《You've Got Mail: A Cautionary Tale》


 Chapter 1 - The Affairs of Adviser Wu

    <strong>Chapter 1 ¨C The Affairs of Adviser Wu</strong>


    <hr>


    These days, something seemed to be up with Adviser Wu Xingzi of the magistrate¡¯s office.


    Every other day, he would hire Old Liu¡¯s cart and head to Goose City, which was half a day away. He would not stay for too long either, and was always ready to head home again before Old Liu was even halfway done smoking his pipe.


    Old Liu did not mind at first, since he could earn a little more money if someone was willing to hire his cart. Winter wasing, and having more money could only be beneficial.


    But more than ten days had passed like this, and Old Liu was starting to get concerned. He was worried that Wu Xingzi might have fallen for some scam.


    After all, everyone in Qingcheng County knew Wu Xingzi. He lived alone in poverty, working in the magistrate¡¯s office as an adviser for the past twenty-odd years. He was about to turn forty, but there was no sign of anypanion by his side to care for him.


    No matter how Old Liu pondered over it, it seemed as though Wu Xingzi had been cheated of his money. As for why he did not consider the possibility that Wu Xingzi might have been cheated of his love and body¡­ Ugh, how embarrassing it would be for a man if he failed tost for at least a quarter of an hour!


    In the beginning, Old Liu had only mentioned the issue in passing to his wife. Who would have guessed that the matter would be known to half the county in less than a couple of days?


    Qingcheng County was really too small, and also too boring.


    Therefore, when?Wu Xingzi came to look for Old Liu again one day, he was stopped by Auntie Liu.


    ¡°Xingzi,¡± she called out, her eyes reddening before she could continue. rmed, Wu Xingzi became flustered.


    ¡°What happened, auntie? Did someone anger you? Would you like me to write an indictment for you?¡± This was not the first time his neighbours hade crying to his door looking for help. Having been an adviser for over half his life, Wu Xingzi could practically write indictments in his sleep by now.


    ¡°Xingzi¡­¡± Auntie Liu started crying for real. Wu Xingzi raised both his hands in bewilderment, and threw a pleading look at Old Liu, who was brushing the back of his cow by the side.


    Old Liu returned Wu Xingzi¡¯s gaze before turning to look at his wife. Shaking his head, he heaved a soft sigh.


    This matter seemed quite serious! Wu Xingzi hurriedly recalled the various incidents that happened over the past few days in the county.


    A?few days ago, the Wang family and the Shi family had been arguing in the magistrate¡¯s office due to their children secretly pledging themselves to each other. After much difficulties, they finally settled on the bride price and the dowry, and both families then cheerfully started discussing the wedding banquet.


    The grandchild of the An family had stole some persimmons off the persimmon tree that was growing beyond the walls of the Xu family¡¯s courtyard. When the An family discovered that the child had been shoved around by the Xu family, they then brought the case to the magistrate¡¯s office. The indictment was also written by Wu Xingzi, but in less than the time an incense stick took to burn, the county magistrate had dealt with the matter, and both families then cheerfully left to eat persimmons together.


    Sister Li and Old Wang had some minornd disputes, Widow Zhou and her eldest daughter-inw had some disagreements, Li San owed the head of his n 3 silver ingots and refused to pay it back and instead wanted to mortgage it with his life¡­ Wu Xingzi recalled many incidents, but he could not remember any that had to do with the Liu family.


    Seeing that Auntie Liu had already cried till her eyes were swollen and her shoulders trembling, Wu Xingzi could only try to console her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Auntie Liu, don¡¯t cry. What can Xingzi do to help you?¡± Finally, Old Liu could not watch this go on any longer and coughed loudly. Auntie Liu then forcibly stopped crying, wiping her tears away she stared at Wu Xingzi. That profound gaze gave Wu Xingzi a start, causing him to feel that something was wrong.


    ¡°Xingzi.¡± Auntie Liu called again. ¡°Oh Xingzi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Auntie.¡±?Please say something else!?Wu Xingzi had never had his name repeated so many times in his life before.


    ¡°Xingzi, you¡­ Tell the truth to Auntie, are you interested in a girl now?¡± Thinking about it, Auntie Liu did not want to scare Wu Xingzi, and could only ask vaguely.


    Wu Xingzi blinked, and a helpless expression quickly appeared on his face. He sighed, ¡°Auntie, did, did¡­ Did you forget? I¡¯m not interested in girls.¡± Auntie Liu blinked back, stunned for a moment. However, she quickly recovered and started crying again, ¡°Oh, poor Xingzi, did you get cheated by a man then?¡± This time, even Old Liu who was smoking by the side had a sympathetic expression on his face, while shaking his head.


    Wu Xingzi flushed, ¡°It¡¯s not that, Auntie, why do you think that I was cheated by a man?¡±


    ¡°What? You cheated a man instead? Xingzi! How, how did you be like this? Auntie had told you long ago, you¡¯re no longer young. Whether it¡¯s a male or a female, it¡¯s good to have someone by your side, but you¡­ Hai, you even started cheating people¡­ Hai¡­¡±


    These past thirty-odd years, how big of a failure had he been?


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re thinking too much. Xingzi didn¡¯t cheat anyone, nor did anyone cheat me.¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his face helplessly. Hunching his shoulders, he looked around and lowered his voice, ¡°Auntie, what I¡¯m telling you now, please don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I would definitely not repeat it to anyone.¡± Auntie Liu nodded her head vigorously, her eyes shone as she sped onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands.


    After some hesitation, Wu Xingzi finally continued quietly, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve recently made some penpals through the pigeon express.¡±


    ¡°Penpals through the pigeon express?¡± Auntie Liu stared at Wu Xingzi, her face troubled.


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed at his cheek, and spilled everything, ¡°Auntie, you also know that I¡¯ll be forty next year. At this age, I have no prospects nor money, and also like men. It¡¯s really not easy to find someone to apany me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Auntie Liu nodded her head knowingly. Wu Xingzi¡¯s face became pale, and he felt even more hopeless about his future.


    ¡°So, through the pigeon express, I thought I might be able to find a partner¡­¡± Wu Xingzi silently wiped away the blood from his wounded heart, his tone light as though he was talking about someone else.


    ¡°That¡¯s possible¡­¡± Auntie Liu nodded again, then asked. ¡°Is it safe to make friends through the pigeon express?¡± This was something new to her, and Auntie Liu did not understand it. In Qingcheng county, pigeons were food. They were so poor that they were about to starve, who would have the energy to raise pigeons for penpals? Pigeons were so delicious, fat and tender, after braising them they were¡­ Saliva pooled in Auntie Liu¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Uh, it should be safe.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, his ears blushing faintly. ¡°These days, I¡¯ve been going to Goose City to collect mail from the pigeon express.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Auntie Liu muttered. ¡°Xingzi, Auntie doesn¡¯t know much about such matters, but it¡¯s still somewhat worrying that you¡¯re not able to see the other person¡¯s face. You have to be careful, if you really want to look for a partner, Auntie can help you ask around as well.¡±


    ¡°No need to trouble yourself for me, Auntie.¡± Wu Xingzi patted the back of Auntie Liu¡¯s hand in cation. He looked up at the sky, the sun was already high up in the sky. It was toote for him to make his way to Goose City, and he looked a little deste. ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯ll trouble you to drive me to Goose City tomorrow again.¡± Old Liu did not say anything, he puffed at his pipe, and nodded his head faintly.


    Wu Xingzi nned to go to the magistrate¡¯s office to work after the conversation. Qingcheng County was small, and the conditions were harsh. Even robbers would avoiding to the county, other than the asional squabbling within families and neighbours, there was really nothing much to handle in the magistrate¡¯s office. As such, Wu Xingzi was able to run off to Goose City every other day without the county magistrate showing any disapproval.


    Getting the information she wanted, Auntie Liu also did not hold Wu Xingzi back. Stuffing a basket of steamed bread in his arms, she waved him off.


    Once she was sure that Wu Xingzi was a distance away, she picked up a basket of mountain vegetables and ran to Zhang Ahniu next door for a chat. Within a few days, the affair of Wu Xingzi making friends through the pigeon express, again spread through half of Qingcheng county. For some reason, it brought about a trend of raising pigeons to deliver mail, but that was another story.


    Unable to go to Goose City to collect mail, Wu Xingzi was a little disappointed.


    This penpals through the pigeon express, it started from a month ago.


    As a person, there was no issues with his looks. His eyes nked his nose, his eyebrows tilted down, his nose fleshy and a little round, his short philtrum causing his mouth and nose to look too close to each other. However his lips were plump and full, ording to face reading, that was a sign that he would lose wealth easily.


    Although Wu Xingzi¡¯s looks were far from handsome, but he looked very approachable. It was because of his approachable looks, hended the job of being the adviser to the magistrate.


    When Wu Xingzi was about sixteen or seventeen, all his family members had died, leaving him with nothing.


    His father was once a schr who had passed the country¡¯s imperial examinations. However, his progress stopped there. One reason being that he did not have the money to continue with the examinations, and the second reason was that he was not talented enough to achieve higher honours. However, Father Wu was a practical person, he decided to open a private school in his hometown instead, and managed to take care of his family with that.


    Since young, Wu Xingzi¡¯s talents were average, he neither stood out nor fell back. After passing the apprentice exams in the district, he then¡­ Then, nothing.


    The Wu family always had only one son each generation, after Wu Xingzi¡¯s grandparents passed away, only the three of them were left. His mother had very few family members as well, they had left Qingcheng County long ago, and no one knew where they moved to. Hence, he was left all alone after the massive flood that happened when he was sixteen years old.


    As there were not many people who could read or write in the county, Wu Xingzi could be considered heads above the rest. With his reading and writing skills, along with the magistrate¡¯s sympathy for him, he hired him as his adviser. Although the sry was not high, but it was enough for him to live on. Magistrates who were assigned to Qingcheng County also tended to be free from corruption, and usually were unable to bring along their own advisers. As such, Wu Xingzi¡¯s position as the adviser was unshakeable, and he had continued remaining as the adviser till now.


    Wu Xingzi never found a problem with his way of living. However, as years passed one after another, as he slowly progressed from his youth to bing middle aged, both his pockets and his house were still empty. One day, he suddenly felt that his life was too boring, and wondered why should he continue living his life aimlessly.


    Once this thought surfaced, he could not stop thinking about it.


    So, after staring nkly at his walls for a day and a night, Wu Xingzi decided tomit suicide on his fortieth birthday.


    With this decision, Wu Xingzi felt free like a bird. After a meal and a good night¡¯s sleep, he started thinking about the least rming ways to die.


    As he was contemting, for some unknown reason he suddenly thought of thed who sold beancurd jelly in the market. Thatd¡¯s appearance was very clean, just like the beancurd he sold. Recalling the curve of his eyes and his white teeth as he smiled, together with those pink, plump lips, Wu Xingzi felt his trousers bing a little tight.


    Since he had decided to die, before dying, he thought he should do something he would never have dared to do!


    Wu Xingzi grabbed his money pouch. First he went to the jewellery store and bought a jade hairpin of rtively good quality, then he headed to the beancurd jelly store. By then, the sun was setting, most of the stores in the market was already closed. With a bare chest, thed of the beancurd store was wiping his sweat away. Upon seeing Wu Xingzi, he smiled.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi.¡± The beancurdd called his name warmly.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Wu Xingzi mopped at the sweat on his forehead. His mouth was dry to the point where his tongue felt stuck. He stealthily peeped at the beancurdd¡¯s firm body that was being outlined by the rays of the setting sun. Thed was about seventeen or eighteen years of age, he was tall with long, slender limbs. With clothes on, he looked very lean, but there were muscles hiding under the clothes, with perfectly defined abs, and there was a fine patch of hair on his belly that disappeared under his trousers.


    Wu Xingzi gulped, his throat burning.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi, is there any reason you¡¯re looking for me?¡± Thed casually tossed his shirt over his shoulder, and walked closer to Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°I, I¡­ You, you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi could notplete his thoughts, he mped his legs awkwardly together and hunched over slightly, sneaking nces at thed¡¯s abs.


    Those washboard abs! Such chiselled grooves, so well carved¡­ Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips trembled slightly, he felt that things were not progressing well.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi?¡± Thed seemed a little perplexed as he did not get a response.


    ¡°You, you¡­ Do¡­ Do you like men?¡± Wu Xingzi immediately felt like running away once he blurted that out.


    The Great Xia Dynasty did not ban homosexuality, and there were incidents of male couples spending their lives together. However, majority of the people were still of a heterosexual orientation, and many people were still disgusted by the thoughts of homosexuality.


    Wu Xingzi could not believe that he had managed to say it aloud.


    Thed was dumbfounded, seeing that Wu Xingzi was about to turn and run away, he reached out and grabbed him, ¡°Brother Xingzi, don¡¯t panic. I, I like men.¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but smile hearing that. He stopped running and turned back with starry eyes, his mouth open as though he was about to say something, but was interrupted by thed. ¡°I already have a partner.¡± Looking at his shy yet blissful look, Wu Xingzi¡¯s head was filled with a buzz.


    ¡°Oh, it, it¡¯s like this¡­ Congrattions¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother Xingzi¡­¡± The beancurdd could not bear to look at his despondent figure, and pulled Wu Xingzi to his store, speaking softly, ¡°Brother Xingzi, have you heard about the?<i>Peng</i>?Society for Gentlemen?¡±


    ¡°<i>Peng</i>?Society for Gentlemen?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, a look of iprehension on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the?<i>Peng</i>?Society for Gentlemen.¡± Thed lowered his voice even further, whispering secretively, ¡°The society has a book called?<i>The Pengornisseur</i>, specially catering to people of homosexual orientation. In it are listed penpals with whom you can exchange mail via the pigeon express.¡±


    ¡°Penpals via pigeon express?¡± Wu Xingzi was still befuddled. He knew about using pigeons to deliver mail, and there were even a few pigeons kept at the magistrate¡¯s office for the purpose of officialmunication between Qingcheng County and the state capital. Wu Xingzi was also the one in charge of taking care of these pigeons.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, using the pigeon mail to make friends.¡± Thed then exined the system to Wu Xingzi in detail.


    Anyway, this was a secret society called the?<i>Peng</i>?Society for Gentlemen. Once you submitted a drawing of yourself, the preferred destination for your letters, your name, your likes, as well as 50 coins, you would receive a copy of?<i>The Pengornisseur</i>?that was valid for a month. It was a record of men who were interested in looking for partners, and everyone could get to know each other through the pigeon express. If things progressed well, they could choose to meet privately.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I met my man.¡± Thed¡¯s face was red, and his gleaming white teeth dazzled Wu Xingzi¡­ Of course, it could also be the existence of?<i>The Pengornisseur</i>?that dazzled him.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi, if you¡¯re interested, I can guide you along.¡±


    ¡°Guide me along¡­¡± That jade hairpin was still in the pocket of Wu Xingzi¡¯s sleeve, and he was still lost in his confusion. ¡°Let me think about it¡­¡± He had originally wanted to confess his attraction to thed, but now was only bemused.


    ¡°Of course.¡± The beancurdd took a look andforted him, ¡°Brother Xingzi, don¡¯t think too much about it, you¡¯ll meet him when it¡¯s time.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded his head in a daze, waving goodbye, he headed back home in a stupor.

 Chapter 2 - Penpals Through the Pigeon Express

    <strong>Chapter 2 ¨C Penpals Through the Pigeon Express</strong>


    <hr>


    Wu Xingzi came home distracted. After dinner, he carefully ced the jade hairpin in a wooden box with a lock, and pushed it under his bed.


    Then, he sat on his bed and fell into a daze.


    He was definitely interested. No matter what kind of secret association the?Peng?Society for Gentlemen was, it would be a true paradise if it was really a ce where he could get to know other men who were just as interested in finding partners for life.


    Wu Xingzi had been lonely for many years; he did not even have a dog to keep himpany. At the end of his work days, he woulde home to long, arduous nights without even a single living soul to talk to¡­ He sighed. Bending over, he retrieved a small pot from under his bed. Inside the container was his entire ¡°bucket stash¡± of ten taels. He had never intended to touch the sum at all; he still wanted to save up for a sturdy coffin made of the best yellow wood, maybe even elm, wherein he could liefortably and rot away.


    Fifty coins¡­ Wu Xingzi was extremely torn: such a price was the total sum of his expenditures for ten days! He could even go to the market every few days to have a bowl of beancurd jelly, and look at those bright teeth and wide smile of the beancurdd¡­ Too bad that thed had already found someone else before he could even show his interest. His shoulders sagging, Wu Xingzi shrank like a shrivelled eggnt.


    Time passed as he remained thus stuck in deliberation. By the time he made up his mind, five days had already passed.


    Thinking about it, for a person who was going to die at forty, what need was there for him to worry about these few coins? He might even find a partner, and the hope of spending the future together would save him from the urgent need to die.


    The more he thought about it, the more he found it agreeable. Wu Xingzi gritted his teeth. After counting fifty coins and cing them into his pouch, he ran off to the beancurdd for more details.


    Thed was about to head home, having packed up and closed his shop for the day. Turning around, he was shocked by the sight of Wu Xingzi, who was panting hard with a reddened face after running all the way over here.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡­ Can you tell me more about that?Peng?Society please?¡± Wu Xingzi spoke in a low voice, looking around them nervously. His palms were sweaty, and he seemed terrified of being discovered that he was up to no good.


    After a moment of surprise, thed smiled. ¡°Of course. This isn¡¯t a good ce for discussing it though. Brother Xingzi, why don¡¯t youe home with me?¡±


    Go home with him? A furious red burst over Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. This was not just somemon invitation from a friendly neighbour; this was an invitation from a person he liked!


    ¡°C-can I?¡±


    ¡°My only concern is that Brother Xingzi might not want to go.¡± Feeling bashful, thed rubbed the back of his head. Charmed by the sight, Wu Xingzi became light-headed with joy as his heart fluttered conspicuously.


    ¡°I do! Of course I do! You¡¯re too polite,¡± Wu Xingzi responded at once, and happily followed the beancurdd. Along the way, he even took the initiative to purchase a jug of wine and two dishes, hoping to prolong their chat.


    The beancurdd¡¯s home was not too far away from the market, it was in Thornbush Alley on the west side of the city. There was a row of houses along the street; half of these were empty, and as the sky darkened, the unlit houses looked somewhat unnerving.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, Brother Xingzi.¡± Thed stood outside a house whose warm lights were glowing through the windows. ¡°My man¡¯s temper is a little odd. Don¡¯t mind him. He just¡­ gets jealous easily.¡± This sudden disy of affection pulled Wu Xingzi¡¯s head back from the clouds.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one disturbing you both.¡± His expression dimmed. How could he forget that thed was already taken?


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Thed patted him on his shoulder before turning to push the door open, yelling, ¡°I¡¯m back, and I¡¯ve also brought Brother Xingzi along.¡±


    ¡°Brother Xingzi?¡± The voice that drifted out was deep, and sounded a little unhappy. However, the man did not say much else. With a few muffled steps, he walked to the door and took a look. ¡°Adviser Wu.¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s jaw dropped.


    This man! He was very familiar with this man! Was this not Constable Zhang? They had been colleagues for twenty years and counting!


    ¡°You met each other through?The Pengornisseur?¡± Even a match like this could be made through?ThePengornisseur? Wu Xingzi¡¯s spirits lifted slightly. It seemed like there were more homosexuals around him than he realised!


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Smiling, thed reached out and held Constable Zhang by the hand while pushing Wu Xingzi indoors. ¡°Brother Xingzi, treat yourself as though you¡¯re at home. Quick,e in.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded profusely and entered the house under the constable¡¯s somewhat awkward re.


    After being called to the table, Wu Xingzi took a seat. There were already two dishes and a soup waiting on the table. Smelling the aroma of the meat and vegetables, Wu Xingzi swallowed and hurriedlyid out the two dishes he bought as well.


    Perhaps because the unexpected revtion of secrets between co-workers was too unpleasant a surprise, the mood remained somewhat dismal throughout the meal. All three kept their heads down and ate furiously. After they had eaten their fill, thed sent Constable Zhang to wash the dishes. Only then did Wu Xingzi heave a sigh of relief.


    ¡°This?Peng?Society is really impressive¡­¡± Wu Xingzi eximed.


    ¡°Yes, Brother Xingzi will definitely be able to find a good man from?The Pengornisseur?too.¡± Thed nodded his head in encouragement. ¡°Feel free to ask anything you would like to know.¡±


    Wu Xingzi gulped, and started asking thed for further details about the?Peng?Society.


