As the seasons shifted and March arrived, the ice and snow gradually melted. The wind that brushed against one's face carried a hint of warmth, marking the end of the long, bitter winter.
The vast open land around them slowly thawed. Jiafu scattered vegetable seeds in the small plots she had cultivated in front of the house, and within days, tender sprouts peeked out from the soil, bringing her great joy. She also asked Pei You'an to build a chicken coop and bought a few chicks from the city. The young colt born in the first month of the year was often fed, bathed, and groomed by Jiafu herself. Under her meticulous care, it grew day by day. Strangely, its initially black coat gradually turned red, glossy and sleek, while its hooves shed their dark hue, revealing snow-white markings. When it ran, it seemed to tread upon snow, a sight of striking beauty. Though only two or three months old, it already ran like the wind, effortlessly leaping over the ten-foot-high walls of the fodder yard. Its temperament was entirely different from its mother's—wild and unruly, often sneaking out to roam. Fierce and untamed, it only recognized Jiafu, showing affection to her alone and refusing to let anyone else near, even Pei You'an.
An old soldier in the fodder yard, who had spent his life tending horses, claimed to be a judge of equine quality. He said the mare was decent but unremarkable, yet the colt she had birthed was no ordinary steed. Its frame and hooves suggested it was not sired by a common stallion—more likely, the mare had wandered off and mated with some wild horse. At just a few months old, it already displayed such extraordinary traits; as it grew, it would surely become even more magnificent. Delighted, Jiafu named it "Snow Treader."
That day, Snow Treader had gone out in the morning and had yet to return by evening. Pei You'an and a few old soldiers were training the recovered horses in the open field of the stable, and Jiafu watched for a while before growing worried about Snow Treader. After informing Pei You'an, she went to wait by the nearby gate, craning her neck for any sign of the colt. Finally, she spotted its dark silhouette racing toward her from afar—but it was being chased by a group of over a dozen riders, their shouts echoing behind it. Snow Treader seemed frightened, letting out a distressed whinny upon seeing Jiafu and galloping straight to her. It stopped behind her, drenched in sweat, nostrils flaring, its tail flicking anxiously as it nuzzled her arm, as if seeking protection.
Seeing how frightened it was, Jiafu's heart ached. She turned to see the pursuers closing in—clearly military men—and quickly tried to lead Snow Treader inside. But the group was already upon them. A man in his twenties spurred his horse forward, crashing through the paddock gate and blocking Jiafu's path. Brandishing his whip, he shouted, "Is this colt from the fodder yard? Excellent! I’ll take it—"
His words abruptly cut off as his gaze landed on Jiafu. His raised hand froze mid-air, his eyes fixed on her.
Disgusted by his blatant stare, Jiafu hurriedly guided Snow Treader around the man's blocking steed and rushed toward the yard.
The soldiers outside, likely his attendants, now poured in on horseback, yelling at Jiafu's retreating figure, "Do you know who this is? The younger brother of Lord Hu of the Regional Military Commission! Hand over that horse at once!"The man was named Hu Liangyou, indeed the younger brother of Hu Liangcai, the Regional Military Commissioner of the Suye Regional Military Commission. He had accompanied his brother to his post last spring and had risen rapidly through the ranks, now holding the position of a lieutenant general. After enduring a dull and tedious winter cooped up in the city, he could no longer contain his restlessness. Seeing the weather warming, he took his trusted men out for a hunt today. By chance, they encountered the young red horse in the wilderness. Though still small in stature, it was clearly no ordinary steed. He tried to lasso it, but the agile horse managed to escape. Hu Liangyou and his men gave chase all the way to the fodder yard, where they saw the red horse being led away by a woman, as if it were her own. Arrogant in his status, he rode straight in, never expecting to encounter such a stunningly beautiful young woman. Even in the bustling, romantic south with its endless allure, such peerless beauty was rare, let alone in this remote frontier. Dark desires stirred within him. Hearing his men shouting, he quickly silenced them and flashed Jiafu a smile. "Is this red horse yours, little lady? Never mind, you may keep it. I am Hu Liangyou, younger brother of General Hu. May I ask your name and age?"
Jiafu, leading Snow Treader, lowered her head and hurried away. But Hu Liangyou was not one to let such a prize slip through his fingers. Drunk on lust, he dismounted and swiftly blocked her path with a flirtatious laugh. "Little lady, this place is so desolate and lonely. Why not come with me to the city? Follow me to the Regional Military Commission, where you’ll have servants at your beck and call, fine food and drink, silks and satins—far better than this wretched place..."
As he spoke, he coiled his whip and reached out to tilt Jiafu’s chin, but the red horse suddenly reared up with an angry whinny, lashing out with its front hooves and kicking Hu Liangyou squarely.
Though only a few months old, the red horse stood taller than a man. Its sudden fury and powerful kick sent Hu Liangyou sprawling to the ground. Humiliated and enraged, he bellowed orders to shoot the horse. A dozen soldiers surged forward, drawing their bows and surrounding Jiafu and the red horse.
