The Road to Glory

Chapter 47: Like a Wild Dog Gnawing on Bones

The Gen-ranked death soldier bowed in acknowledgment.

Pei Song then asked, "Did you remember the guard's appearance?"

The Gen-ranked death soldier replied, "During the ambush that night, it was dark and rainy, so we didn't see clearly. We only remember a general impression."

Pei Song signaled to his personal guard nearby: "Take him to see the portrait artist. Even if it's only thirty percent accurate, I want it drawn. We must determine that guard's origins."

The Gen-ranked death soldier seemed to recall something and said, "That night when the guard was captured protecting his master, the former dynasty remnant Han Yang called him 'Xiao Li.' But which specific characters those are, this subordinate doesn't know."

Pei Song's finger tapping on the desk paused, and a smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Go see the portrait artist first."

After the Gen-ranked death soldier followed the personal guard out of the tent, Pei Song murmured coldly with a faint smile, "The one who stirred up trouble south of Yongzhou back then is about to become clear."

A guard's announcement came from outside the tent: "Minister, Beauty Jiang requests an audience."

Pei Song's expression softened slightly, his smile deepening. "Enter."

Moments later, a gentle woman in a blue fox-fur cloak entered holding a soup tureen, her expression somewhat unnatural. "I... prepared some snow frog soup for the Minister."

Pei Song propped his head up, watching Jiang Yichu approach with the soup tureen. After she placed it on his desk, she took a small white jade bowl and served him a portion.

Seeing the bowl of soup offered by the beauty's slender hand, he didn't accept it. Instead, he glanced meaningfully at the soup and said, "For my sister to suddenly prepare soup for me like this makes me quite uneasy. Or perhaps... sister has remembered who I am?"

Jiang Yichu's face showed slight panic. Holding the soup bowl, she lowered her long eyelashes and said, "Minister, please don't joke. This criminal woman—"

As soon as these words left her mouth, she noticed Pei Song's expression suddenly darken and quickly corrected herself: "This concubine married into the prince's mansion at eighteen and is now twenty-three. I've never met the Minister before, how could I deserve to be called 'sister' by you?"

"This soup is simply because I noticed how cold it is in Dingzhou and how the Minister has been exhausting himself with military affairs. I specially brought it to warm and nourish you. If the Minister fears I might have tampered with the soup, I can test it for poison."

Hearing her first words, Pei Song's expression didn't improve, but when he heard her subsequent explanation, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. "If you can't remember, sister can take your time. As for this soup... I'll trouble sister to taste it first."

Jiang Yichu set down the white jade bowl. "I'll have someone bring another bowl."

But Pei Song picked up that same bowl and directly handed it to Jiang Yichu. The beast-headed iron ring on his index finger seemed to roar ferociously, terrifying to behold. A gentle, refined smile played on his lips. "No need for trouble. Sister can taste it like this."

Jiang Yichu stiffly accepted the white jade bowl. Without using the spoon inside, she took a small sip from the rim of the bowl. "The Minister can rest assured now."

Pei Song smiled, took back the small white jade bowl, turned it in his hand, and drank the remaining soup from the exact spot where Jiang Yichu had sipped. Then, looking at Jiang Yichu's flushed and pale face, he said meaningfully, "Delicious."

Jiang Yichu's expression stiffened even more.

After setting down the bowl, Pei Song grabbed one of Jiang Yichu's hands, pulled hard, and dragged her entire body into his embrace.Amid Jiang Yichu's flustered expression, he reached out and gripped her chin, staring intently as he murmured, "As the saying goes, one shouldn't accept rewards without merit. Sister suddenly being so accommodating—you must want something from me, right?"

Jiang Yichu's lips, pale even beneath the rouge, pressed together repeatedly. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "I've seen many former Liang officials sent to do hard labor... The winds and snow in Dingzhou are harsh, and they don't even have decent clothing to ward off the cold. Some have been beaten half to death by supervising officers. I fear they won't last many days. The Minister of Education aims to unify the Central Plains, but it would be better to win hearts through benevolence and virtue. I beg... the Minister to spare their lives."