    In short, ording to thed, the?Peng?Society for Gentlemen could be found all over the country. Its sub-branches could be found even in the most remote corners of the backcountry and the bordends. The closest branch to Qingcheng County was in Goose City.


    Of course, since it was a secret association, there would be no prominent sign boards dering its location. The branch in Goose City was concealed in the back of an antique store.


    Thed gave Wu Xingzi a precise description of how to find the antique store, what code words to say to the manager, what he needed to bring along with him, and reassured him again about the secrecy of?The Pengornisseur?despite its rich content. Finally, he concluded with a pat on the older man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Brother Xingzi, for people like us, it¡¯s not easy to find good men to spend our lives with. As long as it¡¯s something on your mind, why don¡¯t you give it a shot? Life is short anyway, and you only live once.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded along, noting everything down, and he departed with awakened anticipation in his heart.


    The next day, Wu Xingzi woke up early and hired Old Liu¡¯s cart to head out to Goose City.


    Goose City was originally not called Goose City, but Xuanyi Town. It used to be as poor as Qingcheng County, but its conditions were even more grim and deste; after all, Qingcheng County was still a?countyat the very least.


    At some point in time, a goose farmer by the surname Huang became the richest person in the district by rearing and selling poultry. No one knew how he managed to grow his business to such a scale. With his money, he rebuilt his hometown into a much more respectable ce, transforming it into the most prosperous and liveliest city in 500?li.*


    As a result, people around the area started calling the town Goose City instead of Xuanyi Town, and they soon forgot the original name of the ce.


    This was not Wu Xingzi¡¯s first trip to Goose City. Qingcheng County was too small and poor; if one wanted to stock up on goods and necessities for any major festival, one had no choice but to buy them in Goose City. However, every time he was here, Wu Xingzi would feel very awkward. It seemed to him as if people were always looking at him, mocking him in silence for being a country bumpkin.


    Although he knew that he was being ridiculous, Wu Xingzi still could not help it.


    Following the beancurdd¡¯s directions, he hastily made his way down the busiest street in Goose City. Not long after, he found the antique shop that was acting as a front for the local branch of the?Peng?Society for Gentlemen.


    The store was?huge.?It looked grand and magnificent with its elegantly ornate architecture. Wu Xingzi had never set foot in this part of the city before. The beautiful stone-paved roads in the area feltfortable under his feet. The streets were lined with resplendent stores as far as his eyes could reach, and even the breeze was scented with fragrances that he could not name. Wu Xingzi almost lost his footing.


    After pacing in front of the antique shop for several rounds, Wu Xingzi finally gathered up his courage and went in.


    But upon entering, he immediately regretted his decision.


    He froze. Everywhere around him stood priceless items that he could not recognise. If he were to rub off just a little bit of paint on any of them, he might have to use a grass mat as his coffin instead.


    ¡°Mister, may I know if you are looking for anything in particr?¡± The store attendant was very weing, as if he did not notice how Wu Xingzi¡¯s clean clothes were so old that they had begun fraying from being washed too many times.


    ¡°I, I¡­ I¡¯m looking for a jade pagoda from the Han dynasty,¡± Wu Xingzi choked a little before replying; he nearly forgot the code phrase the beancurdd had taught him.


    ¡°What type of Han jade pagoda would you like, mister?¡± A faint light shed in the eyes of the attendant, but his face still carried a warm smile.


    ¡°O-one that Dong Xian used to y with.¡±*


    ¡°Dong Xian?¡± The attendant smiled again. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m not too familiar with such an item. Would you like to speak to our manager yourself, at the back of our store?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure¡­¡± Wu Xingzi mopped the sweat off his brow.


    Without engaging in any further chatter, the attendant began leading Wu Xingzi to the back of the shop.


    ¡°Dong Xian?¡± As he was about to leave the front hall, a pleasant voice slid into Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears.


    Without thinking, he turned his head back to take a look, and saw a person dressed in ck.


    The man was very tall, at least a head taller than everyone else around him. His bearing was as sharp and cold as ice, but he had a fine face that dazzled with all the lovely splendour of Spring, together with an amorous glint in his eyes. That pair of eyes, as dreamy as full blooms in the mists of March, stared right into Wu Xingzi¡¯s furtive gaze.


    His cheeks burning, Wu Xingzi turned his head back in a hurry, hiding away from the face that made his heart throb.


    ¡°So good looking¡­¡± He could not help but murmur under his breath. The attendant nced at him and smiled cryptically.


    After bringing Wu Xingzi to the garden behind the shop, the attendant respectfully bade Wu Xingzi to wait for a moment in the pavilion. He also served him a cup of fragrant tea, as well as some exquisite-looking snacks.


    Following a momentary pause, Wu Xingzi cautiously lifted the cup to take a sip of the tea. Then, he picked up a snack and began nibbling on it. It was sweet, but not cloyingly so, and the burst of fragrance in his mouth made him feel as if he were eating a flower. He had never tasted anything so delicious in his life before.


    The wait was quite long. Wu Xingzi finished two cups of tea and all the snacks before someone finally took the seat across from him.


    ¡°Did you like it?¡± The neer asked with a smile, his voice as beautiful as an oriole¡¯s song.


    ¡°Ah¡­ It-it¡¯s delicious¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s rxed body became tense immediately, and he sat up straight on the stone seat.


    Blinking, that person burst intoughter. His beauty left Wu Xingzi breathless and dazed. Staring at the person¡¯s smile, entranced, Wu Xingzi was entirely unaware that he had already flushed red like a lobster.


    ¡°My name is Rancui,¡± the beauty said as he lifted his cup for a sip. ¡°May I have yours?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat felt as though it was burning. He could barely speak, and ended up coughing instead. Rancuiughed again, refilling his teacup for him.


    ¡°Please, soothe your throat. There¡¯s no rush to speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi picked up the cup and gulped the tea down. Only then did he seem to feel a little better. Lowering his head a little, he thanked the other man in embarrassment.


    ¡°You¡¯re too polite.¡± Rancui did not look like he minded Wu Xingzi¡¯s gaffe at all. ¡°Did youe for the?PengSociety?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, yes. I, I brought the money, and also a picture. I know all the rules!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Rancui nodded.


    ¡°Since you have already done your research, Rancui will be direct with you.?The Pengornisseur?is published on the 10th of every month, and each edition costs 50 coins. If you would like to stop your subscription toThe Pengornisseur, you will need to return all previous copies of?The Pengornisseur?that you have received.¡±


    ¡°Understood, understood.¡± Wu Xingzi bobbed his head eagerly, removing his money pouch ?from his waist in a hurry and cing it on the table. ¡°There are 50 coins in here, Master Rancui. Please ept them.¡±


    Rancui reached out with a slender hand. He picked up the pouch, opened it, and took a look. Then, breaking into a smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve received your payment. Please also give me your self-portrait, your name, and your hobbies. Your copy of?The Pengornisseur?will be ready for collection on the 10th.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Wu Xingzi quickly passed the drawing and the information over. Finally, a weight was lifted off his chest, and a true sense of relief overcame him.


    ¡°Master Wu?¡± Rancui nced at Wu Xingzi¡¯s name. Heplimented him, ¡°What a good name, Master Wu. You¡¯ll definitely meet someonepatible in?The Pengornisseur.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips lifted into a silly grin. For the very first time in his life, he was filled with anticipation for the future.


    Next, Rancui exined the process of bing pen-pals through the pigeon express.


    To protect the members, the locations for the pigeon delivery were the various branches of the Society. Members could choose to use their own pigeons, or the pigeons kept by the?Peng?Society, to deliver their letters.


    ¡°When using our pigeons for the first time, you will only be charged 3 coins for the first five letters. After that, each delivery would cost 1 coin each,¡± Rancui added. Wu Xingzi noted everything down with great diligence; he would definitely have to make good use of that first-timer concession rate!


    Although it would cost a fee to use the Society¡¯s pigeons, the birds were fast and highly reliable, allowing users to receive replies within a span of two days. Besides, the service would also protect the user¡¯s privacy by preventing him from being tracked down.


    ¡°Anything can happen in this world, you know. Who hasn¡¯t ever tried their luck in love?¡± Rancui covered his mouth and chuckled.


    Wu Xingzi nodded his head in agreement, making up his mind to spend a little money on the pigeon service from the?Peng?Society. Although it rankled him a little, it was still better to be safe than sorry. If anything untoward were to happen, he would be in real trouble.


    Having exined all the rules in detail, Rancui went on to mention some happy couples who had met through the Society, before finally bidding farewell to a deliriously happy Wu Xingzi.


    At the thought that he would be able to receive?The Pengornisseur?on the 10th, Wu Xingzi beamed like a blossoming flower all the way home.


    <hr>


    Notes:


    Àï (li) is also known as the Chinese mile. In ancient times, the actual length of this unit varied between different periods. Now, it has a standardised length of 0.5km.


    ¶­ÏÍ (Dong Xian) was a powerful politician in the Han dynasty, and the alleged lover of Emperor Ai. The ancient idiomatic term for homosexuality, ¡°cut-sleeves / broken sleeves¡±, was derived from an episode between Dong Xian and Emperor Ai.

 Chapter 3 - Receiving A Pile of Pengornis Drawings

    <strong>Chapter 3 ¨C Receiving A Pile of Pengornis Drawings</strong>


    <hr>


    The 10th arrived very quickly. On that day, Wu Xingzi awoke before the sun even rose, and tidied up his house. Polishing his furniture until they shone, he then ran to the waterfall at the nearby mountain and washed himself clean. Then, full of joy, he went off to hire Old Liu¡¯s cart to head to Goose City.


    During the entire journey, Wu Xingzi was very fidgety, feeling as though there were butterflies in his stomach. It was not until Old Liu shot him a third nce, did Wu Xingzi realised that he had been humming a tune.


    However, he did not know many songs. All that he knew were those storytelling scripts that his father had taught him when he was still around. For some reason, he had started humming to <The Injustice to Dou¡¯e>.


    His face stained red, rubbing the back of his neck, Wu Xingzi tried to pretend as though nothing had urred and looked at the familiar scenery instead. However, his heart had long flew to the antique shop in Goose City.


    This trip was likely to be the most arduous yet pleasant trip in Wu Xingzi¡¯s lifetime. Upon reaching the city gate, he hastily jumped off the cart and asked Old Liu, ¡°Uncle Liu, do you need to buy anything in Goose City?¡±


    Old Liu bit at his pipe before looking at the restless Wu Xingzi, ¡°No, not really. If you do need more time to handle your things, I¡¯ll just wait for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m just going to collect something. I¡¯ll be back once I¡¯m done.¡± Wu Xingzi gave a few firm nods, then ran off.


    Before Old Liu was even finished with his pipe, Wu Xingzi had returned carrying a parcel that was neither big nor small in his arms.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, please try this.¡± Climbing onto the cart, Wu Xingzi pulled out a little bag, and inside were four pieces of exquisite looking pastries. Slight surprise could be seen on Old Liu¡¯s face, as he looked at Wu Xingzi¡¯s bright and ck eyes and the flush on his cheeks.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll have some.¡± Although he did not know where Wu Xingzi got these snacks from, but Old Liu knew he was not one to carry out harmful deeds, and so he picked one up.


    Wu Xingzi carefully ced that bigger parcel on his knee. He stroked it a few times, as though smoothing out invisible creases, his happiness evident on his face.


    Back at Qingcheng County, Wu Xingzi handed all the pastries to Old Liu. He also arranged for another trip to Goose City the next day, then, hugging the parcel, he quickly left.


    Watching as the usually quiet and restrained Wu Xingzi left, Old Liu smoked his pipe without uttering a word.


    After returning home, Wu Xingzi first prepared a basin of water to wipe his entire body clean. He then washed his hands twice, and dried them with a clean cloth. Only after he confirmed that his hands werepletely dry, he carefully opened the package.


    Inside it, was a book.


    It was not too thick, probably about a hundred pages. The cover of the book was simple and elegant, with the words ¡°The Pengornisseur¡±?written on it in beautiful penmanship. The words were very good looking, symmetrical, the strokes were imposing, and the strictness of the characters wasced with a touch of casual pleasantness. Wu Xingzi¡¯s finger glided lightly over those words a few times, his fingertip trembling slightly.


    The paper was also of a good quality. Wu Xingzi could not identify what type it was, but when he touched it, it was soft like cotton.


    Inhaling deeply, just as he was about to flip open the book, Wu Xingzi suddenly remembered something and pulled his hand back. He ran to the door to check that it was securely locked, then to the windows to make sure they were securely closed. Only then did he pat his chest in relief and returned to the table, finally opening?The Pengornisseur.


    So this was paradise! Fifteen minutester, this was the only thought in Wu Xingzi¡¯s head. He was giddy with joy, smiling as though he was drunk.


    There were a total of one hundred and twenty pages in?The Pengornisseur, disregarding the first andst two pages, every page was a portrait of a man and his details.


    Some had descriptions that left no details out, mentioning their likes and dislikes, their dressing, and even their family background, while others only mentioned their names and their interests.


    Wu Xingzi saw his own portrait on page ny-six.


    That was not the drawing he had submitted, it seemed that Rancui had found a professional artist to redraw his portrait. That drawing was extremely vivid, looking so real as though he could just walk out from the page. Feeling sheepish yet pleased, he stroked the drawing. He did not look too bad after all, maybe he might really be able to find a partner to spend his life with.


    Unconsciously, Wu Xingzi had already forgotten about his n ofmitting suicide on his fortieth birthday.


    The other drawings also looked like they were drawn by a professional. The?Peng?Society was very meticulous when it came to their work, it seemed like they truly wanted to find a partner for their members.


    After scanning through all the pages quickly, Wu Xingzi went back to the start of the book and looked at each page carefully.


    Only until the sky turned dark and when he could not see anything clearly without amp, did Wu Xingzi had no choice but to put?The Pengornisseur?down. He lit themps and rubbed his growling stomach.


    Quickly cooking a bowl of noodles, adding an egg and a bunch of vegetables into it, he slurped it all up and filled his belly. Then, going back to?The Pengornisseur, Wu Xingzi, with great effort, wrote letters to the five people he had selected. By then, he was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open. Still, lying on his bed, his delight kept him awake. Only when a cock¡¯s crow sounded in the distance, did he finally fell asleep.


    The next day, when Old Liu saw Wu Xingzi¡¯s swollen and bloodshot eyes, yet still looking very energetic, he gently raised a brow but did not say a word. He stuffed two buns and an egg into ?Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, wanting him to eat them on the cart.


    Reaching Goose City, Old Liu again waited under the shade of the tree outside the gates, while Wu Xingzi ran off into the city after thanking him.


    He took a slightly longer time than yesterday. By the time he hurried back with a bag in his hand, the sun had already moved its position.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯ve made you wait.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were bright,pletely different from his calm and slightly dreary past self. He presented tworge meat buns and a container of cool water to Old Liu, ¡°Please have these, the buns are very delicious.¡±


    Old Liu felt that something was not quite right, but he still did not ask. epting the buns and water, he gave his thanks in return, then they both headed back to Qingcheng County.


    On the way back, Wu Xingzi could not help but start humming again. He recalled the salesman¡¯s instructions when he sent the letters, ¡°Sir, the replies usually take about three days to return. In your case, as your letters are being delivered so early in the day, you should be able to receive the replies within two days. Please remember toe and collect them.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, definitely.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded vigorously. Only until the pigeons that were delivering the letters had disappeared from his sight, did he finally pull his eyes away.


    He had thought about everything already. Although there were many in?The Pengornisseur?that he was interested in, but he knew that his age and hisck of assets were a disadvantage. As an adviser, his sry was only enough to cover his daily necessities. If he was to be overly fastidious, he would end up only wasting the money spent on sending the letters, vexing himself.


    He had selected these five people very carefully. Their age was around his, the youngest was about thirty plus, near forty. They had all studied before, and two of them were even schrs. They also did not live too far away from him, the letters were all delivered to Fragrance City, which was a day¡¯s worth of travelling from Goose City.


    These five people were the only members of their family left, without parents or any siblings. They looked honest and upright, and one of them was even rather good looking. Wu Xingzi privately hoped that he would be able to make friends with that good looking one.


    During this two-days wait, Wu Xingzi seemed euphoric. He smiled more often, and became even more likeable. On the afternoon of the second day, Constable Zhang even brought him a bowl of mutton soup with beancurd and patted his shoulder encouragingly. Overwhelmed by his kindness, the soup tasted even better than usual to Wu Xingzi.


    However, at this moment, he had note to a realisation. Why did Constable Zhang had to specially encourage him? Was it not just a simple issue of making penpals through the pigeon express?


    After Wu Xingzi received the replies, he returned home happily and locked all his windows and doors. Reading them, he was stunned, and could not believe what he was seeing.


    He first opened all five letters, ttening them out one by one. His smile was frozen on his face, looking somewhat scary. He rubbed his eyes, inhaling deeply, then rolled up each letter with trembling hands and packed them neatly on the table. Going to the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles, he finished up everything, then returned to the table and spread the letters t on the surface again.


    As the drawings in the letters revealed themselves, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened, almost falling out of their sockets.


    He took in a deep breath, his vision dim, as though he fainted for a moment. However, his hands were still holding those letters t against the table.


    What were these!


    What exactly were these! In front of him, were¡­ were¡­ were these not five drawings of that certain male anatomy?!


    Wu Xingzi was about to go crazy, he tried to recall what he wrote, it seemed to be: This gentleman, I beg your pardon. Seeing your image at first nce in?The Pengornisseur, I could not help but be moved towards you. I hope that I can be penpals with you, and in due course hopefully be each other¡¯s life partner.


    Of course, he felt that he was a little too direct. When he sent those letters, he also felt somewhat embarrassed. However, he was worried that if he did not express enough sincerity, the other person would think that he just only wanted to be friends, and that would have wasted his money.


    Had he been really too direct?


    Wu Xingzi gripped those five letters, his body shivering till his teeth chattered, only recovering after a long time. Releasing those letters that were in his hands, he again went to the kitchen to prepare a huge bowl of noodles, gulped it down, and then came back.


    With two bowls of noodles, his stomach was so full that it hurt, but he managed to calm down a little.


    Now, he was able to carefully savour these five drawings of phalluses.


    He had to admit, this technique was really¡­ striking! The drawings were so true to life, it was as though he could feel their warmth already.


    Wu Xingzi was suspicious, these drawings could not also have been redone by the professional artist of ThePeng?Society, right? If that was the case, then those fifty coins were really truly well spent!


    It was said that there were as many different looks as people in the world, and everyone had their own taste. However, Wu Xingzi had never thought that that would be the case for phalluses as well.


    About the first one, it looked neat and clean, the foreskin at the top retreating to show a rounded head. The slit was pink and tender, looking as though it had never been used. It seemed as though the owner also rarely masturbated. Wu Xingzi also belonged to this type of phalluses, but it was less substantial.


    As for the second drawing, it looked a lot thicker and sturdier, the veins showing through the skin. It looked somewhat threatening, its head huge, while its root was slightly thinner. The length was not as long as the first one, the slit at the head gaping slightly. ncing at it a couple of times, Wu Xingzi swallowed his saliva unconsciously.


    The third one was a little smaller, and belonged to that good looking gentleman. However, even though it was not as thick and long as the previous two, but it still looked very nice, as though it was carved from a beautiful piece of jade. From the root to the tip, even the slit at the top, it looked exquisite and warmed with an inner glow, there was no ws to be found with it.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but exim. That artist¡¯s skills were really good, able to imbue the drawing of a phallus with the texture of jade. He really wanted to reach out and touch it.


    The fourth drawing was a little different. The foreskin was longer, covering the tip of the phallus, with the slit peeking out from under the skin. It was rather thick and long, but not as ferocious looking as the second one. The hair at the root was lush, the artist even drew it like a patch of grass. It looked untamed, and when pressed against a tender part of the body it was sure to feel itchy.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but adjust his seating position.


    Thest drawing was an eye-opener for Wu Xingzi. The letters were all of the same size, and this one almost could not fit into the page. The considerable size of the phallus made it seem as though it was about to burst out from the paper. The balls also seemed weighty and full, and the head was nearly like a small chicken egg, round and sturdy. The entire phallus was not ruler-straight, but slightly curved upwards.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s breathing became heavier. He put those letters down in a fluster, rubbing his hands together incessantly, as though there was something hot burning his palms.


    He still did not understand, why would he receive such replies from his penpals, was this the usual convention? Wu Xingzi looked down at his crotch, his body heating up.


    This, this, this¡­ He definitely would not be able to draw his own prick as a reply! The outside world truly overwhelmed Wu Xingzi, a person who had lived in a remote vige for his entire life.


