"Click." The leather belt came undone. Huo Tingshan removed his outer robe, then loosened the ties of his inner garment. The inner garment was pulled down and half-removed, revealing his torso.
Military men typically had robust physiques. Huo Tingshan had practiced martial arts since childhood, maintaining a strict daily morning training regimen. Through battlefield experience and relentless training, he had developed a body of beautifully defined, powerful muscles. Combined with his broad frame and imposing stature, he always appeared more formidable than other generals.
Now, against his dark skin on his left shoulder blade, a silk bandage with a reddish surface was tied.
Feng Yuzhu untied the knot of the bandage and began unwinding it layer by layer.
As the reddish bandage, which emitted a strong medicinal odor, was removed, Pei Ying saw the wound beneath.
The gash was about ten centimeters long and had been sutured, though the person who performed the stitching seemed inexperienced, as the suture line was somewhat crooked.
Pei Ying was not unfamiliar with Huo Tingshan's back; she knew it bore many scars. But seeing this fresh, unhealed wound still faintly tinged with blood caused her heart to clench painfully.
Seeing her pale face, Huo Tingshan immediately laughed. "It's just a small cut. Look how scared you are."
Her courage seemed to be shrinking. Previously, she turned pale at the sight of a corpse, and now she couldn't even bear to look at a minor wound?
Pei Ying frowned deeply. "It's nearly three inches long. That's not a small cut."
Though deeply unsettled, she resisted the urge to look away. Pei Ying asked, "Physician Feng, when you sutured him, did you boil the needle and thread?"
Feng Yuzhu replied, "Yes."
Ever since he scalded the needles before performing acupuncture on the mistress last time, he had developed the habit of sterilizing needles before medical procedures.
Pei Ying examined the wound carefully and, for now, found no signs of pus or infection.
Ancient times lacked antibiotics, and medical conditions were primitive. Not everyone survived treatments like scraping poison from the bone.
Feng Yuzhu took out a medicine bottle and poured a yellowish powder onto Huo Tingshan's wound. As he reapplied the medicine, Pei Ying asked, "Huo Tingshan, have you had a fever?"
The man paused. "No."
"Tell me the truth. How long did the fever last?" Pei Ying didn't believe him.
Huo Tingshan gave a light cough. "It was just for a moment, and it subsided quickly. Don't worry, my lady. A minor injury like this will heal in a few days. It's nothing to be concerned about."
Pei Ying was exasperated. She realized this man was not only chauvinistic but also intensely proud.
Having a fever or not—he couldn't even admit to something so simple.
"Commander, please remember to care for both wounds. They must not get wet as before. Bathing should be postponed for now," Feng Yuzhu, who had been quietly applying medicine like a shadow, suddenly spoke.
Huo Tingshan's mouth twitched.
Sure enough, as soon as the words were out, her expression changed.
"You dared to bathe?" Pei Ying's almond-shaped eyes widened.
Huo Tingshan didn't speak, merely raising an eyebrow to meet her gaze.
Pei Ying understood the meaning in his eyes: if he didn't bathe, she would complain about him being unclean.
Pei Ying hesitated briefly but quickly said, "A simple wipe-down is enough. When campaigning, one can't afford such luxuries. General, you must take care of your health. If you fall ill, it will unsettle the army's morale."
"Set your heart at ease, my lady. I know my limits," Huo Tingshan said, curling his lips into a smile. "It's rare to see my lady so concerned for me. Today truly feels like a gentle spring breeze. I hope this breeze will blow more often in the future."
Feng Yuzhu lowered his head even further.
Pei Ying pressed her lips together, embarrassed.
She had worried for nothing; this man was perfectly fine now.
After the medicine was applied to his shoulder, Huo Tingshan casually put his inner garment back on, then pushed up the wide sleeve on his right arm.
The other wound was on his upper arm. It wasn't as deep as the one on his shoulder, but it was about five centimeters long and had also been roughly sutured. This wound was likely stitched first, as the suturing was visibly cruder than that on the shoulder.
Huo Tingshan said, "Don't look. There's nothing good to see."
Her face had remained pale from the moment she saw the first wound. Anyone who didn't know better might think the white magnolia in the mansion's garden had turned into a spirit.
Pei Ying remained silent.
Hearing this, Feng Yuzhu immediately sped up his work. The wound on Huo Tingshan's arm was less severe than the one on his shoulder, and he finished quickly. "Commander, I will return tomorrow to change your dressings."
"Thank you, Physician Feng," Huo Tingshan said, pulling his sleeve back down.
Feng Yuzhu soon departed.
Huo Tingshan walked to the low table. "My lady, let's eat. Try this roasted horse meat. It's not a common dish."
Horses were extremely valuable, especially strong, young warhorses. Only those that died in battle became a meal on the table. If a horse was unharmed, no matter how plentiful their supplies, Huo Tingshan would never touch a warhorse.
