The sky above was pitch-black, with only a few cold stars faintly visible. Mist swirled around, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Jiang Ci watched as Pei Yan leaned down, his teasing smile fading slightly. His gaze held a hint of focus and curiosity that made her heart flutter. As his warm breath drew near, she felt dizzy and instinctively turned her head. Pei Yan’s moist lips brushed against her right cheek.
Time seemed to pause for a moment. Jiang Ci’s eyes widened, her heart racing as if it would leap from her chest. The overwhelming sensation was too much to bear. Her soaked inner garments clung to her body, intensifying the feeling of pressure until she couldn’t help but cough several times.
Pei Yan lifted his head, his smile a bit stiff. He quickly rolled off Jiang Ci, lying on the ground and laughing breathlessly, “Look how scared you are! What, afraid I’d take advantage of you? Don’t worry, you country girl. Even if you were offered to me, I wouldn’t be interested!”
Jiang Ci felt a tightness in her chest. She reached out, repeatedly patting her chest and tugging at her wet clothes. As Pei Yan’s laughter subsided, he took a few deep breaths and stood up. Seeing Jiang Ci’s state, he said coldly, “What a useless girl! I’m tired and going to sleep in the thatched cottage.” He turned towards the small hill to the right of the stone pool where the cottage stood. After a few steps, he looked back, “I’m going to sleep and don’t like being disturbed. Stay here by yourself, and don’t come bothering me because you’re scared.” With that, he disappeared into the darkness.
After a long while, Jiang Ci’s breathing steadied, and her heartbeat no longer felt so frightening. She slowly sat up, muttering, “Always bullying me… What kind of hero are you? One day, I’ll bully you back. Just wait and see!”
Her initial shock gave way to anger. She suddenly took off her wet shirt and hung it by the fire. She kicked the fire vigorously and shouted towards the cottage, “You dead crab! You’re despicable and shameless! One day, I, Jiang Ci, will make sure you never recover!”
Inside the cottage, Pei Yan sat on a bamboo couch. He slowly raised his right hand, touching his lips, then gradually closed his eyes.
Jiang Ci dried her clothes one by one and put them back on. She sat blankly by the fire, staring at the misty water surface. After a long while, she felt an inexplicable sadness and buried her head between her knees.
Light footsteps approached and stopped beside her. She silently turned away.
Pei Yan looked down at Jiang Ci’s back and said coldly, “Get up! Do you plan to stay here all night?”
Jiang Ci remained silent and didn’t move.
Pei Yan suddenly bent down, grabbed her left wrist, and pulled her up, striding back the way they had come. Jiang Ci stumbled as he dragged her, shouting angrily, “I’m not your slave! Don’t tell me what to do!”
Pei Yan let go of her hand without looking back. “You can stay here if you want. But don’t blame me if tigers or wolves come to bully you!” He continued walking down the mountain.
Remembering his words, Jiang Ci finally felt a bit scared. After a moment’s hesitation, she hurried to catch up but didn’t dare get too close. She used her lightness skill to follow three or four steps behind him.
Pei Yan walked with his hands behind his back, hearing the footsteps behind him. He pursed his lips and shook his head slightly.
That night, Jiang Ci couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning in bed. At dawn, she heard Pei Yan get up outside and the soft swishing sounds from the courtyard, knowing he was practicing with his sword. Unable to resist, she put on a robe and got out of bed, opening the window to look outside.
Pei Yan wore only his close-fitting training clothes. His white figure whirled and leaped in the courtyard, his sword moving as fast as lightning, like flashes of light. It was reminiscent of the sun erupting or lightning and thunder, with constant dragon-like humming.
Despite her dislike for this “crab,” Jiang Ci couldn’t help but let out a soft sound of admiration. Pei Yan’s movements faltered slightly, then his right foot kicked off a large tree in front. His body leaped like a carp in midair, and as he turned, his sword shot out, a cold flash heading straight for Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci was startled and closed her eyes with a yelp. After a “thud” sound, she heard a continuous buzzing. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes to see the sword embedded in the window frame in front of her, still quivering slightly.