    However, although it overwhelmed him¡­ Wu Xingzi stared at those five letters, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he swallowed.


    His body was a little restless, like there was a me in his belly. Even through his trousers, the swelling little Xingzi could be seen.


    Fretfully, he walked around his house twice. The fire in his belly did not abate, but instead burned even more fiercely.


    Pushing open the windows, he looked outside. The sky was already dark, no one was likely toe visit him¡­ As he thought, Wu Xingzi sucked in a deep breath, and again made sure that his windows and doors weretched securely. Then, he brought those five drawings of phalluses and a candle back to his bedroom, removed all his clothes from his lower half of his body, andy on the bed.


    To tell the truth, Wu Xingzi was about to turn forty, but he had barely ever masturbated before. To be so eager was really the first time he had felt like this¡­ Tonight, Wu Xingzi finally had a taste of a pleasure he had never experienced before.

 Chapter 4 - Nothing Was More Important Than The Pengornis Drawings

    <strong>Chapter 4 ¨C Nothing Was More Important Than The Pengornis Drawings</strong>


    <hr>


    This was probably the best sleep Wu Xingzi had experienced in a long time.


    Ever since that big flood, he had never slept so well. Waking up in the morning, he felt refreshed and invigorated. It felt like he had expelled all the gloom from his body, and now he felt bright and lithe.


    After breakfast, he saw that it was not yet time to report to work. He again studied those five drawings he had looked through repeatedlyst night, and as he was looking through them, something emerged in his mind.


    Would I also have to send a drawing of my own shaft??If so, he would really be unable to do it, but¡­ He exhaled, stacking the five drawings neatly together and carefully cing them in a rattan case that had long since been empty. After that, he ced a scent pouch that would repel insects inside it as well.


    Picking up?The Pengornisseur, he came to a decision.


    Last night¡¯s experience was like an enlightenment for him. Wu Xingzi had an epiphany. His life had been too mundane, there were so many things in this world that were more interesting than he had thought. If he did not try them out, it would be such a waste.


    There were over a hundred people in?The Pengornisseur, although not everyone was outstanding, they were still all proper and dependable. At first, he had only wanted to find a life partner or someone he could talk to, so he had made his selection carefully.


    However, what if¡­ everyone was ustomed to sending such drawings? Even if he was really unable to be penpals with that manager of a jewellery shop on page seventeen, but it would not stop him from admiring the manager¡¯s¡­ pengornis.


    It was said that: Desire for food and sex was just part of human nature.


    As a man, although Wu Xingzi was introverted and also had an inferiorityplex, this did not mean that he would not be interested in getting some. The more, the merrier. After all, more birds, more luck!


    If he had to interact with many people, he would definitely be unable to do it. But if he was to ¡°judge¡± these pengornises, then¡­ Thinking about it, he was really quite excited!


    Not realising that his thoughts had alreadypletely deviated from his original ideas, Wu Xingzi made a decision. He would send a letter to everyone in?The Pengornisseur. With more than hundred drawings of phalluses, it was enough tost him for two to three years.


    Unlike the painful struggle he had over using fifty coins a few days ago, in the half hour before he had to report to the magistrate¡¯s office, he prepared ten letters. He was thankful that he had also bought a brush, ink and paper that day he picked up?The Pengornisseur, so there was enough for him to use recklessly.


    Having never purchased anything good in his life, and even buying the cheapest option for his New Year goods, Wu Xingzi entered the new world of making friends through the pigeon express.


    From that day on, Wu Xingzi would hitch a ride on Old Liu¡¯s cart every other day, sending his letters and collecting his replies. However, he had never spent a second coin on the same person.


    After half a month¡¯s time, he had collected about 50 drawings. Storing them neatly in the rattan case, he would flip through them every night before sleep, and select two or three for his enjoyment that night.


    Wu Xingzi had never expected that his little entertainment would attract the suspicions of Auntie Liu. Having wasted a day and losing the opportunity to go to Goose City to collect his replies, Wu Xingzi finally left the Lius¡¯ ce, his head full of regrets.


    Without new pengornises to admire, what was he supposed to do during the long night?


    Listlessly, he went to the magistrate¡¯s office to settle some documents, and the sun soon set. Wu Xingzi was about to head home, but Constable Zhang came over.


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡±


    ¡°Evening, Constable Zhang.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s smile was a little feeble, and Constable Zhang frowned as he looked at him.


    ¡°You¡­ Would you like toe to my ce for dinner tonight?¡± A thread of sympathy and tenderness could be seen in Constable Zhang¡¯s expression. However, Wu Xingzi did not notice it, he was still feeling regretful about not being able to collect his replies that day.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, at first, he was delighted, then he suddenly became shy. ¡°I would only intrude¡­¡±


    He was not considered close to Constable Zhang. Although they had been colleagues for twenty years, they had probably exchanged less than twenty sentences about anything that was not work-rted.


    Also, Constable Zhang knew that he used to like the beancurdd. At that time, he had thenpletely dispelled any notions of being close friends with Constable Zhang.


    ¡°No worries, there¡¯s not much difference in preparing a table for three and a table for two. Ansheng is also concerned about you.¡± Ansheng was the name of the beancurdd, and Wu Xingzi had also only discovered that during that day he exined about the?Peng?Society to him.


    With Constable Zhang¡¯s cid expression, Wu Xingzi would naturally not reject him. The two of them left the magistrate¡¯s office together, and headed to the market.


    Reaching the beancurd store, they found that Ansheng was still wiping the tables. With his bare chest, his solid body covered with droplets of sweat was very eye-catching under the rays of the setting sun.


    Wu Xingzi rubbed his eyes, he hurriedly turned his head away to avoid arousing any suspicions. Still, he could not help but to nce at him from the corner of his eyes.


    Constable Zhang also did not seem to mind that he was sneaking looks. He went up and hugged Ansheng¡¯s waist, kissing him on the forehead. Watching such a warm and attractive scene, Wu Xingzi felt an envy within his heart.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi.¡± Ansheng quickly noticed the presence of Wu Xingzi, with a blush on his face, he pushed Constable Zhang away. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Very well, very well. Thank you.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded his head. Thinking of the fifty pengornises drawings stored in his house, the smile on his face turned brighter.


    ¡°Auntie Liu says you¡¯ve been going to Goose City very often.¡± Ansheng winked at him, his smile somewhat wicked.


    Wu Xingzi flushed, rubbing at the back of his neck, he admitted it with an embarrassed nod.


    ¡°Adviser Wu would be having dinner with us tonight, is there anything you¡¯d like to eat?¡± Constable Zhang took over Ansheng¡¯s cleaning, and started wiping the chairs.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Brother Xingzi, what do you like to eat? Brother Fu¡¯s cooking is very good, he can prepare anything.¡± Ansheng¡¯s pleased look made Wu Xingzi feel more envious.


    Ever since he decided to judge pengornises, he never paid attention to the person he was sending his letter to. In his eyes, those hundred over men had all be various-shaped pengornises. There were no emotions involved, but he did have some satisfaction physically.


    Out of nowhere, Wu Xingzi felt a little dizzy. When he first joined the?Peng?Society, it was to find a life partner. Now, he was only looking for pengornises.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi?¡± Having registered Wu Xingzi¡¯s sudden realisation, Ansheng called out to him worriedly.


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s nothing, I eat everything, I¡¯m not picky.¡± Wu Xingzi recovered his senses, his reply a little uneasy.


    Ansheng exchanged a look with Constable Zhang. They looked worried, but did not say anything, only warmly inviting Wu Xingzi to their ce.


    Constable Zhang was really good at cooking. A simple stir-fried mountain vegetables, fried long beans, and his pickled vegetables with meat did not lose out to the restaurants in Goose City. Wu Xingzi¡¯s meals usually consisted of a bowl of noodles, buns, or pancakes stuffed with eggs. Eating alone, he would naturally not spend too much effort on his meals.


    Done with their food, just like before, Constable Zhang went to wash the dishes, and Ansheng pulled Wu Xingzi over for a chat.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi, have you met someone you like?¡± Deliberating over it, Ansheng finally asked the question.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. He was drinking the wine he brought, and his train of thoughts had not caught up yet. Unaware, he nodded his head.


    ¡°Oh! What kind of person is he?¡± Ansheng¡¯s eyes brightened, he seemed to have sighed in relief.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was unable to answer. The truth was, the thing he liked was not a ¡°person¡±, but someone¡¯s ¡°pengornis¡±.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ansheng¡¯s expression was expectant. Wu Xingzi blushed, he had to try to give an answer.


    ¡°He¡¯s a¡­ very¡­ powerful and magnificent person.¡± shing across Wu Xingzi¡¯s head was that thick and weighty phallus that nearly filled up the whole paper he received the first time. This had to be mentioned, he had already collected fifty pengornis drawings, but there was really none that couldpare to that one.


    Whether the thickness or the length, including the shape, that slightly curved angle, full and round tip, with that shy looking slit, the full and heavy balls at the bottom, each time he held that drawing, it was as though he could feel it burning in his hand.


    ¡°Like Brother Fu?¡± Ansheng¡¯s face was full of curiosity. He had also seen?The Pengornisseur, and so he also understood that a tall and muscr man like Constable Zhang would actually rarely appear within its pages.


    Hearing that, a buzz sounded in Wu Xingzi¡¯s head. He could not help but attach that image of the pengornis in his mind to Constable Zhang.


    Such a thick and weighty object, it was really very suitable for Constable Zhang¡­ Unconsciously, he savoured the image in his mind, and nodded his head profoundly.


    ¡°So Brother Xingzi also likes tall and muscr men.¡± Ansheng was a little surprised. Although he was not considered to be very close with Wu Xingzi, he still had a good understanding of him.


    This warm, gentle and somewhat shy man in front of him, whenever he saw those tall and strong constables at the magistrate¡¯s office, he would always disy a nervous expression and quietly distance himself from them. He had always thought that Wu Xingzi would like a gentle and mild man.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I quite like them¡­ quite like them¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shifted uneasily. Thinking about those few drawings that he especially liked, all of them belonged to the thick and strong category. He was always very curious to know, if he touched the actual thing, would it be like how he imagined it to be, burning and heavy?


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Brother Xingzi.¡± Ansheng sincerely expressed his congrattions, and Wu Xingzi felt a sense of guilt.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, nothing¡­¡± Thinking about it, all the men on?The Pengornisseur?were looking to make friends, for him to only collect pengornis drawings like this, it really seemed wrong.


    Believing that they got an answer, Ansheng and Constable Zhang put down their worries. Finishing the wine, Wu Xingzi said his farewells and headed home.


    Upon reaching home, Wu Xingzi locked all his doors and windows. He took that rattan case out, and spread the fifty drawings across the table,paring them one by one against the drawings in?The Pengornisseur.


    He had actually not paid attention to how most of them looked like. Some of them even stayed quite a distance away, and the pigeons needed to fly for about four or five days before they returned.


    His favourite pengornis drawing belonged to a private tutor. From his drawing, he looked fair and refined, with a sense of righteousness on his face. His shoulders were a little narrow, and Wu Xingzi guessed that the width should be simr to his. He was a little thin, and could be considered tall.


    This private tutor was also a schr, his age close to forty. He liked to prepare tea and read, and would drink with his old friends every few days. He did not n on going after any more honours, he only wanted to stay in his hometown and be a good teacher, quietly spending the rest of his life there.


    For some reason, Wu Xingzi thought of his own father.


    As such, he closed?The Pengornisseur?decisively. Staring at that pengornis drawing, he giggled.


    Actually, this was enough already, was it not? Life was truly too fragile. He thought about how his parents were swallowed by the swelling river in the blink of an eye, and their bodies unable to be found even til today.


    He was about to turn forty, Even if he looked for someone just past the age of thirty to spend his life together with, there was no guarantee that he would not be alone when he woke up one day.


    However, these pengornis drawings were different. Even if he kicked the bucket tomorrow, these drawings would also follow him into that yellowwood coffin, apanying him to the afterlife.


    With such thoughts, Wu Xingzi cheered up again. He pushed those warm actions of Ansheng and Constable Zhang into some deep part of his mind, and shoved them down with arge boulder on top.


    Recalling that he would again be able to collect new drawings tomorrow at Goose City, Wu Xingzi was ted. He picked up his favourite pengornis drawing. Peeling off his pants he climbed onto his bed, then he grabbed the soft little Xingzi and started stroking.

 Chapter 5 - Adviser Wu’s Wet Dream (NSFW)

    <strong>Chapter 5 ¨C Adviser Wu¡¯s Wet Dream (NSFW)</strong>


    <hr>


    When the salesman saw Wu Xingzi, he weed him with a smile. ¡°Master Wu, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled bashfully. He wrung his hands unconsciously, and with familiar steps, followed the salesman to the parlour at the back of the shop.


    ¡°Master Wu, please take a seat. I¡¯ll go and retrieve your letters now.¡± The salesman offered him both tea and snacks. After collecting the letters that Wu Xingzi wanted to send, he left.


    As Wu Xingzi sat, his feet kept tapping on the ground. He lifted the teacup a few times, but did not put it to his lips before cing it down again.


    The butterflies fluttering in his stomach made it so that he ?could not help but stare at the closed door. Although he hade a few times to collect the letters already, Wu Xingzi was still not used to being in such an elegant ce like the?Peng?Society. As he was filled with anticipation for the letters, he was also anxious over letting someone else work for him.


    After about a quarter of an hour that felt like it would never end, the door was finally pushed open. Wu Xingzi nearly leapt up from his seat, but managed to hold himself back.


    ¡°Master Wu, you have a little more letters today. Some are from Bastion City.¡± The salesman pointed at some of the letters in his hand, before gathering them up and passing them to Wu Xingzi.


    From Bastion City? Wu Xingzi was a little taken aback before he remembered that he did send three letters to the?Peng?Society in Bastion City, about seven or eight days ago. That was probably the furthest ce located away from Goose City, and Great Xia¡¯s most southern and most flourishing city.


    An unexinable hopefulness welled up within him. Wu Xingzi thanked the salesman for the letters, then passed a few coins over to him. Just like before, he packed up the leftover snacks and left, satisfied.


    He had spent some time in quite a number of avable parlours at the back of the shop. Although they were not extremely spacious, they were not cramped either. For a person to wait there with drinks and snacks for about a quarter to half an hour, they were veryfortable.


    In the past, Wu Xingzi had never met any other members of the?Peng?Society, likely because very few of them woulde so early like he did. Most of them would probably onlye after it was noon ¡ª this was what the salesman had told him over a casual chat.


    Therefore, when he heard the door of the parlour next door open the same time as he opened his door, he jumped in shock, shrinking and thinking of retreating back into the room. However, the salesman was just behind him, so he was stuck, a foot beyond the threshold and a foot still inside,pletely frozen.


    ¡°Master Wu?¡± The salesman was very nimble, and was able to avoid knocking into Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi felt so embarrassed that he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it. In a fluster, he did not know what he should do.


    ¡°What happened?¡± The customer from the parlour next door stopped and asked him casually, after seeing Wu Xingzi¡¯s pale and sweating face.


    Wu Xingzi shivered when he heard that voice, his ears turning red.


    He had never heard such a pleasant voice before. It sounded just like the flowing water, as well as the striking of jade pieces. It was clear and melodious like a cold spring, yet warm and gentle like a lover¡¯s whisper. Even though it was just a simple question, it went straight to Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart and hooked onto it.


    Wu Xingzi did not dare to look towards the owner of that voice. He covered his ears in diposure, his head hanging to the point where his chin was pressed into his chest. From the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of the edges of a ck robe that were embroidered with elegant dark patterns.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡­ Please go ahead¡­¡± With some effort, he gestured at the man to walk, but who would have guessed that his body would be so stiff that he twisted his arm. A creak could be heard, and there was really no way else that he could be embarrassed even further.


    The man did not reply him, and that ck robe soon disappeared from Wu Xingzi¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Master Wu?¡± The salesman waited for the man to be some distance away, before cautiously calling out to Wu Xingzi. ¡°Are you alright? Should we get the physician here to take a look?¡±


    ¡°No need no need¡­ It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Wu Xingzi could no longer care about his embarrassment, he waved the salesman off. Clutching at the package that contained his letters, he headed out of the shop stiffly, nearly tripping over the threshold.


    He did not know why he reacted that way. There were over a hundred members in the?Peng?Society, and members who listed their location under Goose City amounted to about twenty or thirty of them. To meet a member during these few weeks should not be an issue, and there was really no need to feel embarrassed. If they happened to exchange looks between each other, there might even be a chance for them to settle in marriage.


    But Wu Xingzi was unable to take this step.


    Without any reason, he just felt ashamed. A person like him, who was old and far from handsome, might even lose his chance to collect any more pengornis drawings.


    Without a contrast, he could still console himself that his features were regr. However, the man he saw just now, his voice was like music to the ears and his looks were definitely also above average. With the existence of someone like him in?The Pengornisseur, what business did he have appearing inside as well?


    Clutching the replies, Wu Xingzi hurriedly left the?Peng?Society as though he was running away. As such, he did not notice that there was a pair of eyes following him closely. Even when he was swallowed up by the crowd, the eyes continued looking in his direction.


    As usual, after passing Old Liu a meat bun and some chilled water, Wu Xingzi sat on the swaying cart and chewed on his own bun. For once, he did not pay attention to his food, his mind still upied by that melodious voice. A faint silly grin appeared on his face.


    Old Liu took a nce at him, but did not mention anything, only moving the cart along.


    They returned to Qingcheng County earlier than usual. This time, as the letters had to travel further, Wu Xingzi arranged with Old Liu to head to Goose City again three dayster, then headed to the magistrate¡¯s office to deal with his work.


    Only when the sun had nearly setpletely, did Wu Xingzi hurry home from the magistrate¡¯s office.


    He quickly prepared a bowl of noodles and finished it off. Fetching the water, he took a bath. The weather had started to turn colder, but he was toozy to heat the water up. After the bath, he was chilled to the point where his teeth were chattering, and only after huddling under his nket for a long time did he start to warm up.


    Once he felt warm enough, he excitedly opened the letters he had received today. As expected, all of them were pengornis drawings, and there were a total of eight of them.


    Five of them were average looking, and just after a nce, Wu Xingzi put them down.


    By now, having studied quite a number of pengornis drawings, towards the pengornises that were not outstanding, Wu Xingzi would not spend a lot of time appraising them. Naturally, the artist¡¯s skills were still exemry, even though they looked ordinary, they were still decent looking, and could still be put to use normally.


    However, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mood today was somewhat fevered, and he needed a very attractive pengornis to soothe his emotions.


    As for the next three drawings, they were all very eye-catching. All three of them were from Bastion City, and after the artist¡¯s retouching, they could all bebelled as awe-inspiringly noble and handsome.


    Especially¡­ Wu Xingzi gulped down his excessive saliva, his eyes drilling into the pengornis that left him awestruck. To blink now would be considered a waste of time.


    At his first nce, Wu Xingzi had noticed that this pengornis was definitelyparable to the number one unrivalled pengornis in his heart.


    Whether it was the length, the thickness, the heft, or even the curvature, they all attracted the eyes of Wu Xingzi, making his throat so dry as though a fire had passed through it.


    After studying the drawing carefully for the second time, Wu Xingzi was deeply shaken. Only now did he notice that the paper of this letter was nearly one inch longer than the rest of the letters. Despite the extra space, this pengornis still filled up most of the paper, almost exploding out from it.


    Although it was just a drawing, the words ¡°baby¡¯s arm¡± popped into Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, bringing along with it a bright flush upon his face.


    Not only was it weighty, Wu Xingzi could almost feel its heating off the paper. From that bulbous head that was not unlike an egg of a chicken, that slightly gaping slit that made people want to suck upon it, that throbbing vein along the thick shaft and the two full and round balls at the bottom, it was as savage as it could get, as alluring as it could be. It was extremely good looking, and it was perfect, neither too big nor too small.


    Full of masculinity yet it did not feel boorish; the curve looked as though it could hook the hearts of the viewer; with the elegance of a schr and also the might of a warrior. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were glued to the drawing in his hand, and little Xingzi in his pants was swollen until it hurt, the tip drooling, forming arge wet patch on his trousers. Without even touching himself, just by looking at this drawing, imagining its weight, heat and scent in reality, was enough to make him nearly ejacte.


    He finally understood what indescribable meant. The pengornis in front of him was exactly like the epitome of it.


    Wu Xingzi did not know what he should do. He only knew that he had beenpletely entranced by the pengornis in front of him.


