Yun Ye’s martial arts were indeed formidable. One moment it was the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, the next moment military combat techniques. He wielded his horse lance with tremendous force, constantly thrusting at the large man’s sides.

Hong Cheng was greatly alarmed. He could see that the burly man was a rare master. The twenty-jin heavy cleaver was as light as straw in his hands, casually deflecting Yun Ye’s horse lance to the side, calmly and leisurely playing with him.

He couldn’t go up himself—Yun Ye had just said not to let anyone else interfere. He didn’t know why the usually astute Yun Ye had lost his head and personally entered combat. Seeing Liu Jinbao nonchalantly eating a piece of osmanthus cake, he slapped the back of his head, knocking the osmanthus cake out of his mouth that he’d just fed in, urgently saying: “Your marquis has encountered a tough one. I can’t help, so you go. It’s natural and right for a servant to help his master.”

Liu Jinbao rubbed his painfully struck back of the head, baring his teeth: “My marquis’s martial arts are excellent. He’ll definitely drive away this bandit.”

“But he’s already been carried away!” Hong Cheng pointed at the burly man carrying Yun Ye and turning to run.

Liu Jinbao grabbed Hong Cheng’s war horse reins and said: “This is my marquis’s strategy to lure the enemy.” The furious Hong Cheng was about to kick Liu Jinbao aside and ride to the rescue himself when he turned around, only to have the back of his head slapped by Wu She.

“Told you you’re stupid, and you still won’t admit it. That’s not a bandit—he’s Yun Ye’s friend, and a very close one at that. Didn’t you see even Wang Cai followed along? Stop talking nonsense. We’ll camp here on the spot. After they finish their reunion, they’ll come back.”

After hearing Wu She’s words, Hong Cheng told this news to the furious soldiers, then chased Liu Jinbao all over the camp. Finally cornered before Wu She, he said viciously: “Who is that person?”

“Lord Hong, you’d better not ask. That person isn’t from the same world as us. According to my marquis, that fellow nearly ran to the edge of the sky and almost became an immortal. Of over two hundred companions, only he came back. When he first returned, he was covered in wounds all over. He stayed at my house for a long time. Sir Wu She should know about the white bear skin business—that thing was brought back from the edge of the sky by him. Don’t ask me, I really don’t know what his name is.”

“That’s what I thought. Where do so many supreme masters come from in this world, randomly emerging one or two at a time? Your marquis’s courage is highly suspicious. Only toward people he trusts extremely would he have this kind of behavior. Never mind, your marquis’s origins are very mysterious. Worldly masters are all like this.” Wu She stroked his beardless chin, full of longing. Hong Cheng remained utterly confused.

On the country path, both sides were lined with waist-high thatch grass. In this damned weather, grain wouldn’t grow, but wild grass was extremely lush.

Xi Tong shouldered his cleaver, Yun Ye dragged his horse lance, and the two walked and chatted. Wang Cai kept inserting his head between them.

“This is Wang Cai! Haven’t seen him in over a year—from a fat horse he’s become a fine steed. Not bad, very good, very good.”

“Old Xi, how come you haven’t contacted my family in over a year? I came to Hebei specifically to see you. You know I don’t have many friends. If you couldn’t come in person, sending a letter would have been good.”

“Busy! Morning to night busy for dozens of mouths. If I don’t feed them full, I can’t go anywhere. You’re a wealthy idle person. This time leading a large army around, you must be mixing it up quite successfully and smoothly.”

“Successfully my ass! Several times I narrowly escaped death, rolling on knife’s edge. Being alive to see you means I have tremendous good fortune.” These words he never spoke before others flowed out before Xi Tong. Even the usually bold Xi Tong broke out in a cold sweat for him.

“Didn’t expect you’ve also been living through three shocks a day during this period. What’s so good about that wealth and honor? Risking your life for it is too worthless. You also don’t like mixing in the mortal world. Why not settle down with me in this small village? Bring over Old Madam and your two wives, live some peaceful days properly.”

Xi Tong had changed greatly. The fierce heroic spirit of the past had disappeared from him. If not for that steel-like physique still there, you almost couldn’t tell this was a hero who would fly into a rage and take someone’s head from a thousand li away. His trouser legs were covered in dust, his face had become dark and swarthy, no different from those laborers in the army.

“I originally thought that during this great Hebei disaster, you might pull together a force, kill officials and distribute grain, rob the rich to help the poor, galloping freely across Hebei’s land. Isn’t settling grudges and favors the life you’ve always yearned for?”

“Settling grudges my ass! Kill officials and distribute grain? The governors’ homes don’t even have grain for the next day. What use is killing them? I’ll tell you, the officials the Li family sent here are among the better officials. Little Thirteen was crying from hunger. I, as his father, couldn’t sit still. At night I went to the provincial capital. When I got to the governor’s house and looked, the whole family, old and young, were also drinking thin porridge. His little daughter was also crying for osmanthus cake and was slapped twice by the governor. She didn’t even dare cry—it was heartbreaking to see. I turned and left. On the way back, good luck—a wild boar actually ran out from the mountains, quite fat. I killed it with one strike, planning to go back and cook meat for Little Thirteen. Thinking of the governor’s little girl, I cut off a pig hindleg and sent it over, hung it in his living room, left a note saying it was for the child.”