Pei Yan walked casually to the window, pulled out the sword, and looked at Jiang Ci’s pale face. His tone carried a hint of contempt and disdain: “Useless girl!”
Jiang Ci replied coldly, “Lord Pei is so capable, always scaring this useless little girl!” She suddenly turned around and slammed the window shut.
Pei Yan had given strict orders that no servants were allowed to enter the main courtyard or serve him. Only fresh vegetables were to be delivered daily at the Chen hour (7-9 am) through the west side door of the main courtyard by a male servant. The responsibility for three meals a day fell entirely on Jiang Ci’s shoulders.
Jiang Ci was annoyed for half a day but then changed her mind. She knew that the more upset she became, the more pleased this “crab” would be. She decided to ignore him instead. Relaxing, she hummed tunes in the small kitchen of the main courtyard, preparing a few delicious dishes. Naturally, she filled her stomach first before bringing the food to the main room.
For two consecutive days, Pei Yan stayed in the east pavilion, reviewing the confidential documents An Chen delivered punctually. He would always step out just as Jiang Ci finished setting the table, silently sitting down to eat alone. Jiang Ci would stand far away, and they rarely spoke. When their eyes occasionally met, Jiang Ci would turn away.
On this day, after lunch, Pei Yan was taking a nap on the couch when An Chen entered the pavilion. He bowed and approached Pei Yan, speaking softly, “Lord Pei, there’s a reply from the ‘Hating Heaven Hall’.”
Pei Yan didn’t open his eyes. “Speak.”
“We spent a total of ten thousand taels of silver to buy one sentence from the Left Hall Master. He said: ‘The one who paid to save Miss Jiang’s life has the blood of tens of thousands on his hands.'”
Pei Yan sat up, exchanging a glance with An Chen, and said slowly, “It seems it’s undoubtedly him.”
“Yes, Lord Pei. Yao Dingbang is handsome, and skilled, and has always been favored by Lord Bo. He’s been missing since the day of his wife’s birthday banquet and hasn’t been seen since. Years ago, under the pretext of war with the Huan Kingdom, he allowed his subordinates to plunder several prefectures and counties, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries. If Lord Bo hadn’t helped cover it up, he might not have escaped punishment. All these clues strongly suggest he could be the Star Moon Sect Leader.”
Pei Yan picked up the teacup beside the couch and sipped slowly his expression grave. He pondered, “If it is Yao Dingbang, it could be troublesome.”
“I wonder if Lord Bo knows his true identity.”
“Even if Lord Bo knows, he’s probably just going along with it. He’d be delighted to see fires of war in the northwest, profiting from the chaos.”
“If Lord Bo knows the truth, dealing with Yao Dingbang could be problematic for us.”
Pei Yan stood up and paced the room several times before stopping at the window, and looking out into the courtyard.
The thin winter sun spread across the entire courtyard. Jiang Ci sat under the ginkgo tree, head lowered as she shelled melon seeds. For each seed she shelled, she would flick it into the air and then tilt her head back to catch it in her mouth. When she caught one, her face would light up with joy. Even when she missed, she would laugh heartily.
Pei Yan watched silently. Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion flashing across his face. His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened imperceptibly.
Seeing that Pei Yan had been silent for a long time, An Chen called softly, “Lord Pei!”
Pei Yan suddenly turned his head, uttered an “Oh,” and sat down in a chair. After pondering for a moment, he said, “In this election for the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, there are also commanders from Bo Gong’s army participating. I fear Yao Dingbang will stir up trouble. If his people seize this leadership position and control the martial artists in the Northwestern army, we’ll be attacked from both sides, putting my Changfeng Cavalry in danger. Starting today, people from various factions will arrive. Pass down the order to keep an eye on all suspicious individuals. Don’t let any clues slip by.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Also, keep a close watch on He Qingling’s movements. We’ll need to lend her a hand when the time comes.”
“Yes, she hasn’t been idle. It seems she’s acting according to our plan.”
Pei Yan smiled, “This sister, her actions are quite to my liking.” He turned his head to glance at Jiang Ci, who was smiling like a flower under the tree in the courtyard. His smile slightly froze, and he finally let out a cold laugh, saying, “You may go now. Proceed as planned.”