    No matter how much he looked at it, it was not enough. He had long forgotten about the other two pengornis drawings, and the attractiveness of those 50 pengornis drawings in his rattan case had also faded inparison. Wu Xingzi grabbed the teapot and poured the tea directly into his mouth, finishing half the pot in one gulp. His throat finally felt soothed, unlike the burning dryness from before.


    During this, his eyes were still stuck on that drawing, greedily capturing every inch of the lines on the drawing, from those full and round balls¡­ Wu Xingzi pursed his lips and sucked in air, his tongue twisting in his mouth, as though he was really sucking that bulging sac into his mouth.


    Next was the thick shaft, that throbbing vein along its head¡­ Wu Xingzi opened his mouth slightly, his bright red tongue curling up, finally licking his own two lips. However, this was far from enough, he felt an emptiness in his heart, his mouth tingling. How he wished he could pull that phallus off the paper and put it into his mouth, licking and sucking at it, and know the taste of the fluids dripping from the tip.


    It was like he was possessed.


    Wu Xingzi panted heavily. He curled up on his bed, pumping vigorously at little Xingzi who had already released once. He bit at his nket, sucking and licking at it.


    This was definitely the first time he had felt like that. Having appraised over fifty pengornises, he had never lost hisposure in this manner before. Of course, he had also wanted to try the taste of those pengornises that had imprinted deeply within his heart, but that was only within his imagination. Looking at the pengornis drawings while rubbing at little Xingzi, then having a good sleep after his orgasm was already enough for him.


    Wu Xingzi had never had a partner before. From head to toe, he was a virgin. Cocksucking was something he had learnt from the erotic drawings that Manager Rancui had given him a while ago.


    ¡°Ahhhhh¡­¡± His hips shuddered, those pale and slender thighs kicking a few times on the bed, and Wu Xingzi nearly lost his breath. His body was weak after his orgasm, and his hand was full of a white, sticky fluid.


    His mind only cleared up after a long period of panting. He stared nkly at the nket that had the imprints of his teeth, then ?raised his hand to look at the cooling ejaction on it. His entire body was out of strength, but deep within him was a restlessness that was constantly wriggling away.


    He did not know why he behaved like that. After all, it was only a pengornis drawing¡­ No no no, Wu Xingzi immediately refuted himself, this was not some ordinary pengornis drawing, this was the Pan An of all pengornis drawings!


    Or maybe, this was the Lanling Prince amongst all pengornises. Exceedingly beautiful, yet within its beautyy a great strength, powerful enough to destroy cities.


    Wu Xingzi was now one of the cities that were destroyed, he had been defeated by it, but still willingly fell under its charm.


    After resting on his bed, Wu Xingzi finally regained some energy. He carefully ced the pengornis drawing by his bed, then stood up and cleaned all the sticky fluids off himself. Changing his clothes, he then wiped and made sure his hands were clean before carefully picking up that drawing again, unwilling to let go of it.


    It was only when the moon was high up in the night sky, the stars distant, did Wu Xingzi reluctantly ce the drawing in the rattan case before going to sleep.


    It was hard to decide if Wu Xingzi slept well that night. At the start of his dreams appeared the owner of that voice. As he did not see his face and only his robe, the face of the man in his dream was blurry. He had a vague impression that the man was very handsome, to the point where he was unable to find the words to describe it.


    The man was somewhat cold, after asking for his name, he ignored him. He sat on a seat that was some distance away from him, his actions while drinking tea looked just like a painting.


    In the next moment, the man somehow leaned towards him,ughing quietly into his ear. Theugh left Wu Xingzi feeling weak, his entire body turning red like a cooked shrimp. Then, the man removed his ck robe, exposing hisrge pengornis, and it just happened to be the one Wu Xingzi was enraptured with.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widen, and his brain turned nk.


    ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡± The man asked with a smile. Wu Xingzi nodded away, his legs copsing under him and he kneeled between the man¡¯s thighs. Reaching out with his trembling hand, he touched that pengornis.


    So hot¡­ It was so hot that his palm tingled.


    Wu Xingzi carefully dragged his hand from the root to the tip, letting that hefty weight slide along his palm, while another hand cupped those swelling balls, caressing them lightly.


    The man¡¯s breathing became slightly audible, his groan extremely pleasant to the ears. Wu Xingzi hardened as well, the sweat on his forehead rolling down his face, his abdomen tingling, and how he wished someone could soothe the sensation there.


    ¡°Lick it.¡± The man directed gently, and Wu Xingzi naturally obeyed.


    He opened his mouth, eager yet shy. He drew closer to that heated bulbous head, about to swallow it in¡­ Giving a violent start, Wu Xingzi woke up with a choke.


    Having just woken up, he was still trapped in the surroundings of the dream. He sat there in a daze, sucking in air with his mouth half-opened, his breathsing out in hisses.


    It took him awhile before he recovered his senses, his body a bright red, almost feeling as though he had nothing to live for.


    He actually had a wet dream? Ignoring that, exactly how much did he want to suck that pengornis! Pinching his own cheeks harshly with no mercy, he only let go after leaving a bruise on each side.


    His trousers were again stained by his own ejaction. Wu Xingzi climbed out from his bed in shameful frustration. After changing his trousers, seeing the arrival of dawn, he carried his clothes to the riverside and washed them clean before running home secretively to dry them out in the sun.


    Wu Xingzi ah, Wu Xingzi, forget about the fact that you¡¯ve achieved nothing in your life, and that your hobby of appraising pengornises is fine, but why would you fall in love at first sight with a pengornis?


    He reproached himself silently, but ?Wu Xingzi tried to justify it in his heart.?That¡¯s no ordinary pengornis! Think about it, if Lord Lang Yang was standing in front of you today, would you not fall in love with him immediately?


    This might be difficult. Wu Xingzi gave himself a few good hard ps, but he still could not get rid of that lingering daydream, and knew that he had to admit defeat.


    This was the first time Wu Xingzi decided to spend a second coin on the same man.


    The question was, should he draw his own little Xingzi as a reply? Or should he act properly and write a sentimental letter with an offer to be friends? Caught in the dilemma, Wu Xingzi struggled with it for three days.


    On the third day, which was also the day he had arranged with Old Liu to go to Goose City, Wi Xingzi woke up early, and finally made his decision.


    He inhaled a few sharp breaths, pulled his trousers off, prepared his writing materials, and rubbed little Xingzi till it turned hard ¡ª it was not difficult to do so, all he had to do was think of ?that Lanling Prince of pengornises and he would be so hard that he would start leaking. With a stroke of the brush, he slowly drew his little Xingzi onto the paper, making sure to include every detail, then folded it up after it dried.

 Chapter 6 - Adviser, Your Pengornis

    <strong>Chapter 6 ¨C Adviser, Your Pengornis</strong>


    <hr>


    Bastion City was very far, it was a city along the border of the country. It neighboured the southern barbarians, and had about twenty thousand troops stationed there. Themanding general of the city, who was the heir of the Protector General, had made great achievements in war. In just five years, he had pushed the southern barbarians back and forced their king to pay tribute to the capital, and they did not dare to push against the border again.


    But because of the massacres, just hearing his name would make children cry at night. It was said that he looked like a sinister demon, and protected Southern Xinjiang as though there was an iron wall around it.


    Wu Xingzi had naturally heard of this, but he had never paid much attention to it. After all, Qingcheng County was a little ce in the middle of nowhere, where news and messages were barely received. This reputed heir of the Protector General, this South Garrison General, would never in his life have any interactions with a ce like Qingcheng County.


    However, Wu Xingzi was still very thankful to this general. It was due to the presence of the troops in Bastion City that such an astounding pengornis would appear for him.


    Counting today, it would already be four days since he had been waiting for the reply. In these four days, he had barely had any appetite for food and drinks, and only counted the days. Thinking that he still had to endure another three more days of waiting, he was somewhat irritable, and had lost a fair bit of weight.


    Aspared to how his life was full of enjoyment only a few days ago, Wu Xingzi was unable to put into words how monotonous his days currently were. In fact, it might be even more arduous than his life before joining the?Peng?Society.


    It was said that when one was ustomed to luxury, it was hard for them to live a frugal life again.


    Used to hearty meat dishes, how would one be able to go back to simple vegetarian food? Wu Xingzi gazed at that pengornis drawing from Bastion City daily, andforted himself with his hands countless times. Every night, he would dream of that pengornis together with that man in ck he had seen that day. Although he knew that these two had nothing to do with each other, but he could not control his brain, and each morning after he woke up, he would have to wash his trousers.


    Would his own pengornis be able to arouse the other person¡¯s interest? Wu Xingzi could not help but worry about his losses, especially when he was clear about how his own pengornis was really¡­ckluster. Just like his face, it could only be said that it was in.


    By the sixth day, Wu Xingzi was like a ghost drifting about, staring at people nkly. Constable Zhang had asked after him in concern many times. Rumours spread within Qingcheng County that Adviser Wu had been cheated of both his feelings and money when making friends through the pigeon express.


    ¡°Where did you hear this from?¡± Ansheng finally had some free time, only to hear such gossip from his customers. They were vividly describing how Adviser Wu had met a sham of a man, and had been both lied to and deceived his feelings, and finally cheated him of all his bucket stash. Making penpals through the pigeon express was so risky!


    With Ansheng¡¯s question, the customers¡¯ expressions became even more invigorated. ¡°Ah, we heard it from Auntie Liu, little boss, you should know her right?¡±


    ¡°Auntie Liu? The wife of Old Liu who drives the cart?¡± Ansheng wiped his hands clean and sat by the table, presenting a face full of curiosity. ¡°What did Auntie say?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just about that Adviser Wu? Previously he kept going to Goose City, and we heard that he was obsessed with what making penpals through what pigeon express. Tsk tsk tsk, why do they have to be so secretive about interacting with each other? Not knowing the exact background of the other person, Adviser Wu is really very daring.¡± Customer A was so excited that his spittle was flying as he spoke, his eyes bright, sounding sorrowful but with a face full of interest.


    ¡°Yes, exactly! Penpals through the pigeon express is so unorthodox, having never seen the other person¡¯s face before, how could a person believe what¡¯s written on those letters? Adviser Wu is about to turn 40 already, I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s because he¡¯s been too lonely! To randomly look for such a solution, see! Now, he has suffered such losses, and even lost his bucket stash!¡± Customer B patted his chest, he almost could not stop himself.


    ¡°All these were told to Auntie Liu by Adviser Wu?¡± Ansheng suppressed his urge to roll his eyes, maintaining that look of interest on his face, and let the two customers continue speaking.


    ¡°How could that be? Of course Adviser Wu would not be so direct. However, the past few days he had not hired the cart to go to Goose City anymore, what other reasons can there be?¡± Customer A shook his head.


    ¡°Exactly! You don¡¯t know how often Adviser Wu used to go to Goose City, he would go there every other day! If he hadn¡¯t beenpletely deceived into being a fool, why else would he run to Goose City so often? Who knows what kind of honeyed words the other person had been telling Adviser Wu, causing him to lose all his senses.¡± Customer B spoke.


    ¡°Little boss, don¡¯t you agree with us?¡± Both of them looked at Ansheng. He smiled and nodded. He was smart enough to not reveal anything, but secretly, he started worrying.


    He was not worried about Wu Xingzi getting deceived. The?Peng?Society was very meticulous with their business, and not everyone was able to appear in?The Pengornisseur. No one knew where they received their information from, but all criminals were refused at the door. This was also corroborated by Constable Zhang, and so, Ansheng would not doubt it.


    However, he was worried that Wu Xingzi had liked someone, only to be rejected. Although this was somethingmon while making friends through the pigeon express, but with how timid and cautious Wu Xingzi was, if he was rejected too many times, it was likely that he would not try again. As such, the purpose of making friends through the pigeon express would bepletely lost.


    Looking at the time, there was still a while before it was time to close the shop. However, Ansheng could not wait anymore, when Customers A and B finished eating, he quickly packed up his shop.


    By the time he reached the magistrate¡¯s office, it was not yet 3pm. The entrance to the magistrate¡¯s office was quiet, and even the guards who were supposed to be stationed at the door were nowhere in sight. Sparrows perched in a row on the roof and chirped away, and the cool breeze brought with it a sense of drowsiness.


    Ansheng paused for a moment, then entered the magistrate¡¯s office from a side door. However, he did not know where to go to look for Wu Xingzi. Although he had already be Constable Zhang¡¯s partner, this was still the first time he hade to the magistrate¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this Ansheng?¡± A gentle and slightly nasally voice was heard, it sounded very friendly. That was Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Brother Xingzi!¡± Ansheng was delighted, and hurried over.


    ¡°Are you here to look for Constable Zhang?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯splexion was not very good, but he still had a genial smile upon his face.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m here to look for you.¡± Ansheng bit his lip, and hesitantly spoke. ¡°Brother Xingzi, do you¡­ have time to talk with me?¡±


    ¡°I do have some time¡­¡± Wu Xingzi looked troubled, but did not reject him. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go in and talk.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡± Wu Xingzi led Ansheng into his office, a little room by the side of the hall. Inside it was a table and two chairs, with many bookshelves against the wall. The bookshelves were crammed full, and even the table was stacked with dossiers.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind the mess.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears were faintly red. ¡°Take a seat first, I¡¯ll go prepare some tea.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself, Brother Xingzi. I¡¯m just here to discuss a small matter, I won¡¯t take up too much of your time.¡± Ansheng quickly stopped him and pushed him onto a chair, then he sat down.


    Both of them looked at each other in silence. Ansheng was carefully studying Wu Xingzi, while Wu Xingzi was puzzled over the reason for Ansheng¡¯s appearance.


    After a long while, Wu Xingzi was uneasy, he could not stop fidgeting. Ansheng finally exhaled and spoke up. ¡°Brother Xingzi, tell me the truth. Have you gotten into any trouble?¡±


    ¡°Trouble?¡± Wu Xingzi was bemused. He did have some trouble to do with his favourite pengornis, but that was something he could not say aloud.


    ¡°Yes, trouble to do with the pigeon express¡­¡± Ansheng was very subtle with his question. He was unwilling to believe the rumours that were being spread, but he could not ignore how haggard Wu Xingzi looked. They had not met for only a few days, and Wu Xingzi had lost so much weight. He was originally already not of a sturdy build, but now, he looked as though he could be blown away by the wind.


    Hearing Ansheng, Wu Xingzi could not control the blush on his face. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, and could not say a word.


    Ansheng was in no hurry, he only sat there quietly and waited.


    After a while, Wu Xingzi finally replied. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just¡­¡± He really could not mention about him being attracted to a pengornis. He was already bashful enough, he still wanted to be able to walk around outside in the future.


    ¡°It¡¯s just?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi adjusted his position, and gulped. ¡°Just¡­ a few days ago, I was attracted to a peng¡­ attracted to a person. I¡¯ve already sent a letter and now I¡¯m waiting for a reply. Because I¡¯ve been thinking about it, I¡¯ve lost my appetite. Sorry to have made you worry.¡±


    ¡°How many days ago did you send the letter?¡± Hearing Wu Xingzi¡¯s exnation, Ansheng was a little less worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s been 6 days. The other person is in Bastion City, so the pigeons would take a longer time. I think I¡¯ll only be able to receive the reply tomorrow.¡± Having started, the conversation now flowed easily. After all, Wu Xingzi was not a shrewd person, together with his good rtions with Ansheng, he told him everything that he could.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Ansheng nodded, andpletely put down his worries. He could not help but me Auntie Liu, with the ridiculous rumours spreading around, who knew what people would say in the end? ¡°Brother Xingzi, there¡¯s something that I have to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was still slightly flushed, but he had rxed a lot.


    ¡°Auntie Liu¡­ Be more careful, there are some things you shouldn¡¯t tell her.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Liu?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, then smiled gently. ¡°I know that Auntie Liu likes to gossip, but she doesn¡¯t have any evil intentions. Rumours would dissipate after a while, I don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    Qingcheng County was both small and poor, the people¡¯s lives were hard. Other than chit-chatting, there was no other entertainment avable. Wu Xingzi had long knew that his matters had been treated as gossip by others already, but since he did not hear it personally, he pretended not to know about it. This was life!


    Ansheng sighed, ¡°Your temper is too good, no wonder Auntie Liu likes to gossip about you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, no one means any harm.¡± Wu Xingzi patted Ansheng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you for worrying about me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s something I should do.¡± Ansheng considered for a moment, then continued. ¡°Brother Xingzi, everyone in Qingcheng County knows how good a person you are. You must not look down on yourself.?The Pengornisseur?is only an introduction, don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, I know.¡± Wu Xingzi felt warmed by the concern. Although Ansheng and him were not destined to be partners, but to be such bosom friends, it was also a sort of fate.


    ¡°Come over to my ce tomorrow for a meal.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Both of them then chatted about some daily trifles. Until the sun had set, and Wu Xingzi brought Ansheng to look for Constable Zhang, did they say their farewells and went home separately.


    The next morning, as dawn was breaking through the sky, Wu Xingzi awoke. He was full of vigour,pletely different from his dispiritness over the past few days. He did not even have a wet dream during the night, most likely due to his excitement over the iing reply.


    He prepared his breakfast, but his heart had long since flew over to Goose City already.


    Before he left, he went back to his room and counted out fifty coins. He had originally only nned to subscribe to?The Pengornisseur?for a month, but now, he had decided to continue his subscription, secretly resolving to carry on collecting those pengornis drawings. Like this, even if he could not be friends with that Lanling Prince, there would be others to console him.


    Who knew, he might also meet a Han Zigao, a Wei Jie, or a Ji Kang. There were so many pengornises in this world, without this one, there were still others!


    Just like before, Wu Xingzi would arrive at the?Peng?Society in the morning, and be brought to one of the parlours by the salesman. This made him very excited, as he had only sent one letter seven days ago. Asking him to wait, this definitely meant that he had a reply! Could the owner of this great pengornis also be attracted to his own pengornis? Ah, how embarrassing!


    As Wu Xingzi waited in anticipation, the salesman still had not returned after a long period of time. His excitement gradually dimmed, and a sense of unease welled up within him. Wu Xingzi was at first sitting upright on his seat, wanting to receive that reply in the most proper position. Now, he had shrivelled up in disquiet.


    Could it be that the person did not reply? Did the salesman make a mistake, afraid of being reproached, he was hiding from him? No no no, the salesmen of the?Peng?Society were all smart people, even if they made a mistake, they would be able toe up with a good resolution. Even if they could not, there was still Manager Rancui, right? No one would ever get angry after seeing Rancui!


    He sighed, then sighed again. With his sighs, he deted like a withered eggnt.


    Should he just leave first? It was gettingte, he should not let Uncle Liu continue waiting for him. He would just pass the salesman the fifty coins and leave. There were pengornises everywhere, why focus only on a single bird?


    Having made his decision, Wu Xingzi drank thest mouthful of tea, heading out of the parlour dejectedly. At the same time, he again heard the door to the parlour next door opening.


    Without being aware of it, he lifted his head to take a look, and was stunned.


    Stepping out of the room was a person dressed in ck. The material of the robe was like flowing water, Wu Xingzi immediately thought of the ck robe he saw the previous time.


    The man was extremely tall, his clothes billowing in the wind, his silky ck hair simply bundled up with a jade hairpin. His skin was as pale as snow, and donning his ck robe, he had an otherworldly bearing.


    Seeming to have noticed Wu Xingzi¡¯s attention, the man nced at him. His face was perfect, those cold eyes glittering like ck crystals, and that look caused Wu Xingzi to tremble, his legs weakening for some unknown reason.


    Realising that he hadmitted a gaffe, he quickly looked away. As he was about to raise his hands in apology, that man spoke first. ¡°You¡¯re Adviser Wu from Qingcheng County?¡±


    It was definitely that voice he had heard that day, cold yet lingering, very melodious.


    ¡°Yes yes yes, that¡¯s me. Apologies for having offended you.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands in apology, his head bowed till it was almost buried in his chest. He was not suspicious of why that person recognised him, after all, people who appeared here were all members of the?Peng?Society, and had all seen?The Pengornisseur. He did appear in it!


    However, this man in front of him was not found within the pages of?The Pengornisseur. A person like him who looked as though he had descended from the heavens, how could he not remember?


    ¡°There¡¯s no offense.¡± The man paused. ¡°I¡¯m Guan Shanjin.¡±


    ¡°Master Guan¡­¡± Wu Xingzi could not resist peeking at him, then giving himself a fright, he nearly stumbled and fell backwards. The man who was originally standing quite a distance from him, had silently stood at an arm¡¯s length from him. An intoxicating scent wafted past him, Wu Xingzi could not help but sniff and sniff again, his mind fluttering away.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Guan Shanjin seemed to be smiling. It was as though there was a little hook in that voice, scratching at a person¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re also a member of the?Peng?Society?¡± Wu Xingzi was unsure about what exactly he wanted to do. He felt ashamed of his ungainly looks, but still could not resist secretly leaning into him. Ah, the scent of this Master Guan was really very fragrant.