Pei Ying sat beside him. Seeing him pick up his chopsticks, she said, "If it's inconvenient to use chopsticks, I can have someone bring you a spoon."
"Why trouble with that? It would be better if my lady assisted me throughout the meal," Huo Tingshan said with a teasing smile.
Pei Ying muttered, "It seems you really are fine."
The evening meal was sumptuous, but perhaps because she had just seen his two wounds, Pei Ying had little appetite. She only ate a few pieces of horse meat and didn't touch the goat's milk.
"Finished already?" Huo Tingshan glanced at her plate. "The rabbits on the grassland eat more than you."
Pei Ying said, "I'm full."
Huo Tingshan clicked his tongue lightly.
If he had known she was becoming so easily frightened, he should have eaten first and changed the dressings afterward.
Pei Ying shook her head. "I really can't eat any more."
"If you get hungry tonight, you can have some jerky. I confiscated a bag of beef jerky from Khan Wuji's camp. It's quite tasty," Huo Tingshan said, taking the goat's milk and the remaining pieces of horse meat from her plate and placing them on his own.
Khan Wuji's camp had been set on fire. While some Xiongnu were burned to death, many supplies were also destroyed. Still, quite a bit remained.
Such as food—livestock, both live and dried.
Having ample military supplies didn't mean they could be wasteful, especially since the Youzhou army had suffered great hardships in previous years. Therefore, from the general down to the lowest foot soldier, no one wasted food.
Even with this additional small portion, Huo Tingshan cleaned his plate. After the meal, a cook's assistant came in to clear the utensils.
The closer it got to winter, the shorter the days and longer the nights. Before the evening meal, there had been a lingering sunset glow, but by the time they finished eating, the sky was completely dark.
The main tent used for discussions was illuminated by a night-pearl, its light soft and clear, brightening the enormous sheepskin map.
This map encompassed the Great Chu and the northern territories. The northern grasslands were sketched roughly, unlike the detailed markings of mountains and rivers within Great Chu's borders. Only two snake-like rivers meandered across the grassland.
Far north, away from the Great Chu border, a red dot was marked, with the words "Khan's Court" written in cinnabar ink beside it.
Pei Ying stood before the map. "Huo Tingshan, do you have more discussions with the advisors tonight?"
Huo Tingshan glanced briefly at the map she was studying. "No need. We finalized everything this afternoon."
Pei Ying had initially thought that if discussions were needed, she would return and wait for him. Since there was nothing left to do, she wasn't in a hurry to leave. "You mentioned before that you intend to form an alliance with Khan Junchen and help him ascend to power. But his location isn't marked on the map. How will you find him?"
The tribes of the northern lands do not settle permanently; they follow the water and grass. The grasslands are so vast that finding someone is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Besides the major factions on the prairie, there are also many scattered small tribes, such as the Fuyu. I plan to send people to seek out these small tribes and have them pass a message for me," said Huo Tingshan.
Pei Ying listened but was skeptical. "The languages are different, and they are not our own people. Will they help you?"
"Chen Yuan also speaks the Xiongnu language, so communication is not a problem. As for whether they will cooperate..." Huo Tingshan let out a scoffing laugh. "They have no choice."
He had already swallowed up Khan Wuji, who commanded tens of thousands. Taking a small tribe would be as easy as turning over his hand. If they cooperated, all would be well; he might even give them some female captives and livestock. If they didn't, then they could go join Khan Wuji.
Pei Ying gave a soft "Mm."
Hearing the slight heaviness in her tone, Huo Tingshan remembered her origins. She likely came from a peaceful, prosperous era. In that era, were the northern lands already pacified? Did the frontier people no longer have to suffer the hardships of war?
For a moment, Huo Tingshan wanted to ask, but those questions ultimately remained unspoken.
Enough. He had already frightened her once today. If she knew the secret she thought was well-hidden had been discovered, she might toss and turn all night, unable to sleep.
"Shall I accompany you for a walk?" Huo Tingshan changed the subject.
It wasn't yet time to retire, and a stroll after dinner was pleasant. Pei Ying nodded.
The military camp needed light at night as well. Simple candlesticks and lanterns were insufficient for a large camp's needs, so braziers and torches were used instead.
These braziers and torches, placed at regular intervals, formed lines of light that illuminated the camp.
Pei Ying looked around and couldn't help saying, "Huo Tingshan, with more captives in the army now, they must be watched closely. Otherwise, if a tent catches fire, it won't be easy to put out."
The northern lands were already short on water. If a fire started, they'd likely have to tear down the outer tent and leave it in an empty area to burn itself out.
Huo Tingshan: "Mm, I know. Besides posting more soldiers to guard them, I've informed them that if one acts out of line, all will be executed under the principle of collective punishment."