Jiang Ci sat under the tree, tossing melon seeds into the air, about to catch them with her mouth when Pei Yan’s face suddenly appeared before her. Startled, the seeds fell into her eyes. She hurriedly shook her head, blinking several times.
Pei Yan laughed heartily, “You’re such a glutton, even your eyes want to join in the feast.”
Jiang Ci rubbed her eyes and angrily said, “What’s wrong with enjoying food? It’s a hundred times better than bullying people like you do!”
Pei Yan sat down beside her and snatched the melon seeds from her hand. Jiang Ci glared at him, stood up, and silently started to walk away.
Pei Yan suddenly extended his right hand and yanked Jiang Ci. Caught off guard, she fell backward, her head hitting the ginkgo tree trunk hard. She let out an “Ah!” and quickly got up again, still heading towards the room.
Pei Yan tossed aside the melon seeds and pulled Jiang Ci down again. Jiang Ci got up once more. Pei Yan’s expression gradually cooled as he yanked her down several more times. Jiang Ci’s braid became disheveled, but she still fell hard and silently got up each time.
As Pei Yan’s grip slightly loosened, Jiang Ci staggered a few steps, ran into the room, and slammed the door shut with a “bang.”
The winter sun shone on Pei Yan’s face, making his gaze flickering. After a long while, he stood up and walked to the door of the west wing room. He listened for a moment, then chuckled, “The little girl didn’t cry this time.”
He placed his hand on the door panel, exerted some force, and pushed the door open. He saw a large lump under the blanket on the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the blanket, but the person inside didn’t move. After waiting for a moment, he patted it again, but Jiang Ci still didn’t budge.
Pei Yan relaxed his body, leaned back, and lay down on top of Jiang Ci, saying leisurely, “An Chen said he found a big wild boar on the back mountain. I should go stretch my muscles.”
Jiang Ci moved slightly. Pei Yan walked towards the courtyard. Just as he reached it, Jiang Ci chased after him. Pei Yan smiled smugly, and though Jiang Ci’s face was slightly red, she still followed behind him.
Jiang Ci followed Pei Yan around the back mountain, but they didn’t see any traces of wild boar. They only caught two pheasants, which was a bit disappointing. Seeing that it was getting dark, she complained, “An Chen lied, there’s no wild boar!”
Pei Yan led her down the mountain, saying leisurely, “Because the wild boar knew something tastier had come up the mountain, so it got scared and hid.”
Jiang Ci, holding a pheasant in each hand, looked around and smiled, “Well, it wasn’t a wasted trip. Your Excellency, shall I make you some beggar’s chicken tonight?”
“Good,” Pei Yan smiled, “Just don’t burn it.”
Jiang Ci swallowed and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Your Excellency, um, beggar’s chicken should be paired with genuine carved wine to be truly flavorful.”
Pei Yan coughed lightly, “Then have someone bring in some carved wine.”
Jiang Ci was overjoyed. She ran in front of Pei Yan, rushing down the mountain. In the twilight, her long black hair fluttered in the wind, rising and falling. Pei Yan’s footsteps gradually slowed.
As night fell, Pei Yan smelled a strong aroma. He put down the confidential report in his hand and stepped out of the room. He saw a small table set up under the tree in the courtyard. Next to it, a charcoal fire cast a glow on Jiang Ci’s face, making it look like a peach blossom. She was bending down to remove the mud-wrapped chicken from the charcoal fire and place it on the table. She then stamped her feet and touched her earlobe, apparently having burned her fingers.
Pei Yan took her hand to look at it, clicking his tongue, “If you put as much effort into martial arts as you do into cooking, how could you burn your hand!” He turned to take the carved wine from the table, poured some into his palm, took Jiang Ci’s hand, and rubbed it several times. Jiang Ci grimaced, inhaling sharply. Pei Yan tapped her on the head, “Can’t you be more mature?!”
Jiang Ci pulled her hands away, picked up the small knife on the table, and slowly began to carefully peel off the mud covering the chicken. She then cut the chicken meat into strips. Pei Yan picked up a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly with his eyes narrowed, then tilted his head back to drink a mouthful of carved wine.
