
Pei Huizhou was immediately tempted but shook his head, "Two is too many."
There were only five in total. How could he take away two at once? Even if that man had no objections, it might still leave a bad impression on others.
Pei Huizhou insisted on not taking two. In the end, Pei Ying gave him one small black pig.
"Take care, Elder Brother. Have a safe journey," Pei Ying said to Pei Huizhou.
Pei Huizhou sat on his horse, looking at Pei Ying, suddenly overwhelmed with a hundred emotions.
Younger sister is marrying for the second time, and to such a prominent family at that. Who knows how things will turn out for her in the future. But no matter how many worries one harbors, they can only be condensed into a single "take care" now.
Led by Pei Huizhou, the Pei family departed. Pei Ying watched the procession of carriages gradually fade into the distance and let out a soft, melancholic sigh.
Pei Ying's own party then set off on their journey once more.
Initially, she didn't know where Huo Tingshan was headed, until after traveling day after day, their group arrived at a small county.
A county that felt both familiar and strange.
Beichuan County.
It had been over half a year since the "bandit troubles" of last early autumn. The troubles had harmed the people, leaving many families broken and bereaved.
But life must go on. After more than half a year of recovery and rebuilding, Beichuan County had regained its former peace.
Returning after such a long interval gave Pei Ying a surreal sense of having stepped through time.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the Meng residence. Meng Ling'er was the first to alight, eagerly heading inside. For her, this was the place she had lived for over a decade, imbued with deep and irreplaceable sentiment.
Pei Ying also stepped down from the carriage, with Huo Tingshan standing beside her.
The man's imposing figure cast a long shadow in the sunlight, perfectly enveloping the person next to him. "My lady has returned home. Your wish is fulfilled. Do not dwell on it any longer from now on."
Pei Ying's pupils trembled slightly.
He knew?
In that moment, Pei Ying felt a strange sense of absurdity. If he even knew what was written on her wishing plaque, then he must have been determined to get to the bottom of her past, not content to live in confusion and let matters drop unresolved.
But she knew it was untraceable.
There were no clues to be found.
There existed no ancient texts, nor any deceased husband's close friend.
So, in his eyes now, what did she exist as? A ghost?