Pei Ying turned her head to look at him. "You're quite good at bluffing."
He still had great use for them; one could even say these captives were crucial. He absolutely would not be willing to kill them.
"I thought my lady was already aware of that." Huo Tingshan looked down at her, a few threads of laughter showing in his dark eyes.
She had sensed before that he might not—or rather, at the time, could not—do anything to her, which was why she had tested him repeatedly, probing to see where his bottom line truly lay.
Pei Ying averted her eyes. "There's not much scenery to see at night. Let's return after finishing this round."
Not long after, the two returned to the main command tent.
Upon entering the main tent used for sleeping, Pei Ying was not at all surprised to see a scene of disarray.
Clothes were tossed about haphazardly. The lid of the clothing chest was left wide open. The neat robes from before the campaign had once again become "strips."
The sleeping couch was no better, piled with many garments, leaving just enough space to lie down.
Pei Ying closed her eyes for a moment, mentally repeating to herself several times that he was injured, barely managing to suppress her wave of distaste.
She resigned herself and began tidying up.
Just after finishing with the clothing chest, Pei Ying turned around and, not expecting anyone behind her, almost collided with Huo Tingshan's chest.
Startled, Pei Ying immediately stepped back, but behind her was the wide wooden clothing chest. Another step back and she would have bumped into it. A long arm reached out, encircling the beautiful woman's slender waist, pulling her back and holding her steady. "So careless."
Pei Ying furrowed her delicate brows. "Why were you following behind me?"
"It's only been a few days apart, yet my lady has already grown so distant from me." Huo Tingshan's eyes held displeasure.
Pei Ying knew he was referring to her stepping back. "You're injured. Although the wound has been stitched, you still need to be careful."
"A mere scratch." Huo Tingshan dismissed it with a snort.
Pei Ying couldn't help saying, "Don't take it lightly. If minor wounds aren't cared for, they can easily become infected, and that would be troublesome."
"My lady, what is 'infected'?" Huo Tingshan asked.
"It's similar to the bacteria and viruses I mentioned before. Pathogenic qi enters the body, causing illness." Pei Ying originally intended to swat his hand away but remembered the injury on that arm and refrained. "Huo Tingshan, the clothes aren't put away yet. Let go of me first."
Huo Tingshan noticed her small hesitation. The corner of his mouth lifted, the displeasure in his eyes fading. Without a word, he released her as she asked.
After finishing with the clothing chest, Pei Ying went to the couch to gather the garments, folding them one by one before storing them in another empty chest.
As she placed the last piece of clothing, she looked up and met a pair of narrow, dark eyes.
The man sat on the soft couch. Compared to when he stood, the sense of oppression he gave off was only slightly diminished. The night pearl beside him cast a large, dark shadow at his feet, like some massive beast coiled in repose.
However, those dark eyes were not fierce at the moment, but held a rare softness.
Pei Ying instinctively avoided his gaze.
"Come rest, my lady." Huo Tingshan patted the spot beside him.
Pei Ying closed the lid of the clothing chest. "Huo Tingshan, you're injured. I'll sleep with Xin Jin tonight."
"Not allowed." The two words fell, cold and heavy. The man who had been lounging lazily a moment ago now sat up straight, expressionless. "Barring major changes, a husband and wife sleeping apart only invites ridicule from others."
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. How can it be the same as usual when you're injured? And the wounds are on your left shoulder and right arm—both sides." Pei Ying couldn't guarantee her sleeping posture would remain perfectly still.
Huo Tingshan said calmly, "Precisely because these are extraordinary times, we cannot separate. If we use different tents, it will only cause speculation and unsettle the troops' morale."
Pei Ying truly didn't understand. It was just her sleeping in the neighboring tent for one night. How could that possibly relate to the army's morale?
As if reading her confusion, Huo Tingshan said, "My lady, don't underestimate your standing in the hearts of our subordinates. They hold you in high esteem. They know our marital harmony. If we were to separate tents now, who knows what worries might arise in their minds."
Pei Ying fell silent, feeling there was something off about his reasoning.
"This matter is not up for discussion. Will you come over yourself, or shall I come and bring you over?" Huo Tingshan stood up.
"Don't move. I'll come over myself after I undress." Pei Ying sighed.
This man was truly used to having his way.
Pei Ying's hand pulled at her belt, slowly loosening it.
From the moment she began untying her belt, his gaze never left her. Neither spoke, and a roomful of silence spread within the tent.
Pei Ying's movements grew slower and slower. She could feel the gaze fixed upon her gradually changing. If the earlier softness was like a pool of clear water, now it was as if dark ink had dripped in, spreading into vast obscurity.
It was just past mid-autumn, and the weather wasn't particularly cold. Pei Ying's layers were limited and were soon removed.