Pei Song let out a cold laugh, his gaze fixed on her as tears welled in her eyes. "So Sister is pleading for those old fools..."

He drew out his words slowly: "It's not impossible..."

Jiang Yichu stared at him, her heart still racing, a flicker of surprise and hope appearing in her eyes. But then she felt a sharp pain in her jaw as he leaned in and kissed her.

It was nothing like her late husband's gentle and refined kisses. This man kissed like a wild dog gnawing on a bone, his sharp teeth grinding against her lips as if he meant to devour her bit by bit starting from her mouth.

His breathing grew ragged. One hand gripped her waist while the other kneaded her chest forcefully. Terrified, she began to struggle, but he only pulled her tighter against him. Her sash came undone, and he trailed kisses down her neck.

Tears welled in Jiang Yichu's eyes from fear. In her frantic struggle, she accidentally pressed against Pei Song's abdomen. He suddenly groaned and loosened his grip on her.

Clutching her collar, Jiang Yichu retreated pale-faced to the tent entrance.

Strangely, Pei Song's face was also pale. He pressed a hand to his abdomen, sweat beading on his temples. When he looked up and saw Jiang Yichu watching him, he coldly spat out one word: "Go."

Jiang Yichu fled the central military tent as if granted amnesty. The guards outside saw her disheveled clothing and could guess what had happened.

But Jiang Yichu had no mind for that. She kept recalling the scene of Pei Song clutching his abdomen.

He was injured!

And he was hiding it from the entire army!

Her fingers trembled slightly inside her sleeves. She needed to find a way to meet those advisors and old officials who remained loyal to her father-in-law and husband—the ones who had been demoted to hard labor—and tell them this news.

Perhaps they could find a way to assassinate Pei Song!

When Xiao Li woke again, two days had passed.

Staring at the completely unfamiliar, shabby room, he endured pain that felt like his bones had been disassembled and reassembled as he sat up. The quilt fell from him, and looking down, he saw his wounds had all been freshly bandaged. The room was filled with the lingering scent of medicinal herbs.

Where was this?

Where was Wen Yu?

Remembering the bizarre dreams he'd had while unconscious, he touched his lower lip, feeling a sharp pain there. Unable to understand what had happened, he shook his head, threw on his clothes, and stood up.

Faint voices came from the courtyard. Pushing open the door, the sudden bright daylight made him raise an arm to shield his eyes.

An old woman drying herbs in the yard noticed him and said, "Young man, you're awake?"

Once somewhat adjusted, Xiao Li lowered his arm and looked at the herb-filled courtyard. Hesitantly he asked, "Did you save me? There was a young woman with me...""Your wife, she knows some herbs and has gone to the medicine fields with the old man and A Niu," the old woman said to him with a cheerful laugh. "You're lucky to be alive, running into the old man and A Niu gathering herbs in the mountains. With injuries like yours, it's hard to say if you would have made it otherwise..."

Xiao Li was momentarily stunned upon hearing the word "wife," unsure if he had truly woken up or was trapped in another layer of a dream.

Just then, Wen Yu returned from outside carrying a medicine basket. Seeing him, she asked, "You're awake?"

The old woman teased, "Indeed! The moment he woke up, he was looking for you!"

The burly figure following behind Wen Yu, carrying a load of herbs on his shoulder, grinned foolishly at Xiao Li with slurred speech: "Big brother... awake!"

Xiao Li, initially wary at the sight of the large man, relaxed slightly upon realizing he was simple-minded.

Wen Yu set her medicine basket under the eaves and told the old woman, "Grandma, I'll leave this alfalfa here for now."

The old woman replied, "Just leave it there. I'll take care of it later. Your husband hasn't eaten in two days—go heat up some food for him in the kitchen!"

Upon hearing about food, the large man immediately put down his two herb baskets and shuffled toward the kitchen in his straw sandals, his enormous feet like palm-leaf fans: "Food! A Niu hungry!"

The old woman called him back: "A Niu, come back here."