As Jiang Ci cut off a strip of chicken, Pei Yan would pick up another. Seeing half the chicken quickly disappear into Pei Yan’s stomach, Jiang Ci angrily slammed the knife onto the table, grabbed the other half of the chicken, and started walking toward the room. Pei Yan threw the chicken bone in his hand at Jiang Ci’s right leg. Jiang Ci stumbled, the roasted chicken slipping from her grasp. Pei Yan’s right arm swooped down like fishing from the sea bottom, catching the chicken, while his left arm wrapped around Jiang Ci’s waist, pulling her into his embrace.
Before Jiang Ci could react, Pei Yan’s right foot hooked under the table. The wine pot on the table suddenly shot up into the air. Pei Yan, holding her, leaped up at the same time. Jiang Ci only felt a whooshing sound, and then she was sitting on a branch of the ginkgo tree. Just as they settled, the wine pot fell from the sky. Pei Yan reached out and gently caught it, handing it to Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci smiled as she took the wine pot. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with Pei Yan on the tree, she gazed at the twinkling cold stars in the sky, took a sip of wine, and sighed.
Pei Yan tore off a piece of chicken and offered it to Jiang Ci. Seeing she wouldn’t take it, he forcefully stuffed it into her mouth. He laughed, “You’re so young, what are you sighing about?!”
Jiang Ci, with her mouth full of chicken, mumbled, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had carved wine and beggar’s chicken. I miss my Junior Uncle a bit.”
“Why think of him?”
“Junior Uncle taught me how to make this beggar’s chicken. All my culinary skills, I learned from him. I wonder when I’ll be able to leave this wolf’s den and return to Deng Family Village to properly apologize to Junior Uncle.”
Pei Yan coughed lightly. Seeing An Chen enter the garden, he shoved the roasted chicken and wine pot into Jiang Ci’s arms and said coldly, “Don’t get drunk. If a wolf comes to eat you, I won’t be responsible.”
An Chen whispered a few words in Pei Yan’s ear. Pei Yan’s expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly left the courtyard with An Chen. Soon after, faint sounds of commotion drifted over from the south.
Jiang Ci listened intently for a moment but couldn’t hear clearly. Knowing she couldn’t leave the courtyard, she just sat on the tree, eating the roasted chicken and drinking the carved wine. Without realizing it, she finished all the wine in the pot and became a bit tipsy.
The early winter night wind carried a hint of coldness. Jiang Ci gradually felt a bit drowsy. She suddenly threw the wine pot, watching it fall into the charcoal fire beneath the tree, sending up a shower of sparks. She laughed uncontrollably, “You big crab, sooner or later I’ll set your wolf’s den on fire!”
As she was laughing, she suddenly heard a “meow meow” sound coming from outside the high wall on the north side of the courtyard, near the back mountain.
Jiang Ci’s heart skipped a beat, but she tried to remain calm. She climbed down from the tree and slowly walked to the wall on the north side of the courtyard. She “meow meow” -ed a few times. With a gust of wind, she felt her waist tighten as a rope wrapped around her, lifting her over the high wall.
The cold wind whistled past her ears. In her dizzy state, Jiang Ci fell into someone’s arms. Seeing those eyes gleaming like jewels, Jiang Ci giggled, “You finally came. I thought you were afraid of him and wouldn’t show up!”
Wei Zhao didn’t say a word. He picked her up and flashed like a ghost up the back mountain. After running for a while in the mountains, he leaped onto a large tree and was about to place Jiang Ci on a branch. However, she tightly gripped the front of his clothes. The strong smell of alcohol made him frown slightly, and he was about to pry her hands off.
Being carried like this by Wei Zhao and running in the night wind for a while made Jiang Ci even more drunk. Before her eyes, sometimes it was Wei Zhao’s incomparably handsome face, sometimes it was Pei Yan’s hateful smile. She gradually became confused. Staring at Wei Zhao for a moment, her body softened, and she leaned on his shoulder, murmuring, “You… why do you always bully me?”