    ¡°I am, yet I¡¯m also not.¡± The corner of Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled up. Those lips were also extremely good looking, the size moderate, the thickness appropriate, and the colour was a light, faint red, just like a flower petal.


    How would it feel to bite on it? Having never kissed anyone before, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind started daydreaming.


    The impression this man gave him was just like that pengornis. With just one nce, he left him a deep impression, and everything else in the background had faded away.


    ¡°Does Master Guan n on appearing on?The Pengornisseur?to make friends through the pigeon express?¡± Wu Xingzi asked with a obliging smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve?done?that already.¡± Guan Shanjin had emphasised the second word slightly, but Wu Xingzi did not notice, only feeling regretful about this answer.


    If he had already done it, but did not appear in the current edition of?The Pengornisseur, did that mean he had already found his partner?


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Since he already had someone, Wu Xingzi could only sigh and sniff at this fragrance. ¡°Master Guan is here to return?The Pengornisseur?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes crinkled, his chilliness disappeared, and in a twinkling, was effused with a heart-stirring charm. ¡°I¡¯m here to collect a reply.¡±


    ¡°A reply?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Guan Shanjin pulled out a letter from his robes, and opened it in front of Wu Xingzi. ¡°Your reply.¡±


    On that letter was clearly the pengornis drawing that Wu Xingzi had personally drawn.


    His eyes widened, and his entire body started shivering. Unsteadily, he retreated, only to have Guan Shanjin put his arm around his waist.


    No no no, there definitely was a misunderstanding somewhere!!


    Wu Xingzi wanted to struggle, but Guan Shanjin was unexpectedly strong. He easily carried him into the parlour, kicking the door close, and gave a gorgeous smile. ¡°Since we¡¯ve already shown ourselves openly to each other, why don¡¯t we take the next step?¡±


    Huh? Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes rounded even more, as he was dazzled by that dimpled smile, something in him was screaming in rm.


    Then, when a soft and warm breath brushed against his lips, Wu Xingzi forgot about struggling.

 Chapter 7 - Shall We Expose Ourselves to Each Other?

    <strong>Chapter 7 ¨C Shall We Expose Ourselves to Each Other?</strong>


    (NSFW: Handjob, Dirty Talk, Ejaction)


    <hr>


    Wu Xingzi was hundred percent a virgin. He had never even kissed his own hand, not to mention kissing other people. This situation only made him faint and giddy, and within a few moments, he had copsed into a pile of goo.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s kisses were very forceful, pressing firmly against Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips. His breaths were so hot that Wu Xingzi shivered under him, but those lips were very soft, and even tasted a little sweet and fruity.


    He must have gone to paradise¡­ Wu Xingzi panted, his breaths were all filled with the intoxicating scent of Guan Shanjin, as though he was immersed in a garden of gardenias, orange blossoms, and white sandalwood.


    Wu Xingzi gulped, his mouth was dry, but those soft lips on him felt a little wet, and he vaguely registered that something agile had slid across his lips.


    Unaware, he opened his mouth, and that little thing instantly brushed within. It slid past his teeth, stroking his gums, then tangled with his flustered tongue. As that object caressed his sensitive spots, he could not help but moan.


    And, Guan Shanjin replied him with a lowugh filled with lust.


    Although he tried to sober up, but Wu Xingzi was too inexperienced, or maybe it was Guan Shanjin¡¯s beauty that was too seductive. This kiss was both deep and long, that agile tongue licked at the roof of his mouth, almost as though it could reach the back of his throat. Wu Xingzi drowned in those sensations, yet he felt a little fearful. His body trembled non-stop, and as all the strength left him, everything got under Guan Shanjin¡¯s control.


    Just as Wu Xingzi was about to asphyxiate from kissing, Guan Shanjin finally pulled back a little. Using his wet and soft lips, he rubbed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, letting him catch his breaths. Seeing how Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were reddening, as though he was about to cry, Guan Shanjin was very satisfied, and he ?lightly pressed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s swollen lips again.


    ¡°Give me your tongue.¡± That low and softmand was both charming and full of passion. Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin body shivered, and the fire in his belly burned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Although he was bing dizzy with those kisses, as he was catching his breath, he remembered that he was still in the parlour of the?Peng?Society. Despite the fact that he was about to turn forty, and that he was not very particr, but this would be the first time he would be in such intimate contact with someone else, there should at least¡­ be a bed?


    ¡°I¡¯m not good enough for you?¡± Guan Shanjinughed lightly, then took his earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shuddered and moaned, it was unbearable, his legs almost folding under him.


    He had never imagined that his earlobe was so sensitive!


    Guan Shanjin was also surprised by his discovery. The flushed face of this ordinary man in front of him, those eyes, the tip of his nose, and even his ears were dyed pink, they had an indescribable charm to them. This charm could make a person¡¯s heart melt, but also make him want to do something overboard to him. It would be even better if he could make him breakdown and cry, to the point where he would not be able to make a sound.


    ¡°Give me your tongue.¡± That lustful voice, together with his hot breath, entered his ear. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were clouded, his thin shoulders were trembling, and finally, slowly, he pushed his little pink tongue out from the gap between his lips.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin praised him in satisfaction. He bit on that pink tongue, slowly teasing it, and that tingling pain made Wu Xingzi almost lose his breath. He shut his eyes, afraid to look at Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes that were full of charm and emotions. Cooperatively, he stuck his tongue out further, until it waspletely taken into Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth.


    Just as though he was eating a juicy fruit, Guan Shanjin yed with the man¡¯s shy pink tongue, until wet sounds of sucking could be heard.


    Wu Xingzi was very embarrassed upon hearing those sounds. He could neither open his eyes nor have them remain closed. Even if he wanted to hide, he was unable to do so. Feeling the arms around him tightening, and the kiss getting deeper, he believed that Guan Shanjin wanted to swallow him whole.


    He was not exactly wrong.


    There was a slightly big, round table in the parlour. Disyed in the center, was a vase. On it was a painting of a hundred children ying, and every child looked charming and innocent, vivid and lifelike, their little mouthsughing or crying or making a fuss, it was almost as if one could hear the sounds they were making.


    All along, Wu Xingzi had never really dared toe close to this round table. He did not know if it was appropriate for the vase to be disyed here, but it was definitely a high-quality item of great craftsmanship. If he had identally broken it, he might not even be able to afford a straw mat for his corpse.


    Guan Shanjin clearly did not share his concerns. Carrying a person that hadpletely lost his strength to even walk, he still did not stop attacking Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. Reaching that table, he swept the vase onto the ground. That crash scared Wu Xingzi to the point where he started struggling, but with his slender limbs, against Guan Shanjin it was fruitless. With a shove, Guan Shanjin kept him immobile on the table, and the deepening kiss caused Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth to overflow with saliva.


    After a long while, when Wu Xingzi felt that he had alreadypletely lost his senses, Guan Shanjin seemed like he was finally feeling somewhat satisfied, and pulled back from the kiss. There were long, glistening threads stretching between their lips. As Guan Shanjin licked and swallowed them all, those red, petal-like lips moved, and curved into a smile.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± In Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, there were only those white teeth and red lips, as well as that lusty and wicked tongue. He believed that he was about to faint, no matter how he tried, he could not calm his irregr breathing. In a daze, he stared at Guan Shanjin, then woodenly nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re so obedient¡­¡± Guan Shanjin chuckled, looking as bright as the stars in the sky. Wu Xingzi felt that he had lost all sense of rationality, and chose to savour the beauty in front of him instead.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Entranced, he nodded his head, and spoke as though possessed. ¡°I can be even more obedient, do you like it?¡±


    Not expecting such a reply, Guan Shanjin¡¯s smile sharpened, and he cocked his eyebrow slightly. He reached out and slid his hand around Wu Xingzi¡¯s slender throat, his thumb stroking along that faintly pulsating vein. Feeling that ragged pulse under the skin, heughed again.


    ¡°I like it.¡± His fingers glided down that throat, flicking apart thepels of Wu Xingzi¡¯s robe, exposing those cor bones that were as sharp as knives, together with that thin and pale chest.


    Wu Xingzi was very thin, and his ribs could be vaguely seen. Now that he was lying on the table, they became even more prominent, covered only by a thinyer of muscle. That soft and t pale stomach rose and fell with each of his breaths. He wanted to curl up and hide, but Guan Shanjin took the first step and used his muscr figure to force himself between his two thighs. His heated palmy across that white belly, and exerted some pressure onto it.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was as though his stomach hade into contact with a burning piece of metal. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body was washed in red, he tried to mp his thighs together, only to walk into the trap of tightening his legs around the man¡¯s trim waist himself. His clothes had also fallen open, and hey naked on his clothes, his entire body on disy.


    Wu Xingzi swallowed his saliva. Despite feeling shy, he was overwhelmed with the feeling of anticipation. The fire in his belly had spread throughout his body, and his cock had already shamelessly lifted up. Shining, crystal-like beads emerged from that light pink head, and under Guan Shanjin¡¯s heated gaze, the rate at which those beads emerged had increased.


    ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m about to do?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers were long and slim, but rough to the touch. Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly twitched as Guan Shanjin caressed the area, his entire abdomen ame.


    ¡°I, I have a general idea¡­¡± Wu Xingzi replied sheepishly. Having lived for nearly forty years, even if he never had pork, he knew how a pig looked like. He was physically a virgin, but he still knew of such matters.


    ¡°You really know what I¡¯m about to do?¡± Guan Shanjin uttered a lowugh, his fingers tapping on his abdomen. An amorous look showed up within his half-lidded eyes, ¡°Later, I¡¯ll reach this part of you.¡±


    Those fingers drew upwards. ¡°Then, here, here, and all the way until here.¡±


    Wu Xingzi could not control the widening of his eyes when he realised how deep that ce was.


    ¡°This, this is impossible¡­ You¡¯ll pierce right through me¡­¡± Wu Xingzi licked his lips, his trembling voice threaded with an anticipation he failed to notice.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I want to pierce right through you. Do you like the sound of that, hmm?¡± That lilt?was like a hook, snaring him with it.


    ¡°No¡­¡± ?Wu Xingzi opened his mouth fruitlessly, confusion in his eyes. Guan Shanjin was also not in a hurry, leaning down, he kissed those red cheeks and sucked on those swollen lips. Wu Xingzi gasped for breaths as Guan Shanjin licked those adorable ear lobes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t lick there¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shivered as he pleaded for mercy, his nipples getting sucked on.


    As those little nubs perked up after a few moments of licking, looking soft to touch, they hardened and swelled up after a few sucks. Lost in pleasure, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind nked out. However, he felt an unspeakable suffering, his hips were twitching along with the nipping and sucking, as a viscous fluid flowed out continuously from his cock, trailing down his shaft. It even drenched his perineum, and trickled between his cleft onto his hole.


    Having never been yed in this manner before, he was frightened by how sensitive his body was. No matter where he was touched, he would leak copiously. No matter where he was licked, he would feel pleasure from it. Why did he keep himself pure for so many years? Why did he be an adviser? For what? He should have just looked for a physically strong man right from the start and got together with him, then enjoy this dripping wet pleasure for the rest of his life!


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue was about to bring him to climax, but at that critical moment, he drew that wicked and passionate tongue away, as well as those fingers. He tapped on Wu Xingzi¡¯s abdomen, ¡°You haven¡¯t replied me yet, don¡¯t you want me to pierce right through you?¡±


    Wu Xingzi could feel that thick and heated flesh pressing against the lower part of himself. He swallowed, no longer having the strength to hold onto his restraint.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m looking forward to it¡­¡± He really wanted to take a look at Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis! That heat, that size, it vaguely reminded him of the drawing from Bastion City¡­ Huh? Hold on¡­ If Guan Shanjin had his reply, that meant that the pengornis drawing belonged to Guan Shanjin! This was a gift from heavens! That beloved pengornis unexpectedly belonged to this beauty! He really wanted to see it! He wanted to lick it, wanted to touch it, wanted to feel its heft and heat, and due to such thoughts his mouth tingled with desire.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Noticing Wu Xingzi¡¯s sudden excitement, Guan Shanjin creased his brows.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about seeing your pengornis!¡± Caught off guard, he blurted it out, and both of them became speechless. Wu Xingzi was deadly embarrassed by his outspokenness, while Guan Shanjin nked out for a moment, before his expression changed subtly.


    ¡°Why not.¡± Unabashed, he removed his robes, kicked off his shoes, and took off his socks. A strong, muscr body was revealed in front of Wu Xingzi.


    What should he say¡­ There was nothing he could say! He was indescribably good looking, and within that smooth and pale skin was an undeniable strength. That heady beauty was as sharp as a sword, especially that pengornis between the legs that was so hard, it was lifted and pressed against the abdomen, it was definitely the Lanling Prince!


    Wu Xingzi writhed his lower body in helplessness, and the thighs mping around Guan Shanjin tightened further.


    This time, Guan Shanjin could no longer hold back anymore. Tugging at Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin and pale legs, he pulled them around his own waist, pulling them even tighter around him. That thick and savage cock dragged against his soaked perineum, trailing past his round and tight balls, and met Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock that was two sizes smaller, thrusting against it.


    ¡°Slow, slow down¡­¡± Being rubbed against with that hard and heated cock, Wu Xingzi was about to lose himself in pleasure. His body twitched, and his back arched up from the table, only to be pushed back down again.


    ¡°Later, you¡¯ll want me to speed up.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled, his palm caressing Wu Xingzi¡¯s dripping cock, his hand slick with juices.


    ¡°There¡¯s no lubrication. For the time being, endure with it. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dazed, Wu Xingzi did not understand what Guan Shanjin had said. As that Lanling Prince of pengornises ground against him, his belly convulsed non-stop, and he looked like he was about to reach his peak.


    Guan Shanjin also did not care if he understood it. Spreading those pale and slender legs apart, he reached into that hidden cleft. That ce had long been soaked, together with the fluids on Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, it was very slippery.


    An angr finger rubbed along the entrance a couple of times. The shy, tight hole rxed quickly under the maneuvering, and with a little pressure, the finger was quickly swallowed up.


    The man¡¯s face was slightly shadowed, and his charming eyes darkened. Without warning, he thrusted his finger fully in, and his fingertip immediately hit a slightly protruding nub within. The middle-aged man lying on the table gave a short, sharp cry. He instinctively wanted to curl his body up, only to be prevented from doing so by that hand on his stomach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t touch there¡­¡± Wu Xingzi moaned. The pressure on that spot had made his vision turn white, and it was as though a shockwave had travelled from his hips to his heart. He was not sure what exactly was that, and only knew that he nearly teared from the pleasure.


    He was still in a state of shock, but the problem was, Guan Shanjin still ignored him. With an enchanting smile, his finger continued teasing that little spot within him. Wu Xingzi had cried himself hoarse, as his body twitched and shuddered, and his cock finally spurted.


    ¡°You¡¯re so sensitive.¡± Guan Shanjin looked at the mess on his own thigh. Swiping it up with his fingers, he pushed it all into Wu Xingzi¡¯s channel, creating a squelching sound with the movements of his fingers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ I, I can¡¯t take anymore¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi cried, his belly convulsing under Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand. His legs, that were around Guan Shanjin¡¯s waist, tightened, and even his toes were all curled up. He clearly had reached the peak of his pleasure, and other than his panting, there was no other reaction from him.


    It turned out that Guan Shanjin had just pushed his second and third finger into that loosened hole, not giving Wu Xingzi a chance to get used to it. He continued ying with that sensitive spot, and Wu Xingzi could only go along with it, his eyes blurry with tears.


    Just like this, Wu Xingzi came a second time. Shudders ran through his body, and even the muscles along his thighs were trembling. Crying and shouting for mercy, he even choked on his saliva, and Guan Shanjin finally pulled his fingers out from his body.


    A hole that was originally bashful and tense, was now flushed bright red, gaping prettily. Dripping with juices, it was trying its best to tighten itself.


    Wiping the remaining residue on his own cock that was so hard it hurt, Guan Shanjin smacked Wu Xingzi¡¯s ass lightly. ¡°Rx, I¡¯m going in.¡±


    Then, he again tapped those spots that he had previously marked out, and ced Wu Xingzi¡¯s feeble hand on a particr spot on his belly. ¡°Rub here, wait for me to pierce through you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Before Wu Xingzi could reply, Guan Shanjin grabbed hold of one of Wu Xingzi¡¯s thighs, the other hand on his thick cock, and pushed his heated tip against the little hole that still had yet to regain its strength. Quickly, it went all the way in.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi gave a quivering shriek. To him, it was very painful. The flush on his face faded, his lips whitened in pain. He groaned weakly, reaching out to push the man away. However, that hand was caught up and ced on his own belly, the man¡¯s palm on the back of his hand and their fingers interlocked, rubbing gently.


    ¡°Painful?¡±


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Wu Xingzi did not realise that he was whining coyly.


    ¡°Behave.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s forehead was covered with a film of sweat, a look of patience on his face. He leaned down to kiss Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek, speaking gently in a low voice, ¡°If you already can¡¯t bear with it now, what would we doter?¡±


    With that honeyed tone, Wu Xingzi¡¯s tense body rxed, and he did not register the danger in Guan Shanjin¡¯s words.

 Chapter 8 - On the Peaks of Pleasure, In the Showers of Desire

    <strong>Chapter 8 ¨C On the Peaks of Pleasure, In the Showers of Desire</strong>


    <hr>


    After Guan Shanjin said those affectionate words, Wu Xingzi had yet to catch his breath. The man gripped his waist tightly, and with a thrust, he buried himself in the deepest part of Wu Xingzi, hitting the sweet spot. Under his attack, Wu Xingzi could only cry and pant,cking the strength to even struggle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, it¡¯ll stop hurting in a bit.¡± Guan Shanjin cated him, and did not continue pushing himself in. He was mped painfully by the tight channel, and knew that if he forced himself in further, there would only be blood. Thus, he had no choice but to hold himself back.


    With the heavy panting, heated breaths met Wu Xingzi¡¯s chest. It hurt, and shivers were running through his body. The pain felt as though his hipbone had been dislocated, and he did not even have the strength to tighten himself on Guan Shanjin.


    Even so, Wu Xingzi did not feel an ounce of regret. While crying and panting, he tried to rx his tense body, and the erotic drawings that he had seen previously shed through his head.


    His letters might seem to have exposed something. Manager Rancui had given him two books of erotic drawings, and the pengornises within them were all heavyweights. Seeing how the people lost their minds in extreme pleasure under those pengornises, Wu Xingzi yearned deeply to be in their ce.


    Pain was inevitable. However, once he endured past it, immense pleasure would be experienced. Wu Xingzi admitted that he did not have any merits, only that he was good at tolerating things and working in cooperation with people. Not too long after, the pain had lessenedrgely. Instead, it was Gu Shanjin¡¯s breaths on his chest that heated him up again, and Wu Xingzi could not help but give a hoarse cry.


    Guan Shanjin raised his brow. Naturally, he had felt Wu Xingzi rxing, but did not expect that this thin, ordinary, timid just like a quail, middle-aged adviser would have such a body that was so suitable for sexual pleasure. After all, the thickness and the length of his cock was astounding. Wu Xingzi was the only one who did not bleed after being deflowered, and he ?could even¡­ screw down nicely on him.


    Lightly smacking Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy buttocks, Guan Shanjin¡¯sugh was no longer as effortless as before. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore?¡±


    With those smacks, Wu Xingzi convulsed a little, and his softened hole tightened as well. Without any guidance, it started screwing down on Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, and both of them exhaled heavily at the same time.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes darkened. Grabbing hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, he started pounding into him without any constraints.


    The tight channel had beenpletely stretched open, and the resistance of the entrance had no choice but to give inpletely. Thoroughly defeated, it could only allow the engorged cock to plunge all the way in. Aching, tingling, feeling both pain and pleasure, Wu Xingzi cried out, as he attempted to push away the arm around his waist, only for his hand to be caught and pressed onto his own stomach.