A Niu reluctantly returned, his mountain-like frame settling onto a small stool as he began cleaning the freshly gathered herbs, muttering under his breath: "Food..."

The old woman shot him a glare before apologetically explaining to Xiao Li, "Our A Niu had a fever as a child that damaged his mind. Sorry for the amusement."

Xiao Li said, "Surviving a serious illness means one is blessed with later fortune."

Though the old woman and her husband had long come to terms with their grandson's condition over the years, she still felt comforted by Xiao Li's words and smiled. "Young man, the hardship you've just endured is no smaller than what happened to our A Niu. But having such a beautiful and virtuous wife—isn't that the greatest blessing?"

Xiao Li guessed that Wen Yu had claimed they were married to conceal their identities, but hearing the old woman repeatedly refer to her as his wife left him somewhat flustered.

He gave a slight nod and said, "I'll... go help in the kitchen."

The old woman watched his retreating back and chuckled, shaking her head. "This young man is so shy. His wife isn't embarrassed, but he's the one who can't handle it."

Entering the kitchen, Xiao Li saw Wen Yu skillfully lighting the fire behind the stove and was taken aback again. He instinctively said, "Let me do it."

He still remembered when she first arrived at his home—she didn't even know how to use a flint.

Wen Yu coughed twice from the smoke, but the fire in the stove burned steadily. She said, "It's fine. I've learned how to do these things over the past couple days from Grandma and the others. Doctor Tao said you broke two ribs, but thankfully they didn't puncture any organs, or it would have been dire. You should rest properly for a few days."

Xiao Li asked, "What happened during the two days I was unconscious?"

Wen Yu added firewood to the stove. She had been somewhat annoyed that he refused to take his medicine, leading to a high fever and unconsciousness the next day, but she also knew his collapse was ultimately due to his severe injuries and their lack of sufficient medical supplies.

During those two days of his coma, every time she woke at night, she would lean close to listen to his breathing, terrified he might not make it and would simply die.Now that he was finally standing before her safe and sound, her anger dissipated. She said, "When I woke up that day, I found you running a fever with blood seeping from your untreated wounds. While searching for usable herbs outside, I met Doctor Tao and his grandson gathering herbs on the cliff edge. It was Doctor Tao who treated your injuries, and his grandson who carried you back."

She glanced outside and added, "That child called A Niu has a simple mind like a youngster, but possesses astonishing strength. This village is isolated with many unmarried men of suitable age. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I told them we're a married couple."

Upon learning these details, Xiao Li understood the situation. Yet recalling that ambiguous dream where he'd pinned down her wrist, he found it absurd while simultaneously feeling a sharp pain throbbing in his temples.

He ceased his thoughts and looked outside, noticing the old woman and the simple-minded man processing herbs. "I've been unconscious for two days, already delaying our journey. To prevent the soldiers from catching up, we should depart soon."

Wen Yu said, "If I'm not mistaken, those who ambushed us were Pei Song's Hawk Hounds. They possess extraordinary perception and are elite forces handpicked from thousands. Since you've encountered them directly, your appearance might have been sketched. For our upcoming journey, we'd both better disguise ourselves."

Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or irrigated with nutrient solution between 2024-01-08 06:00:04~2024-01-09 18:02:12~

Special thanks to the little angels who cast landmines: Cat Doesn't Eat Fish (2); Shirai Satoshi, Flower Border, Net Master (1 each)

Grateful for nutrient solution irrigation from: Yu An (65 bottles); 34834133 (57 bottles); Zhao Jing (7 bottles); 42557568 (5 bottles); Grass (3 bottles); Taro Balls, Future Bamboo Lover, Cool Evening Breeze (2 bottles each); 39874609, Stella, Wooden Bookworm, 68434269, kfpy_L, Kaburi Ka, Mint Aroma, Ji Ji, Suisui Hates Chattering, Please Eat Lettuce, Three Dian Ji, Falling Petals, Zhong Xiaoxiao Xi Yishui Han, 50657507 (1 bottle each)

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