"Shoot that beast dead! Let’s see if it dares kick me again—"
Helped to his feet, Hu Liangyou limped toward the red horse, raising his whip to strike its head with vicious force.
"Cousin—!"
Without hesitation, Jiafu threw herself in front of the horse, wrapping her arms around its neck and shielding it with her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
A lasso suddenly dropped from above, looping around Hu Liangyou’s neck. Before he could react, the noose tightened, and the rope snapped taut, yanking him backward with tremendous force.
The rope dug deep into his flesh, cutting off his breath. Darkness swam before his eyes as he clawed at the noose, struggling instinctively as he was dragged several yards across the ground, leaving deep gouges in the yellow earth behind him before finally coming to a stop.
Jiafu, who had braced for the whip’s strike, turned her head and saw Pei You’an standing there, the other end of the rope in his hands. Relieved, she rushed toward him.
The red horse clopped along behind her, stopping at her side.
"Fu’er, are you all right?" Pei You’an asked quietly.
Jiafu bit her lip, glanced at Hu Liangyou on the ground, and shook her head. "I’m fine."Pei You'an gave Jiafu's hand a reassuring squeeze before signaling for her to step back, then released the rope.
"Second Young Master Hu, what an impressive display. But it's just a beast—why take it so seriously?"
Hu Liangyou, nearly strangled into unconsciousness, finally gasped for air as he was freed. His mind slowly cleared, though his throat burned and itched, sending him into a coughing fit that left him covered in yellow mud, utterly disheveled. When he looked up, he saw a refined-looking man in his mid-twenties, tall and scholarly at first glance—hardly the type one would imagine capable of nearly strangling him to death. Suppressing his shock, he snapped, "So you're Pei You'an? How bold of you! Do you still think you're the high-ranking official you once were? You're a criminal now! My elder brother only assigned you to guard this fodder yard out of respect for your late father. Instead of gratitude, you dare disrespect your superiors? I'll have you punished for insubordination! Men! Seize him!"
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
Pei You'an's reputation from his days in court was formidable, and the late Duke of Wei had once served as Military Commissioner here, his influence lingering even years later. The mere mention of the Pei family still commanded awe. When Pei You'an's gaze swept over them, faintly authoritative, they hesitated, only inching forward under Hu Liangyou's frantic urging.
Pei You'an smiled faintly. "Second Young Master, you should leave. This place is desolate—I won't keep you." With that, he turned, one hand leading Jiafu, the other holding the reins of the chestnut horse, and walked away.
Hu Liangyou, humiliated by the blatant disregard, snatched a bow and arrow from a nearby soldier, drew the string, and aimed at Pei You'an's retreating figure.
As if sensing it, Pei You'an paused and turned slowly, his earlier smile gone, replaced by a cold, hawk-like glare. He released the horse's reins, murmured something to Jiafu, then strode toward Hu Liangyou.
Hu Liangyou's hands trembled. As Pei You'an drew closer, he found himself unable to loose the arrow.
Pei You'an stopped before him, eyes locked on his, and slowly reached out to grip the arrow nocked on the bow.
"Hu Liangyou, galloping through markets disrupts civilians—a violation of the third military rule. Harassing women is an even graver offense. Under Great Wei's military law, that warrants fifty lashes. As a newly promoted lieutenant, has the Regional Military Commission taught you nothing?"
With a sudden twist of his fingers, the arrow snapped in two with a crisp crack, falling to the ground.
Hu Liangyou's face flushed, then paled, frozen in place.
...
The dejected group rode off as darkness fell, and the fodder yard returned to its usual quiet.Jiafu led Snow Treader back to the stable. The little red mare seemed to know she had caused trouble earlier. Normally reluctant to enter the stable, this time she stood obediently without moving, then stretched her head forward to lick Jiafu's face in an attempt to appease her. Jiafu pushed the horse's face away and poked its forehead with her finger, scolding, "It's all your fault today, causing such trouble! If you sneak out again, I'll never take care of you anymore!"
Her tone was stern. The mare blinked and continued nudging Jiafu's arm with its head. When pushed away, it hung its head dejectedly, making whimpering sounds in its throat as if pleading for forgiveness.
After delivering a few more harsh reprimands, Jiafu turned and noticed Pei You'an standing nearby, watching her with an amused smile. Only then did she relent, tossing feed into the trough before the two of them left. Along the way, she remained silent. Back in their quarters, as she changed clothes and washed her hands, Pei You'an asked her.
Jiafu hesitated before answering softly, "Cousin, I'm a little worried. Today you offended that Lord Hu's brother for my sake and Snow Treader's. What if Lord Hu causes trouble for you..."
Pei You'an helped her remove her outer garment. "No need to worry. This Hu Liangcai has led troops for many years and is quite capable, but he's been stationed here less than a year with unstable foundations. Though he secretly sidelines my father's former subordinates, he maintains surface courtesy with me. Today's incident isn't enough to make him openly break with me."
"Then why did he send us those cold leftovers at the end of last year to publicly humiliate us?"
As soon as she asked, she realized: "I see! Was it actually that Hu Liangyou who sent them?"
Pei You'an patted her head approvingly and nodded. "Don't worry. I know my limits."
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