Clad in a set of apricot-colored inner garments, she walked towards the bed. "Huo Tingshan, I'll sleep on your right side."
The wound on his left shoulder was more severe than the one on his right hand, so it was more appropriate for her to sleep on the right side.
Huo Tingshan sat on the edge of the bed and, upon hearing this, shifted his long legs to let her in.
The beautiful woman climbed onto the soft couch, trying to shrink herself into the corner as much as possible, then pulled some of the quilt over herself. She lay on her side, her head resting on the brocade pillow, her fair cheek pressed against it, creating a soft curve that looked especially tender under the glow of the night pearl.
Huo Tingshan watched quietly for a moment before placing the nearby hanging night pearl into a small black bag.
The light vanished.
Pei Ying heard him lie down as well.
Just as she closed her eyes to sleep, the person beside her suddenly moved closer. In that instant, she was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Huo Tingshan, what are you doing? What about your wounds?"
Before she could almost press herself against the tent wall, she was pulled back. Pei Ying dared not move, afraid of aggravating his injuries.
In the darkness, the man chuckled softly a few times. "So jumpy."
"Huo Tingshan!"
Huo Tingshan patted her back soothingly. "It's fine."
"No, it's not," Pei Ying was firm. "Your wounds haven't healed. You should follow the doctor's orders. A wound reopening is no small matter, and besides..."
Her voice trailed off, tinged with a hint of bashfulness. "...if your wounds really did reopen, how would Physician Feng and the others view me?"
Before she arrived, his wounds were fine. On her very first night here, he has a problem. They would surely speculate about what must have happened during the night.
He said, "They'd most likely think my wife brings me good fortune."
Pei Ying's eyebrow twitched.
Good fortune? The kind that stirs up his blood and energy?
Pei Ying really wanted to cover this man's mouth to stop his nonsense. She first felt around, then pushed against his waist and abdomen. "Really, it's not allowed. You should lie back properly."
After much persuasion, she finally got the person beside her to lie back. Pei Ying closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep.
"Awooo!"
Suddenly, a wolf's howl sounded. After the first one, others joined in one after another.
Singing to the moon, the wolf howls rose and fell like waves.
Pei Ying froze.
She remembered documentaries she had seen before, where wolves hidden in the darkness flashed pairs of eerie green eyes, like ghost fires ignited in the night.
She secretly pulled the quilt up a little higher but still felt a chill down her back. "Huo Tingshan..."
"Hmm?"
"Back when you campaigned in the northern territories, did you ever encounter wolf packs?" Pei Ying asked in a low voice.
He said, "Naturally. The wolves of the north are fierce and cunning, and they hold grudges. Once they set their sights on you, if you can't kill the alpha wolf, it's like having a blade suspended over your head afterward, making it hard to live in peace. Many years ago, before I came of age, I was a scout leading a team on a reconnaissance mission. We unfortunately ran into a wolf pack, a large one at that."
"What happened then?" Pei Ying couldn't help but feel tense.
In the darkness, his voice became flat, as if telling someone else's story. "I killed the alpha wolf and led the other scouts away."
He only said that one sentence, but Pei Ying inexplicably thought of other things.
Horses bitten by the wolf pack, scouts thrown from their mounts, wolf corpses and scouts' bodies lying on the ground...
A long arm reached over and pulled her close again. As if knowing what she was about to say, he spoke first. "As long as you don't move, Madam, the wounds will be fine."
Pei Ying's long eyelashes fluttered. In the end, she did not move.
The next day.
The morning sun rose in the east, bringing a new day. Almost no one gave a second thought to the wolf howls of the previous night.
The Youzhou Army had walked through mountains of corpses and seas of blood; a wolf pack was nothing. No matter how many there were, could they outnumber their men?
As for the female Xiongnu from the north, they were even less likely to find it strange. Wolf packs were common in the northern territories. If a small merchant caravan or a minor tribe encountered a large pack of several dozen wolves, that would indeed be cause for worry, but this was not such a situation.
Only Pei Ying was different. On one hand, her heart was unsettled by the wolf howls outside; on the other, she was constantly on edge, afraid of accidentally disturbing Huo Tingshan's wounds. Consequently, she had slept very restlessly the entire night.
She woke up quite late today and felt somewhat groggy. After washing up and having her meal, Pei Ying heard a report from a guard.
Guard: "Madam, the Grand General requests your presence."
Pei Ying nodded. When she arrived at another main tent, she found not only Huo Tingshan but also Gongsun Liang and others inside.
Huo Tingshan said with a smile, "Madam, we just received an urgent dispatch from Youzhou. The men sent south to search for 'zhe' have returned."
Pei Ying was momentarily taken aback, her grogginess and low spirits instantly swept away.
Her sugarcane was back.