    ¡°Do you feel it?¡± The taste of the person below him was too remarkable. Guan Shanjin pulled himself out slightly, theirbined juices dripping out non-stop. The hole had been expanded to the point where it was almost just like a sheath for him to seek pleasure in. Gaping slightly, it looked pink and tender, and Guan Shanjin reached out to pinch at it.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Wu Xingzi cried out. That was a burning pain burned, but within the pain was a sensation that made him itch for more. He had long since been lost in pleasure, and could only cry out rhythmically along with Guan Shanjin¡¯s deep thrusts, as his body shuddered with the movement.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were quite rough. Although the person under him was very thin, he was very flexible, and his pliant channel was so supple that it made him lose control. Wu Xingzi¡¯s timidness, his shame, his obvious desire mingled with those mumbled rejections, all of them made Guan Shanjin harshly thrust into him then slowly drag himself out, shivering slightly. When Guan Shanjin entered, Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole suckled on him catingly, allowing him to ruthlessly invade his body. When Guan Shanjin retreated, his body was reluctant, tightening his hole on the invader and refusing to let it go, clinging onto it as much as he could.


    ¡°This lewd fellow¡­¡± Guan Shanjin bit Wu Xingzi¡¯s earlobe, and spread his buttocks further apart.


    ¡°Ah ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi yelped. His slender and pale legs kicked out, toes curling inwards. Sprawled across the table, tremors ran throughout his entire body.


    ¡°Have I pierced through you yet?¡± Guan Shanjinughed.


    The savage cock shoved into the dainty hole, all the way in to his root. Two full balls smacked against Wu Xingzi¡¯s trembling flesh, while his palm that was forcefully pressed against his belly could feel the bulging shape of the cock through the thinyer of skin and muscles,pletely piercing through him.


    With that overwhelming depth, together with the dull ache of being invaded, Wu Xingzi stared nkly at the ceiling. His mouth was wide open, yet he could not make a single sound. Drool slid down from the corner of his lips, and Guan Shanjin leaned forward to teasingly lick at the trail, then he pressed against those lips. Being kissed so deeply, Wu Xingzi nearly fainted away.


    Guan Shanjin was in no hurry to pull himself out. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body was both warm and lithe, his hole could both clench and mouth at him. Just being inside him, it was so pleasurable that Guan Shanjin¡¯s desire deepened and his eyes turned bloodshot, as though he was a wild beast that had now tasted blood.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t, don¡¯t get bigger¡­¡± Wu Xingzi murmured suddenly, his hand rubbing against his belly like he was possessed. That mind-blowing satisfaction made him whimper non-stop, and the man¡¯s cock, as expected, grew thicker within him, causing him toe despite his erection not being fully hard.


    ¡°You had thising.¡± Next came the brutal hammering, thrusting to the point where Wu Xingzi started sliding up the table. Touching his stomach, he cried for mercy, only to be impaled even more ruthlessly. The thick and long cock did not use any special techniques, it just brushed past the sensitive spot each time it entered and retreated. Combined with Guan Shanjin¡¯s great bed skills, Wu Xingzi was intoxicated by him.


    There was no fixed rhythm to the thrusting. Wu Xingzi never knew when Guan Shanjin would thrust in deeply, nor how deeply he would thrust. Finally, Guan Shanjin went on a full assault, pushing himself all the way in before pulling himself out. In this manner, Wu Xingzi¡¯s little hole had been fucked into submission, and could only obediently allow Guan Shanjin¡¯s erection to do as it will. His belly burned as though it was on fire, and he could barely tell if he was lost in pleasure or overwhelmed by it until it hurt.


    Not much time was needed before Wu Xingzi started getting erect again. On the table, his blushing red body convulsed, his eyes already rolling to the back of his head. Whining and gasping, his two legs kicked out a few times and then he orgasmed again.


    This time, the fluid that came out from him was now thin like water. If he were toe again, it would probably only be piss.


    However, Guan Shanjin clearly did not give a damn if he could endure it. With bloodshot eyes, he tightened his arms around Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, impaling himself as deep as possible into him once again. Each time he pulled out, juices from within the body flowed out as well, and slid down the cleft of Wu Xingzi¡¯s bum to pool into a puddle.


    Wu Xingzi felt that he was about to be fucked to death. He tried struggling, but it only resulted in being fucked harder.


    At the end when Guan Shanjin finally shoved himself to his root and shot into him, Wu Xingzi lost conscious, his body twitching and trembling, and the fluids that dribbled out from his cock, which was no longer able to hold an erection, had the consistency of water.


    Very quickly, Guan Shanjin pulled himself out. The amorous look on his face had yet to fade away, but his charming eyes had already turned frosty.


    He had came a lot, and hise, mingled with the juices from Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, slowly flowed out from that red and swollen hole. That part of the body, which was originally so tight, looked as though it was unable to purse up anymore. It gaped opened, pulsing lightly. Guan Shanjin stared at it, his expression indifferent.


    After awhile, he finally bent down and picked up the clothes off the floor. Casually tugging on a pair of pants and an inner robe, he covered Wu Xingzi up with his robe, then headed to the door and pushed it open.


    Outside the door stood two tall and muscr men. Their expressions were cold and stern, and an aura of lethality surrounded them. Upon seeing Guan Shanjin, they lowered their heads respectfully towards him, greeting him simultaneously, ¡°General.¡±


    ¡°Tell Rancui, I need a room. Get him to prepare hot water and send it there.¡± Guan Shanjin instructed. ¡°The old man with the ox cart outside the city, let him go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The man on the left cupped his hands before his chest and retreated.


    ¡°Any news from Bastion City?¡± Guan Shanjin did not look at the man on the right. His tall figure leaned against the door, looking somewhatnguid.


    ¡°No, General, there¡¯s no news.¡±


    Guan Shanjin sneered, his eyes half-lidded. Curling his red lips, he spoke, ¡°That fellow is pretty patient¡­ Alright then, let him be.¡±


    Waving his hand, Guan Shanjin stepped back into the room and closed the door, and the man outside continued to stand guard without a change in his expression.


    Returning to the table, Wu Xingzi was still lying limply across it. His face was flushed as though it was burning, and the lower part of his body was still shuddering slightly.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Guan Shanjin pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose tip. Bundled him up in his robe, he gathered the man into his arms, then pushed the door open and walked out.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    The salesmen of the?Peng?Society had all been trained very well. Guan Shanjin had only just instructed them to prepare a room, and in no time, a salesman was present to bring them there. He did not give any signs that he had noticed the wreckage of the room, and towards the person in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, he did not even take a nce.


    Soon, the sun set.


    When Wu Xingzi woke up, he was stupefied.


    Covered by a soft nket, he felt like he was sleeping on a cloud, causing him to think that he was dreaming.


    If not for smelling the fragrance of freshly cooked food, as well as the gurgling of his stomach, he would have definitely shut his eyes and went back to sleep.


    Moving his body, Wu Xingzi hissed, almost tearing up in pain. He felt as though his whole body had been shattered and reassembled. It felt agonizing, especially around his hips and buttocks.


    Only then did he recall what happened yesterday.


    Thinking about the memories, he reddened like an apple, yet he could not help but drag the nket over his mouth and giggle.


    Although his body hurt, it also felt refreshed. Someone had clearly cleaned him up. Despite knowing that the washing was most likely not done by Guan Shanjin, as that young man seemed to be used to served by others and definitely would not have the patience to deal with cleaning up, it did not affect Wu Xingzi¡¯s delight. Secretly, he thought that maybe Guan Shanjin was the one who had wiped his body with a towel from head to toe, including that little shameful area.


    He still remembered that at the end, Guan Shanjin came inside him. Did that mean that in the process of cleaning up, those slender, attractive, jade-like fingers had reached into his little hole, and slowly scooped out thee from inside¡­ Wu Xingzi shivered, his legs nearly softened by his own imagination.


    However, he really did not expect that a pengornis could actually reach so deeply inside him¡­ Wu Xingzi bowed his head and looked at his belly, and his hand could not resist caressing it. That feeling of his belly bulging out under the assault of the cock, it was too memorable. Separated by his skin, that sturdy cock bulging out under his palm, so hot and so hard, almost causing him to lose his mind. Thinking about it now, it was so embarrassing!


    He could not help but hug the nket and burble withughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s making you so happy?¡± The man¡¯s affectionately tender words that wereced with iciness turned Wu Xingzi into jelly. He shivered, his body, that had just learnt about the pleasures of sex, unexpectedly and shamefully reacted to that voice.


    ¡°You, you¡­¡± Even so, Wu Xingzi was a very bashful person. Having his secrets spied on, he was so ashamed he could not speak a word.


    ¡°Yes?¡± That lilt was always so bewitching. With a red face, Wu Xingzi covered himself up with the nket, only exposing his eyes, and he peeked at Guan Shanjin who was sitting at the table.


    ¡°What? You seem to be very surprised that I¡¯m here?¡±


    Wu Xingzi nodded unconsciously, then hurriedly shook his head and smiled. ¡°No, no, I just didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    Hearing that, Guan Shanjin raised his brow, but did not ask him what he did not expect. Instead, he called out to him indifferently, ¡°Come, you should be hungry. Have some porridge.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯ming,ing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi quickly got off the bed, but did not expect that his body was unable to move ording to his intentions. Staggering off the bed, he nearly fell face first into the ground. It was Guan Shanjin who was swift enough to scoop him up and directly carry him to the table before letting him down.


    Too embarrassing¡­ Wu Xingzi struggled inwardly for a moment, then carefully sat down, leaving a seat between him and Guan Shanjin.


    Guan Shanjin nced at the space between the two of them, but did not say anything. He ced the cutlery in front of Wu Xingzi, ¡°Come, the porridge was specially prepared. Fish bones were boiled for two hours before the porridge was ready, it¡¯s suitable for your consumption at this moment. For now, you¡¯ll need to abstain from food that¡¯s too oily.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi raised his cupped hands towards Guan Shanjin, then quickly picked up the spoon and scooped up some porridge. The rice grains had been cooked till they were soft and sticky, glistening like snow. The porridge was of a light gold colour, just by stirring slightly, the grains clung to the spoon, and a delicious aroma wafted off from its surface.


    Never in his life had Wu Xingzi ever had such a tasty porridge.


    After his first mouthful, he did not have any time to think about anything else. Firstly, his stomach was truly hungry. Second, this porridge was too delectable, and finally, he did not know what he could talk about with Guan Shanjin.


    Surely, he could not say,?Master Guan, your pengornis and my hole seem to have fallen in love at first sight. Why don¡¯t we team up and spend our days together, fulfilling what we were looking for?


    Guan Shanjin would definitely be frightened away by him.


    Ah, this porridge is so yummy, let¡¯s just have another bowl.?Wu Xingzi¡¯s thoughts strayed away, and he again scooped another bowl of porridge and buried his head in it.

 Chapter 9 - Playing With the Adviser’s Little Pengornis

    <strong>Chapter 9 ¨C ying With the Adviser¡¯s Little Pengornis</strong>


    <hr>


    ¡°You¡¯re the adviser of Qingcheng County?¡± The sudden question made Wu Xingzi nearly choke on his mouthful of porridge.


    He hurriedly swallowed the mouthful down, and wiped his mouth. ¡°Ah, yes, yes. I¡¯m the adviser of Qingcheng County.¡±


    ¡°What sort of ce is Qingcheng County?¡± Guan Shanjin looked like he was in the mood for casual conversation. He even picked some stir-fried bean sprouts and ced them in Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl.


    To eat or not to eat? In a dilemma, Wu Xingzi looked at the beansprouts in his bowl, then sneaked a peek at Guan Shanjin. At the same time, he was agonising over how to introduce Qingcheng County to the man in front of him, and in a moment, he was stumped, falling into a daze with no reaction.


    This, this, this was different from what he expected!


    At the start, Wu Xingzi really wanted to be pigeon penpals with Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis. His desire was sincere and genuine, and definitely not adulterated. Seeing how tender and caring Ansheng and Constable Zhang were to each other, how could he not have been envious?


    He had already nned it all out. He would mail the drawing of his own pengornis to the other person, and if the other person liked it, he might send a normal response back. With the exchange of letters back and forth, they would then understand each other more in a few months. Later, they might consider meeting up, and if they were agreeable with each other, they would then settle down together.


    However, he did not expect Guan Shanjin to be so zealous. Upon meeting, he brought him a few times to paradise, and made his whole body ache and weak. Now, he did not know what would happen next, and only wished to hurry home to look through?The Pengornisseur?to calm his nerves.


    He could not deny that he had enjoyed it greatly, and he had really gone through overwhelming pleasures. Wu Xingzi touched his belly unconsciously, that ce had started tingling out of the blue.


    However¡­ Wu Xingzi was very clear about his role in life. He, as a small vige¡¯s adviser, with a sry that was enough for him to survive and who stayed in a simple little house, was boring and ugly. He was clearly not worthy of Guan Shanjin nor did he dare to get close to him.


    To be able to ascend this peak with Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi must have offered countless blessings to his gods in his previous life.


    Finally, when Wu Xingzi had somewhat calmed down, he lowered his head and ate the vegetables. Taking a mouthful of the porridge to settle his nerves, he then replied, ¡°Qingcheng County is a small vige, ever since the Great Xia was formed 214 years ago, we¡¯ve always been rankedst in the state system. We¡¯re small, poor, and have a tiny poption, but we¡¯re all very close with each other. No major incidents have happened as well, and everything is going along as it should.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin gave a nod. ¡°Have you ever thought of leaving Qingcheng County?¡± Then, he picked more vegetables and ced them in Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl again.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, and shook his head without any consideration. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of that. I want to live out my life in Qingcheng County.¡±


    I¡¯ve even prepared my gravesite!


    ¡°Why do you not want to leave?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s questions came one after another, overwhelming Wu Xingzi a little. He was unable to eat and answer at the same time, but this porridge was too delicious. It would be such a waste if it cooled down, it would not taste as good anymore!


    With no alternatives, Wu Xingzi could only lift the bowl up and gulp down the porridge. His stomach and nose were full of the pleasant warmth and fragrance of the porridge and he nearlydled himself another bowl, but fortunately managed to resist doing so.


    ¡°Are you very hungry?¡± Guan Shanjin watched his bold manner of eating. His smile was like a spring breeze, together with the misty indolent look in his curved eyes, Wu Xingzi again blushed when facing him.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Dazedly, he nodded his head. To have a beauty apanying him during eating, it really whetted his appetite, he should just grab the opportunity to have a few more bowls of porridge!


    ¡°All these dishes were prepared for you. No need to be polite, please have more.¡± Guan Shanjin simplydled another bowl of porridge for him, then ced a little portion from every dish onto the te in front of him. He urged, ¡°Eat some more, we¡¯ll talk when you¡¯re full.¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes followed Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand that was holding on to the chopsticks, his heartpletely agitated.


    The hospitality of the?Peng?Society was always reliable and meticulous, it might have been due to Guan Shanjin¡¯s status, or it might be that they were always like that. The cutlery on the table were all high quality chinaware,plementing the food perfectly. For example, that dish of stir-fried beansprouts was served on a jade-like te that was white and wless.


    As for Guan Shanjin¡¯s chopsticks, they looked like they were made of ivory. The handiwork was exquisite but not ostentatious, in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand that looked as though they were carved, truly a feast for the eyes.


    However, Wu Xingzi would never be suited for this pair of chopsticks. He gave them a try just now, and it turned out that ivory chopsticks were really quite slippery¡­ Since Guan Shanjin had already said it like that, Wu Xingzi then buried his head into the food and ate as much as he wanted. Temporarily, he had thrown everything else to the back of his head, and he nned to take his leave when he was full.


    It was already veryte. Wu Xingzi was not worried that Uncle Liu would still be waiting for him outside the city gates. This was because once he waited past a certain amount of time, Uncle Liu would head back by himself, unless prior arrangements had been made. However, now it meant that he would need to rely on his own two legs to make his way back to Qingcheng County. He also did not know if he had enough money to stay one night in Goose City, if he did not, then he would have to hurry back in the night.


    As though seeing through his ns, Guan Shanjin timely spoke, ¡°This room is yours tonight. You should stay here and leave only in the morning.¡±


    I¡¯m saved!


    Feeling thankful, Wu Xingzi expressed his gratitude towards Guan Shanjin continuously. With even more joy, he swallowed up the entire table of dishes until his stomach was bulging, and it left him panting as he slumped on the chair.


    Guan Shanjin did not eat much, only slowly sipping from his teacup. Those fingers, his red lips, and his bamboo-straight back, all of it made a lovely painting.


    Wu Xingzi stared at him for a long period of time, but still did not know why Guan Shanjin would remain in this room with him for so long.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± Guan Shanjin put down his teacup. His lips pursed slightly, and he looked at him with a faint smile in his eyes.


    ¡°Can, can¡­ What would Master Guan like to talk about?¡± With a nce from those passionate and sensual eyes, Wu Xingzi¡¯s reaction was to sit up straight.


    ¡°Have you ever wanted to leave Qingcheng County?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed at his full stomach, pondering over it for a short moment before shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t want to?¡± Guan Shanjin clearly did not believe him.


    This time, Wu Xingzi shook his head with determination. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to. Master Guan, I¡¯ve lived my entire life in Qingcheng County, and the furthest I¡¯ve ever been is toe to Goose City. Do you know the story of the frog in the well?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled at the question.


    Also realising that he had asked a stupid question, Wu Xingzi flushed in embarrassment. Timidly, he lowered his head, ¡°Of-of course you would have heard of this story.¡±


    ¡°No harm, do continue.¡± Guan Shanjin intimately caressed his earlobe, and startled the middle-aged man so much so that he nearly fell off his chair. Bewildered, Wu Xingzi covered his ear and shifted another seat away before he managed to catch his breath.


    As Guan Shanjin looked at him, there seemed to be amusement in his eyes, but there was also a deep indifference that caused him to be frightened.


    Wu Xingzi looked down, he no longer wanted to see anything, and skittishly continued, ¡°I¡¯m that frog in the well, and in this life I¡¯ll remain there. I have everything I need, and I don¡¯tck for anything. I¡¯ll just look up at the sky and let the seasons and days go by.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to explore the outside?¡±


    ¡°Outside?¡± Wu Xingzi quickly lifted his head and nced at him, then looked down again and shook his head. ¡°Master Guan, I know that there are things going on outside, but it¡¯s enough for me to know about it. After all, how long can a frog that has been living in a well survive outside? He¡¯s not familiar with anything, nor does he know anything. There¡¯s not even a ce where he can be buried.¡±


    Guan Shanjin scoffed, ¡°But as an old frog, you still dared to mail a drawing of your phallus to someone, and so can be considered to have been unfaithful to your thoughts.¡±


    Hearing that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face reddened, and he was unable to say a word.


    Embarrassing! It was too embarrassing!!


    With his head bowed, he did not dare to respond, and prayed for a hole so that he could bury himself in it. Why was he so mesmerised by Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis to the point that he even forgot himself? As luck would have it, he would never be able to show this old face to anyone else now!


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin did not let him off, and his questioning tone brushed past Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart. He trembled, then stood up.


    ¡°Master Guan¡­ Master Guan¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands in submission towards Guan Shanjin and stammered. ¡°Yesterday is in the past already, let¡¯s just forget about this small thing now!¡±


    ¡°What small thing? Pulling me into bed or mailing your pengornis to seduce me?¡± At some unknown time, Guan Shanjin had already pulled himself closer to Wu Xingzi. His low and syrupy voice, together with his warm exhtions, brushed past Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear. He iled backwards violently, nearly tripping over a chair, and it went without saying that he was again embraced within Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms.


    It was different from their intimacy from this afternoon. Guan Shanjin¡¯s intoxicating scent had already dissipated, most likely due to having taken a bath. Left on him was a faint whiff of sandalwood, as well as a vague smell of rust. It was sharp, savage, but still alluring.


    Wu Xingzi covered his face, trying to pretend that he no longer existed. Guan Shanjin was brought toughter by his action, his chest that was pressed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear trembled a few times, causing Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire body to feel weak. Although his body was still aching due to their previous sex activities, it did not deter his little pengornis who had been nourished after the meal.


    ¡°You¡¯re hard already?¡± Guan Shanjin seemed a little surprised, then heughed. ¡°What a lewd darling.¡±


    Without waiting for Wu Xingzi¡¯s rebuttal, Guan Shanjin carried the man and with great strides, he returned to the bed. In the blink of an eye, Wu Xingzi was stripped bare. In the midst of the bright red bedding, his fair body looked extremely obscene.


    ¡°Wait, hold on¡­¡± Wu Xingzi tried a few times to push himself up, but was unable to do so. Everywhere he touched was the bed that was as soft as clouds, and each time he struggled to get up, within moments, the bed engulfed him again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know the limits.¡± This time, Guan Shanjin did not remove his own clothes. He looked at Wu Xingzi with a mischievous look in his eyes. ¡°Your hole is still too swollen. I don¡¯t want to injure you, so I¡¯ll just y a little.¡±


    What?! The word ¡°y¡± does not make me worry any less!