“Hahaha, you always do this kind of thing. The governor was probably scared out of his wits, right?”

“No, that governor has some courage. He cut off a piece of the pork leg meat and cooked it for his child. After cooking the rest, he distributed it all to the widowed and elderly. This time I didn’t misjudge him. If the Li family’s officials are all like this, they deserve to sit on the ten-thousand-year empire. I’m willing to be an obedient subject, convinced from the heart.” Xi Tong spoke these words very seriously. You could tell they were all from the heart. An unruly person always has his own bottom line, just as proud people won’t bully the weak.

“I remember when you left, Grandmother packed several carts of things for you. Though it won’t make you filthy rich, several years of food, drink, and expenses for the whole family shouldn’t be a worry. Where did it all go? Never mind, you don’t need to say it. I’m sure you gave it to others. Money in your hands is a sin.”

Xi Tong laughed heartily, patting Yun Ye’s shoulder: “You’re truly my soulmate. I dragged the carts rushing home all the way. When I saw beggars, I gave a bag of grain. When I saw naked people, I gave a piece of hemp cloth. Damn it, Hebei is too poor—too many bare-assed people. By the time I got home, only one cart of grain remained, five or six bolts of hemp cloth. Fortunately, there were still three oxen. Even so, the wives were so happy. That night, I was the bridegroom seven times. Hahaha.”

Yun Ye nearly choked to death on his own saliva. Pointing at Xi Tong: “I thought you just pitied those women. You actually became their husband?”

Xi Tong curled his lip disdainfully: “I look down on you hypocrites. They’re already my wives—why not? Twenty-one of them. I didn’t let a single one off. Now five are already big-bellied. You, as their uncle, prepare gifts. There are many children at home, all looking forward to their wealthy uncle bringing them good food.”

“The children also know of my existence?”

“Nonsense! You’re my only wealthy friend. How can I not show off? At night, I can’t always be doing those things with my wives, right? I also tell the children about their father’s past. Talking about Tian Xiangzi isn’t appropriate, so you’re the top priority. The children all want to meet you, this marquis. You kept not coming, so the children thought I was lying. Hearing you’d arrived in Hebei, I had no choice but to bring you back to let them have a look, prove I wasn’t talking nonsense.”

“Damn it, I’m wearing armor now—where would I put gifts? No good, I have to go back, get gifts and then come.”

Originally thinking it was just Xi Tong alone, empty hands didn’t matter. Now he learned this bastard really had a large family. Going like this would be impolite.

Xi Tong jerked his chin backward: “Your scout soldiers are following behind. Tell them to go pull some back.” Yun Ye looked back. Seven or eight people were sneaking around in the grass. If you didn’t look carefully, you couldn’t see them.

“Get out here.” Yun Ye shouted at the scouts.

As soon as the scouts came out, they quickly separated Yun Ye and Xi Tong, vigilantly staring at Xi Tong.

“This is my old friend. Just now was a joke. A few of you go back, quickly pull several carts of gifts for me—grain, hemp cloth, silk, everything. Go quickly, deliver to the village ahead.”

“Pastries—most important are pastries. I told the children that Yun family pastries are the most delicious in the world. Must have them. Seeing that you’re on campaign, forget perfume and such things. I heard you killed a large fish by the sea. How big? Country folk all say it’s as big as a house. You didn’t kill a kun, did you?”

Speaking of this matter, Yun Ye looked completely proud. Watching the two scouts run back quickly, he nodded with satisfaction before saying: “You just killed a few white bears—what’s that worth? I’ve been leading ships chasing kun for fun on the sea these days. I shot dead over a dozen with the eight-ox crossbow. Back when Master Ren fished whales in the East Sea, he used oxen, and one whale fed the people east of the river. I used shooting—that fish meat piled up like mountains. I even caught one whale and had it tow my ship around the sea. That speed—tsk tsk—you couldn’t imagine it in your dreams. Finally got tired of playing, so I chased it ashore and killed it for meat. You don’t know, that fish was bigger than your broken house. In a bit they’ll bring you some. Taste it well, see your brother’s methods. Don’t believe me? Ask them.”

Anyone who could be a scout wasn’t stupid. Hearing the marquis boasting fiercely, they quickly played along. One said the marquis’s heroic posture when shooting the whale was truly unforgettable. Another said the marquis didn’t forget to straighten his clothes amid danger—truly a model for us all. One whale rapidly escalated from ten thousand jin to several million jin.

Hearing this, Yun Ye nodded repeatedly. Xi Tong listened with his mouth agape, forgetting his cleaver had dropped to the ground.