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face reddened in an instant. The bedding which was made of high quality silk, against his skin felt just like flowing water. It tingled, it tingled extremely, tingling to the point where Wu Xingzi started panting heavily.


    ¡°W-what do you want to y with?¡± Wu Xingzi was thrown off bnce, but through his throbbing body he knew he was anticipating it greatly, and he was already about to not even recognise who this person lying on the bed was.


    ¡°Take a guess.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s smile was like the appearance of the sun in spring. The amorous look in his eyes hadpletely crumbled Wu Xingzi¡¯s resistance, and his brain melted into a puddle.


    It was not as though he had not experienced sexual pleasure at the hands of this man, so there was no need to be too reserved or hypocritical about it.


    With a blush, Wu Xingzi looked at Guan Shanjin in anticipation. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything. You, you¡­¡±?Can do as you please.


    This liberal image mingled with some bashfulness, stimted Guan Shanjin. At the start, he had only wanted to tease this old fellow in front of him, but now, he was a little aroused.


    However, as he had gone slightly overboard in their previous rounds, Wu Xingzi would not be able to withstand his invasion for the next two days, and he could only hold himself back for now.


    With a small click of his tongue, Guan Shanjin shoved the nket under Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, making him expose his naked lower body in embarrassment. His pink cock was already hard, shyly, delicately, yet boldly pointing towards Guan Shanjin¡¯s gorgeous face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had his legs up in the air, and could also see how obscene he looked at that moment. Writhing his hips, he wanted to hide, but was held down instead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, we¡¯re just starting.¡± Guan Shanjin gave him a radiant smile, and his drifting tone made Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips loosened and he gave up struggling.


    nkly, he stared at the beauty on top of him. Finding his own little pengornis obtrusive, he could not word out what he was anticipating exactly.


    ¡°Later on, you¡¯ll have to pay attention and learn properly, ok?¡± Guan Shanjin leaned down to kiss Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek. He then bit at his red and full earlobe, listening to the husky and gentle moans in satisfaction.


    He had thought Guan Shanjin would continue kissing him down from his ear just like before, but unexpectedly, he lifted Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips, and opened his petal-like lips. In one mouth, he had swallowed the twitching pink cock into his mouth.


    ¡°Oh! No, no¡­¡± That body part that had never experienced being inside anything before, was now enveloped in a soft and warm chamber. Wu Xingzi scrabbled at the bedding, and his rebuff wasced with cries.


    Glorious¡­ This feeling was too glorious¡­ Wu Xingzi¡¯s brain dissolved into a sea of white.


    A nimble tongue traced the shaft from the bottom to the top, repeating the motion a few times, this feeling was exquisite. The smooth and heated mouth bobbed along with the tongue¡¯s licking, sucking on it. asionally, when Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock was swallowed all the way down, his sensitive tip would be trapped in a ce where it was a little tighter.


    In that moment, Wu Xingzi gave a short, sharp cry. His buttocks twisted on the bed, his two pale thighs mped down, as his body was covered with ayer of sweat.


    He did not know why Guan Shanjin was willing to lick his pengornis, and also did not know if his techniques were good or not. However, Wu Xingzi was definitely in the throes of pleasure, to the point where he was losing his mind. This pleasure waspletely different from being pierced all the way in. The awe and satisfaction of being swallowed down to his root, it waspletely like a drug.


    ¡°It¡¯s dirty¡­ No¡­¡± Wu Xingzi whimpered. He did not register what he was moaning and groaning about. He was not as tall and big as Guan Shanjin, and being disyed in his current position, there was no way he was able to resist.


    The soft tongue then continued downwards to tease the two wrinkled balls. It might be that Wu Xingzi hade too many times earlier, and the two little balls were a little shrivelled, shyly rolling on Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue, and then were sucked on harshly.


    With Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions, Wu Xingzi could not hold back his moans, and his quivering thighs rubbed against Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulders.


    His buttocks were held in Guan Shanjin¡¯s big hands and kneaded. Guan Shanjin continued down to his perineum, and made the middle-aged man below him satisfied to the point where both his legs were kicking wildly as he was screaming and crying, and his cock dribbled with juices.


    Tossing and turning like this for a few rounds, Wu Xingzi now copsed on the bed, almost losing his ability to breathe. Bite marks littered his inner thighs, spasming slightly, while his perineum had became swollen with all the sucking and biting by Guan Shanjin.


    He seemed to have yed as much as he desired. Guan Shanjin did not torment him anymore, onlying back up to swallow the pink tip of his cock back into his mouth.


    ¡°Can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t anymore¡­ Have mercy¡­¡± Wu Xingzi burst into tears, huping as he cried. He had now reached a peak beyond what he could endure. Ignoring the fact that his sensitive tip now waspletely unable to even move, how could it withstand Guan Shanjin¡¯s wilful and exquisite attack?


    Later, he discovered that he was really too naive. Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue was really agile to the point where it was hateful, and passionate to the point where people could not help but be enthralled.


    As there was almost nothing left to shoot, the little slit on the tip of his cock could only throb sadly, contracting and opening non-stop. The tip of Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue circled the head of his dick, then dug into that little slit, and the overwhelming stimtion made Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes roll to the back of his head as tremors ran across his body.


    However, Guan Shanjin carefully prodded his tongue into that ce, as though trying to see how deep he could go.


    Yelling, Wu Xingzi thrusted his legs out feverishly. However, being trapped on the bed, he was made toe by the person¡¯s tongue before he was released.


    The thin fluids pooled on Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly. Then, he convulsed again, and juices with a musky odour spurted out intermittently from his cock, flowing down his stomach.


    ¡°You¡¯ve pissed yourself.¡± Guan Shanjinughed sneeringly.

 Chapter 10 - Flute Appreciation with Adviser Wu

    <strong>Chapter 10 ¨C Flute Appreciation with Adviser Wu</strong>


    <hr>


    A mess was made in the bedding, but the musky odour was not too thick, soon dissipating in the air.


    Wu Xingzi copsed on the bed, shivering, unable to regain his wits. Guan Shanjin was not in a hurry as well, as he removed the bedclothes that had been stained by piss himself. After wiping Wu Xingzi¡¯s body casually with them, he tossed them onto the ground.


    The bedstead was a little ufortable, cold and hard. Wu Xingzi quickly recovered from his lightheadedness, and stared confusedly at the beauty in front of him who still had an amorous look in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Guan Shanjin gently patted Wu Xingz¡¯s cheeks. Seeing him shake his head with half-opened eyes, he simply picked him up in his arms, then casually tossed the nket onto the bedstead in recement.


    ¡°You, you¡­¡± Breathing in Guan Shanjin¡¯s scent, Wu Xingzi¡¯s brain finally started working. He was so ashamed that he did not know what to do. He had seen such drawings depicting people ying the flute, but had not thought that the flute could be yed till a person could lose his soul.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s back, it was so thin that the ridges of his spine could be seen. Tracing down the backbone, he rubbed the two fleshy buttocks.


    Wu Xingzi groaned, shutting his eyes as he hid his face in Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace. Although one was naked and the other was still dressed immactely, to Wu Xingzi, it was a warmth that he had rarely felt.


    As humans, a touch of human warmth was always needed!


    Even though Guan Shanjin was merciless when fucking him, screwing him resolutely and leaving marks all over him; after the acts of passion or during the breaks, he would be very gentle and caring, wrapping around him like a spring breeze that was providingfort. Unknowingly, Wu Xingzi became addicted to this feeling.


    Of course, Wu Xingzi was unable to avoid Guan Shanjin¡¯s superb means of affection. He was a lonely person, ever since the age of ten, he had never experienced any form of tenderness from anyone else. His parents were as courteous to each other as one would be towards guests, and towards their own child, they too treated him with distant affection. At first, his mother loved hugging and kissing him, but once he was ten years old and started attending school, his father stopped his mother from doing so.


    In short, it was inappropriate for males and females toe in bodily contact with each other. After studying and learning about shame, he had to understand the distinctions between men and women, and could no longer be a child that could wilfully sink himself in the arms of his parents any more.


    Soon after that, the floods had taken his parents away. Wu Xingzi was now all alone. His preference was also not for the opposite sex, and when he saw a man¡¯s body he would avoid it in self-awareness, building a thick wall around himself.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s warm embrace was the one and only one he had felt in thest thirty years of his life.


    The man¡¯s body temperature was very high, but it was not displeasing. It was warm like the winter¡¯s sun, and Wu Xingzi nuzzled into his firm shoulder, whimpering and almost falling asleep.


    But how could he be allowed to do so? He had reached his pleasure, but Guan Shanjin was still as hard as a rock!


    Registering that the person in his arms was about to fall asleep, Guan Shanjin shook him awake, not bothering to be polite about it. On his blushing ear, he kissed him, ¡°You ungrateful fellow, shouldn¡¯t you reciprocate?¡±


    Reciprocate?


    Wu Xingzi suddenly became alert with agitation.


    Does he mean¡­ Wu Xingzi felt a slight itchiness on his tongue and in his mouth. His drool came welling up, and in his mind appeared that Lanling Prince of pengornis drawing which he had been yearning to lick and touch! This was basically a gift from heaven! He did not expect Guan Shanjin to be such a sport, smoothly fulfilling his wishes like this!


    Wu Xingzi was very eager, but he was afraid that he would scare the person in front of him, so he could only pretend to be reserved. ¡°Of course, I should do that¡­ If, if you don¡¯t mind ?my shoddy skills, this ought to be my duty.¡±


    Hearing that, Guan Shanjin narrowed his eyes coldly, but he swiftly covered up the sharpness in his eyes.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, please.¡± Cupping his hands, Wu Xingzi could not care if he waspletely naked. His eyes looked ravenous as they stared straight at Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch¡­ That area was all tented up, but was still concealed. Was he supposed to take it out for him? How kind of him!


    Wu Xingzi licked his lips. His originally aching hands and feet, as well as his mind that had been lost in pleasure, had all regained their strength in a sh. Ignoring how his legs were full of vitality at the moment, his mind was now clearer than ever.


    Such a rare opportunity, how could he not record every single moment of this in his head?


    Looking at his vexed and impatient face, Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curved slightly, and he spoke quietly and gently, ¡°Do whatever you want, just don¡¯t hurt me with your teeth.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi gulped his drool down. As he was about to reach and pull out the pengornis out, he suddenly realised that his palms were sweaty and he hurriedly wiped them on the nket underneath him before cautiously undoing Guan Shanjin¡¯s pants. With two hands, he almost piously pulled that huge dick out.


    Compared to his imagination, this pengornis was even hotter, even weightier and even more pleasant to touch. Reluctant to pull his hands away, he slowly stroked up and down the shaft, caressing it from the two full balls at the bottom all the way to the tip, savouring every inch.


    In his palms it felt silky and exquisite, the throbbing vein looked diabolic, satisfying to the touch.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to kiss it?¡± Slight restrain could be heard in Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice. His hand that was touching Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulder shifted to the back of his head, pushing it down.


    ¡°Kiss¡­ Of course, of course¡­¡± Leaning closer, the heat emitting from the pengornis mingled with the smell of soap and entered his nose. Wu Xingzi panted uncontrobly, he felt as though his entire body was drowning in this scent and warmth, and it was even more glorious than he had ever imagined.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock was startlingly huge. His round and full head was angr, the slit on top pulsing a little, causing a thirst to develop in people¡¯s hearts. At least that was the case for Wu Xingzi, he was unable to resist it; in his mind, he had already kissed this little slit countless times.


    Pursing his lips, Wu Xingzi no longer wasted any more time, leaning in and giving it a kiss. The head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock was already flowing with juices, and through the split of his lips, the juices trailed into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. It tasted a little musky, and he could not help but stick his tongue out and lick at it.


    Everything went ording to order. The slick tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s tongue swept across the head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, its actions untrained and a little bashful, but it made Guan Shanjin¡¯s breathing increase heavily.


    ¡°Continue¡­¡± He again pushed at Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, pumping his cock deeper into that warm and wet mouth.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± This was still the first time that Wu Xingzi had served a man¡¯s pengornis. Having the firm head of a cock directly thrusting into his mouth, he shuddered, left with only a ??numb and tingling feeling in his mouth. Unable to hold his saliva back, he drooled over the shaft, soaking the lower part of Guan Shanjin¡¯s body.


    ¡°Open your mouth wider, use your tongue.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s low and gentle voice had a trace of erotic huskiness to it, brushing past Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart like a feather. He was already infatuated with this huge object in his mouth, now, he was beside himself as he obediently followed Guan Shanjin¡¯s guidance. He opened his mouth wider, and with some effort, he slid his tongue around the shaft.


    ¡°Good boy¡­¡±


    Wu Xingzi ced his hands around the thick root, slowly attempting to swallow this unwieldy thing into his mouth. He could feel Guan Shanjin¡¯s excitement from his tensed thighs. Unfortunately, Guan Shanjin¡¯s dick was really too big. Wu Xingzi had only taken half of it into his mouth and it had already reached his throat. If he continued, he would be swallowing it down his throat.


    He was a little fearful, and only dared to swallow it to this point. Using his hand to fondle the part of the dick that was outside his mouth, he sucked at the rest with loud, wet sounds, and he looked intoxicated.


    However, to Guan Shanjin, it only became even more unbearable.


    There was not enough space in Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. He worked at licking that pulsating vein, that slit at the tip, then with his cheeks hollowed, he sucked with all his might, and his two hands yed with Guan Shanjin¡¯s balls.


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡± To Guan Shanjin, this was essentially a torture. His amorous eyes were half-lidded, looking extremely enchanting, and his voice wasced with an unhappy forbearance. It made Wu Xingzi weak, and he tried even harder to bring him pleasure with his mouth.


    ¡°Take me in deeper¡­¡±


    Deeper?


    ¡°Rx your throat, and take me in¡­¡± Guan Shanjin coaxed him, as his slender, callused fingers stroked Wu Xingzi¡¯s bulging cheeks, sliding down from his face to his throat. Ambiguously, he scraped there, ¡°Swallow.¡±


    There would probably be no one who could withstand such a beauty in the flesh. Wu Xingzi certainly was unable to resist such allurement, furthermore, there was also the attraction of that big pengornis. Wu Xingzi was about to forget who he was already, his brain full of the smell of the pengornis, its weight, and its heat.


    So, he tried his best to rx his throat, inch by inch swallowing the rest of the shaft with difficulty, until his narrow throat bulged out with its shape. His face was stained with snot and tears, and his nose was buried in the bushy hair of the pengornis¡¯ root before he stopped.


    Wu Xingzi was choked to the point where he was nearly about to vomit. His throat burned in pain, but it gave him a dazzling sort of satisfaction. His tongue had already been forced immobile by the thick shaft, he timidly touched his throat, and through his skin, he felt as though he was touching a me.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin praised him. He had a hand in his long hair, and the other was on his throat, rubbing heavily at where his cock was bulging out.


    In no time, Wu Xingzi became a half-dead person, allowing Guan Shanjin to grab his head and thrust himself into him. At the start, his throat would still contract and he would gag, but as he got used to it, his throat hadpletely rxed, letting the shaft pump in at will. He even sucked at it cooperatively, the tip of his tongue dragging past the head of his dick and licking at it as though he was savouring a delicacy.


    After a long while, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body started convulsing, his throat contracting tightly, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, about to asphyxiate. As for Guan Shanjin, he was clearly about to reach his peak, and he mmed even more savagely into Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat, almost shoving his two balls into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth as well. Then, he spurted, the strength of those shots made Wu Xingzi struggle as he choked, but he was unable to free himself. The musky thick fluids shot straight into Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly.


    Only heavy pants and coughs could be heard in the room, sounding extremely obscene.


    When he pulled himself out, Guan Shanjin could not stop himself from thrusting the head of his cock lightly into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, cleaning thest bit ofe in there before leaving.


    Wu Xingzi had already fainted.


    After a short rest, Guan Shanjin got up to get his subordinate, who was guarding the door, to summon the salesman from the?Peng?Society. He reced the bed with a new set of bedclothes, and prepared a basin of hot water and cleaned the both of them up, before going to bed.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    Wu Xingzi always rose very early. He was normally waking up when the sky was lightening.


    Even though he had been thoroughly yed with the night before, but the bed in the?Peng?Society was iparablyfortable. He had got a better rest than usual, and upon waking up, other than his mouth being a little sore and his muscles aching a little, he was full of energy.


    He gave a stretch, and got off the bed lightly. Looking around, he found that his clothes and belongings had been folded neatly and left on the shelf. He deftly dressed himself before turning to look back at the bed.


    A person could be seen lying on the bed, his silky ck hair scattering across the red bedclothes, heart-stirringly beautiful. As for the owner of that ck hair, he was undeniably gorgeous despite being as cold as frost.


    After staring at him for some time, Wu Xingzi turned and left the room.


    It was time for him to return to Qingcheng County. Even though normally there were no cases that kept him on his toes, as the adviser, there was a lot of paperwork for him to handle. He could not take his sry without working!


    Outside the doors stood two tower-like guards. Hearing the door open, they turned towards him, but did not say a word.


    Facing their stares, Wu Xingzi was at a loss about what to do. Unconsciously, he shrank, then cupped his hands at them with an ingratiating smile, before quietly closing the door.


    Just as he was about to ask where the exit was, a figure dressed in jade-green waved at him from nearby.


    Focusing, Wu Xingzi realised it was Manager Rancui. He was already dressed neatly, and was looking at him with a bright smile.


    Although he felt a little uneasy, Wu Xingzi still walked forward. ¡°Good morning, Manager.¡±


    ¡°Good morning as well, Adviser Wu.¡± Rancui affably hooked his hand around Wu Xingzi¡¯s arm. ¡°Come, I have something I would like to talk to Adviser Wu about, don¡¯t hurry off. When we¡¯re done talking, I will arrange for someone to send you back.¡±


    It just happened that Wu Xingzi also had something to talk to Rancui about. He still had to pay the next month¡¯s subscription fee to?The Pengornisseur, so did not reject him, and let him pull him away.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s subordinates watched the two people depart. They did not stop them, and continued guarding by the door.


    Rancui brought Wu Xingzi through a few turns, past a few courtyards, and finally arrived at that small pavilion where they had met for the first time. There was breakfast already prepared on the stone table of the pavilion, with stuffed buns, mantous and a few other dishes. They looked extremely exquisite, and really whetted a person¡¯s appetite.


    Rancui made Wu Xingzi sit down first before he sat across him. He picked up a pastry and bit into it, while urging Wu Xingzi to join him with his eyes. As the host had started eating already, Wu Xingzi then ate without any worries. The meal was very satisfying, and the amount avable was perfect.


    When they finished their breakfast, the mist had also dissipated. With the clear skies, the weather looked nice.


    Only at this time did Rancui start talking business. ¡°Adviser Wu, as the manager of the?Peng?Society, I have always wished for all masters to find their fated partners.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched at his face awkwardly. He did not dare to confirm if he had met his fated partner, but he definitely did have fate with Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis.


    ¡°So, I have no choice but to ask, yesterday, with General Guan, do you n on being life partners, or is this just a tryst?¡± Rancui was direct with his question. He knew that beating around the bush would not work with Wu Xingzi, as Wu Xingzi would never be able to catch it.


    Being asked like this, Wu Xingzi replied without a moment of hesitation, ¡°It should be a tryst.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rancui¡¯s brow raised slightly. He had certainly never expected that Wu Xingzi would reply like this without thinking. It also did not seem like he was ying coy, but the satisfaction and bashfulness on his face was evident, and instead made Rancui unable to see what went on in his head.


    ¡°Ah, so it turns out Master Guan is a general. No wonder.¡± Wu Xingzi naturally did not notice Rancui¡¯s prying, but instead he was a little pleased with himself for his judgement of people. He had long since seen that Guan Shanjin¡¯s status was out of the ordinary, so it turned out that he was a general of Bastion City.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t n on getting to know General Guan better?¡± Rancui stared into Wu Xingzi¡¯s face.


    ¡°No, no.¡± Wu Xingzi waved his hand. He then took out fifty coins from his little money pouch and pushed them at Rancui, ¡°Manager, here¡¯s next month¡¯s subscription fee for?The Pengornisseur, please take it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rancui did not press on, and pushed the fifty coins aside. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll get someone to send you back to Qingcheng County.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble.¡± Wu Xingzi had first wanted to refuse, but Rancui smiled at him as he tapped at his own red lips. ¡°This is also part of the?Peng?Society¡¯s services.¡±


    Giving him no chance to argue, Rancui summoned one of his staff, and after giving him a few instructions he smiled at Wu Xingzi. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since you¡¯re not fated, the?Peng?Society will be responsible for the rest of it. I¡¯ll let my staff drive you back in the carriage, and we¡¯ll wee you back on the 10th of next month.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you. I¡¯ve given you trouble.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands at him in thanks, then got onto the carriage and soon returned to Qingcheng County.


    As for how Guan Shanjin raged upon waking up after he left, how he destroyed half the room, punished his guard, and how Manager Rancui cut him down after that, Wu Xingzi had no inkling of it.


    Ah, the 10th of next month will be arriving soon.?Wu Xingzi opened his rattan case and flipped through the pengornis drawings kept inside. Finally, he spent some time stroking the pengornis drawing of Guan Shanjin in satisfaction, then he changed his clothes happily and left for the magistrate¡¯s office.

 Chapter 11 - The Great South Garrison General

    <strong>Chapter 11 ¨C The Great South Garrison General</strong>


    <hr>


    Stationed in Bastion City were the fiercest troops of the Great Xia. So strong and overpowering was their presence that they seemed to be the very rulers of the territory that they stood upon. Even if the other three military forces in thend were to bebined into a single army, it would pose little threat to the camp in Bastion City.


    If not for the fact that the Protector General had came from a line of ministers, and was as thick as thieves with the Emperor, the Emperor might have be worried, and¡­ well, the Emperor would not be able to do much as well.


    Logically, putting aside the savagery of the southern barbarians, before Guan Shanjin had defended Southern Xinjiang with his General status, every year, they would be piged by the southern barbarian king. However, within five short years, the southern barbarians had beenpletely dealt with, and obediently slunk out of the demarcated limits of their territory, epting their defeat and paying tributes. The Emperor did not think that his head was as hard as that of the southern barbarian king.


    Of course, it was not that there were no people who hated and were jealous of Guan Shanjin, but so what? He was always in Bastion City, and never returned to the capital, and under his hand was the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s most fearsome troops. Just mentioning his name was enough to stop little children from crying at night, and even if they were drunk, no one had the guts to openly speak ill of Guan Shanjin.


    As for the ingratiating ones? There were many.


    At first, they started sending him beauties. Plump ones, thin ones, all beautiful in their own ways. Just like a hundred flowers blooming together, all sorts of beauties were amongst them, and the Emperor¡¯s harem might even lose to them.


    However, Guan Shanjin was not interested.


    That was no ordinaryck of interest.


    When Guan Shanjin made a name for himself, he was only sixteen years old, and had long achieved military merit for himself in the northwest region. The Guan family army was renowned, and so the Western Garrison General did not dare to spearhead the campaign.?Also, the Western Garrison General used to be amander under the Protector General, andter, the Protector General had handed himmand of his own troops and promoted him. Hence, he would naturally be more lenient with his previous little master.


    After he came of age, Guan Shanjin was finally willing to return to the capital, idling about for two years. On the surface it looked as though it was the Emperor who had taken pity on him for having spent so much of his young life on the battlefield, and never got to enjoy the feeling of being with his family. Now, he gave the family a chance to spend more time together, and also to conveniently settle his marital matters, birth a sessor, and soothe the Protector General¡¯s love for his child.


    In private, it was a lot simpler. The Emperor was afraid that this young man would be too difficult to control, but it was a waste to leave this sword unused. He nned to let him marry and start a family as quickly as possible, and in that way, he would have a few more chips in his hand.


    No one was sure if Guan Shanjin had seen through the Emperor¡¯s n, but young General Guan waspletely disinterested in the various beauties that appeared at his door daily. The scrolls of paintings in his study piled up in stacks, and if there was no space on the wall for them to be hung up, they would be sent to a corner of the house and left to collect dust. The clever steward came up with an idea of recing the paintings on the wall daily, ?so as to somewhat give face to the various aristocratic families.


    But by the time half the beauties on the paintings had found their marriage match already, young General Guan still did not pay an iota of attention to those drawings, not to mention selecting one of them.


    Of course, this was not difficult to understand. After all, these beauties were still not as good looking as young General Guan.


    Next to him, how could the beauties evenpare? All eyes would definitely be drawn to young General Guan instead.


    The Protector General too had no idea how to deal with his son. Beating him? This son of his was ruthless, whether the Protector General was able to beat him was one thing, but even if he did manage to beat him, he himself would probably lose a pound of flesh in the process. Scolding him? The Protector General was a boor, and could not bepared to his son, who was well-versed in both literature and military affairs. With all aplishments that a schr should have, this son might not leave his father with any dignity.


    It was not as though the rtionship between the father and son was bad, but somehow, as parents, they had brought Guan Shanjin up to be a strong-minded person since he was a child. As long as one could convince him with logic, it was fine, as he was a person who would listen to advice, as long as it did not exceed his limits. However, if one decided to insist on getting their way with him, he could fight with them till the end of time.


    Still, as he could not let this matter drag on like this, the Protector General could only suggest for his wife to talk it out with his son, and to inquire if he had any preferences. In this way, they could then have an idea of what to do!


    After the talk, they finally learnt that Guan Shanjin liked ¡ª men.


    Although the Great Xia Dynasty was at the top of its peak, and there were quite a few famous male wives, the aristocratic families were still somewhat disapproving of such matters. Even if a person liked men, they would do it in secret, and would not consider epting a man as a legal wife.


    However, young General Guan did not care. He was candid about hisck of interest in females, if they wanted him to get married, in this life, he would only marry a male wife.


    With these words, the Emperor was much less worried. In the Great Xia, the Protector General was one of the rare ones who chose to only spend the rest of his life with one wife, and he did not even have apanion maid<sup>1</sup></a>. The Protector General had married his wife when they were young, and since then, they were very sweet together, giving birth to their only son, Guan Shanjin.


    Seeing that this sole son only wanted men and did not like beauties, it meant that the Protector General would no longer have any descendents. The Emperor was hugely relieved, immediately decreeing Guan Shanjin as the Southern Garrison General and sending him to Southern Xinjiang.


    What a misfortunate family. After the Protector General and his wife sent off their son, he returned to the ancestral hall and kneeled for a night. The next day, he started seeking a good man for his son.


    It could only be said that he was big-hearted.


    As for Guan Shanjin, ever since he left the capital, he never returned.


    But despite being so far away, it could not deter a parent¡¯s love and concern for their child.


    As such, on some random day some months back, Guan Shanjin received a book that consisted of over four hundred pages. The workmanship was exquisite, and the pages within the book were made of?bailu?paper<sup>2</sup></a>, and the cover was made of?jinsu?paper<sup>3</sup></a>. On it was inscribed?The Pengornisseur, and at the bottom was abel whose words were as tiny as a fly ¡ª The Capital and Southern Xinjiang Version.


    Together with the book came a letter from his family. Guan Shanjin did not feel like reading it himself, and gestured at his vice general, Man Yue, to read it for him.


    Just like his name, Man Yue was round and fat like a full moon. His skin was fair and could never hold a tan, smooth and flushed with a slight pink tint. Other than the Guan family army and the current Southern Xinjiang army, no one would have guessed this this plump little bun was Guan Shanjin¡¯s most valiant general.


    Reading the letter, Man Yue burst outughing.


    ¡°General, it¡¯s a letter from the Protector General.¡± Guan Shanjin shot him a cold look, warning him to say less rubbish.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like this! General, you know that with your pair of alluring eyes, they could easy cause a person to fall for you. Man Yue is still young, I won¡¯t be able to bear it.¡± He clearly did not take Guan Shanjin¡¯s warning to heart. The rtionship between Man Yue and Guan Shanjin was different from the rest, and he could afford to tease him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so talkative.¡± Guan Shanjin reached his hand out to pinch at Man Yue¡¯s cheek harshly. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    As for why he did not let Man Yue read the letter out loud, it was because Guan Shanjin understood his father too well. He was clearly an old, big, tall and boorish person, but his letters always went on and on, and even could include things like how the little yellow dog at the city gates had now given birth to a litter of puppies, and Guan Shanjin was helpless against his father¡¯s disposition.


    Fortunately, although Man Yue was a very lively and boisterous person, he could handle Guan Shanjin¡¯s temper perfectly. Heughed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. General Guan, do you know about the?Peng?Society?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Not only did he know, but ever since Guan Shanjin came out with the news that he preferred men, someone from the?Peng?Society had looked for him, saying that they would like to have the honour of being his matchmaker.


    Guan Shanjin sneered, even random passersby were now concerned with his marriage, if the Emperor did not have a hand behind this, he would not believe it. As for who exactly was the boss behind the?Peng?Society, he had delegated the investigation to a trusted subordinate of his, and soon got all information about that man in his hands, so he had set it aside and no longer bothered with it.


    Who would have thought, after so many years, the?Peng?Society had again appeared in front of him through his father. They were really seeking their deaths.


    ¡°This?Peng?Society specialises in matchmaking for men. Here, it¡¯s by this?Pengornisseur.¡± Man Yue flipped through?The Pengornisseur, and clicked his tongue continuously in amazement.


    ¡°Who do you think started the?Peng?Society? They really know their business.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Dong Shucheng.¡± Guan Shanjin tightened his lips derisively. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, you can take it. My marriage still doesn¡¯t need the old man¡¯s concern.¡±


    ¡°Dong Shucheng?¡± Man Yue did not refuse it, and joyfully epted the book. When he flipped through a few pages just now, he came across all sorts of outstanding men. Their family backgrounds were also all clean and proper. Having kept himself chaste for so many years, it seemed that it was now the time for him to look for someone too.


    ¡°The owner of Azure Pavilion.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s actually the owner of Azure Pavilion!¡± Man Yue gasped in admiration. About that Azure Pavilion, almost everyone in the Great Xia Dynasty knew about it. It was the top entertainment venue that reigned supreme across thend, and only the most distinguished elites were allowed to enter its premises. Even a person like Man Yue, who preferred men, was a little interested in checking it out, as such, one could imagine how impressive it was.


    This pavilion owner was too far reaching, he could even earn money off the matters between people, what a sharp business acumen!


    ¡°But talking about this, General, you can¡¯t remain as a bachelor for life.¡± Having gained some benefits by taking?The Pengornisseur, he should help speak on the Protector General¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± With a shadow of a smile on his face, Guan Shanjin looked at his deputy from the corner of his eyes. ¡°You know that there¡¯s someone in my heart.¡±


    ¡°I know, but so what? He¡¯s in your heart, but you¡¯re not in his heart.¡± If this was said by anybody else, he would definitely be chopped up into pieces and fed to the wolves, but only Man Yue had the confidence to say such things.


    Still, he could not withstand that murderous cold re of Guan Shanjin. After a couple of jeeringughs, he grabbed?The Pengornisseur?and ran away with it.


    In the next few months, regardless of the weather,?The Pengornisseur?would be delivered every month, and it would all be received by Man Yue, who then joyfully made friends through the pigeon express.


    After time passed, Guan Shanjin too finally understood the impressiveness of this?Pengornisseur. One day, he could not resist his curiosity, and so asked Man Yue for thetest edition of?The Pengornissuer?and flipped through it.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of indulging in the worldly desires?¡± Man Yue had an exaggerated look of astonishment on his face, offering the book to Guan Shanjin with both hands.


    ¡°Poo.¡± If a person was beautiful, even his vulgar words were music to the ears. Guan Shanjin reclined on the daybed next to the window. He felt a littlezy today, after the morning training, he then returned to his room for a bath. Without even tying up his hair, he dressed in a thin inner robe andzed on the daybed, flipping through?The Pengornisseur?idly.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Man Yue sat by the side, itching to know the answer.


    Guan Shanjin did not reply, looking through the book page by page. He had always been erudite with a good memory, with one nce he could read ten lines, and so without much effort, he had gone through more than half of the book, and had only a few pages left. Man Yue felt a pain in his heart, in?The Pengonisseur, these were all good men. Leaving the rest aside, the ones that he had contacted over the past few months, they were all the cream of the crop, there were the gentle and elegant ones, the strong and heroic ones, and there were even ministers and powerful ones in there.


    However, looking at how Guan Shanjin flipped through the pages, even a pearl could only be treated as an eye of a fish and thrown away.


    Suddenly, Guan Shanjin straightened up, then stood up from the daybed. Hiszy expression had changed, and that amorous pair of alluring eyes gleamed.


    Man Yue¡¯s heart thumped, abruptly realising that something might be wrong. He leapt up as well, reaching out to snatch?The Pengornisseur¡­?Of course, this was only in his imagination. When his hand had moved just slightly, a sharp ck sword was immediately at his throat.


    Damn, when would this person stop taking his sword out without a word?!


    ¡°Keep your sword! No matter what, I¡¯m still your vice general!¡± Man Yue hurriedly took a couple of steps back before he dared to grumble.


    ¡°So?¡± Guan Shanjin shot him a look, and with a flex of his arm, he kept his sword.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Man Yue sighed. ¡°At least, let me know who you¡¯re interested in?¡±


    Although he wanted to lean closer, after evaluating the darkness in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes, Man Yue decided to not risk his neck.


    ¡°Tell me, what exactly does it mean to make friends through the pigeon express?¡± Guan Shanjin did not reply to Man Yue¡¯s question, instead asked in reply.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Essentially, it¡¯s just writing a letter to the person you¡¯re interested in, then mail the letter to a collection point, and someone would take it from there.¡± Man Yue had no choice but to answer obediently. He had to first calm this person down, before he could prevent a tragedy from happening.


    ¡°A collection point?¡±


    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it all written there? Goose City, Fragrance City, Bastion City, the capital etc., all these are the collection points offered by the?Peng?Society.¡± Man Yue could see that Guan Shanjin¡¯s mood had improved, and so he took a few steps closer. ¡°Why? You¡¯re really thinking of indulging in the worldly desires?¡±


    Guan Shanjin still did not reply to his questions, and only curled his lip. ¡°Prepare the horses, and find 4 men to apany me. I want to go to Goose City.¡±


    ¡°You want to go to Goose City?¡± Man Yue jumped, his soft flesh trembling. ¡°If you really are interested in someone, you just need to send a letter, there¡¯s no need to do this!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was gentle, and even Man Yue blushed upon hearing it. His heart twitched, and his mouth was open, yet he could not say a word.


    Guan Shanjin was after all the general, so, there was nothing he could do about it. Could he get someone to tie the general up and prevent him from leaving? If he really did that, that?Chenyuan?sword would definitely have a good meal. Although lives might not be taken, there was still a high possibility of at least lying in bed for a couple of months.


    ¡°General, aren¡¯t you afraid that Mr Lu would be unhappy once he hears about this?¡± Man Yue had no choice but to take hisst stand. He was extremely unwilling to mention Mr Lu in front of the general, as this person was the underlying cause to all this trouble! However, he could now only try quenching a thirst with poison.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡± Guan Shanjin scoffed, and mmed?The Pengornisseur?close. ¡°When I¡¯m gone, send someone to tell Mr Lu where I¡¯m going and what I n to do. If there is any news, inform me through the mail.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning to do.¡± Man Yue was really upset, his usual cherubic smiling face was now gloomy.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to rob some male civilians.¡± Guan Shanjin pinched Man Yue¡¯s cheek. ¡°Quickly ask someone to ready everything; when I¡¯m done with packing, I¡¯ll leave.¡± With him being so urgent, Man Yue could only obey his orders.

 Chapter 12 - The Great South Garrison General Part 2

    <strong>Chapter 12 ¨C The Great South Garrison General Part 2</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited By: DancingdolphinsYo</i>


    With a swift horse, it would take about fifteen days to travel from Bastion City to Goose City, but Guan Shanjin made it in nine days.


    Travel-worn, they reached Goose City, and asked for three luxury rooms in the city¡¯s biggest inn. After washing off the dust of the journey and taking a meal, Guan Shanjin wanted to directly look for the?Peng?Society, but was persuaded not to do so by the subordinates who apanied him. They said that those were the instructions of Vice General Man, who hoped that the general would only go to the?Peng?Society to look for trouble after a good rest and a refreshed mind.


    Knowing that Vice General Man and his subordinates were only thinking of him, Guan Shanjin did not trouble them, and really returned to the room to sleep. Hepletely did not know that his four subordinates did not have a good rest the entire night due to their anxiety, worried that he would sneak out in the middle of the night to make a fuss. The next morning, all four of them had bags under their eyes.


    Goose City was a bustling ce, and unlike Bastion City, had not gone through the chaos of the war that took ce five years ago. Although Bastion City had been recovering during thest five years, as it had once been utterly damaged, its progress was not rapid, and so it was far behind from Goose City in terms of peace and prosperity. The citizens were also unlike that of Bastion City¡¯s, who somewhat had a slight murderous air to them. The citizens of Goose City were like quails, gentle, soft and silly.


    Having stayed by the border for so long, Guan Shanjin took awhile to limatise to this. He first strolled around the city streets before reaching Goose City¡¯s most prosperous street, then led his subordinates and headed straight for the antique shop that was used as a cover for the?Peng?Society.


    This ce made him think of the capital.


    Whether it was the furnishings or the atmosphere, they were all sumptuous but not ostentatious, extremely delicate but vibrant. Although it was a store meant as a disguise, ?there were really quite many valuable items avable. There were clusters of customers around the ce, and from their clothes and temperament, they were definitely from some of the most wealthy and influential families of Goose City.


    ¡°Hello, may I ask if you¡¯re looking for anything?¡± A salesman weed them in. He was pleasant looking, and his smile was a little uncouth yet not dislikable.


    This Dong Shucheng was really good at training his people.


    ¡°I just want to take a look, don¡¯t stand there and be an eyesore.¡± Guan Shanjin waved him off. Although he had ulterior motives, he suddenly remembered that Man Yue had not told him the catchphrase to gain entry into the?Peng?Society. This guy¡¯s guts had really grown quite a bit, but it was also because he was in such a hurry that he forgot about it.


    Thinking that this was really a customer here to look at the antiques, the salesman apologised and retreated.


    Just as he was thinking about how to get the catchphrase from Man Yue, he heard a clear, gentle and soft voice that felt like a spring breeze in March behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a jade pagoda from the Han Dynasty.¡±


    The salesman asked, ¡°What type of Han jade pagoda would you like, mister?¡±


    That voice wasced with a little uneasiness, and said softly, ¡°O-one that Dong Xian used to y with.¡±


    ¡°Dong Xian?¡± The salesman smiled. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m not too familiar with such an item. Would you like to speak to our manager yourself, at the back of our store?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure¡­¡± That man gave a huge sigh of relief, and out of rare curiosity, Guan Shanjin looked in his direction.


    He only saw the back of a person dressed in a somewhat old, dark green robe. His long hair was in a neat bun with a simple bamboo hairpin in it. The back of his neck was extremely fair, and the greenish blue veins could be vaguely seen.


    That neck was very slender, looking as though it would break immediately if it was hit. This person was also very thin, making his robe look voluminous. It gathered around his waist, and he looked tempting.


    ¡°Dong Xian?¡± Guan Shanjin repeated quietly, but the man who was about to step into the back seemed to have heard him. His ears tinted red and he sneaked a peek at him.


    That face, it stunned Guan Shanjin. Even as that thin figure vanished behind the door, he was still in a daze.


    He really looks very simr¡­ Although his nose was a little fleshier and droopier, his lips thicker and his philtrum shorter, with eyes dewy like a startled deer, he really did look very simr.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Mr Lu?¡± A subordinate was unable to keep the surprise from his lowered voice, and that finally pulled him out of his trance.


    ¡°No.¡± He snorted coldly. At first nce, he did look like Mr Lu, but after some consideration, it would be clear that these two people were as different as chalk and cheese. Ignoring that low-ss ordinary facial features, it was that inborn shyness and timidness that was far different to Mr Lu¡¯s elegant demeanour.


    ¡°General is right.¡± The subordinates would certainly never refute Guan Shanjin¡¯s words. They were just surprised that there could actually be someone who looked so simr to Mr Lu at first nce.


    But¡­ Guan Shanjin waved a salesman over and asked with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m looking for a jade pagoda from the Han Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°What type of Han jade pagoda would you like, mister?¡± The salesman¡¯s eyes shed, but it was not concealed from Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°One that Dong Xian used to y with.¡± Hearing that answer, this salesman did not respond the same way as the other one, leading him to the back. Instead he observed Guan Shanjin and the four towering armed guards behind him. He only replied after a moment of ponder, ¡°Sir, our little shop does not have a treasure like this. Why don¡¯t you take a look¡­¡±


    ¡°Pengornis.¡± Guan Shanjin straightforwardly cut off the salesman. Although they were not alike, since he had seen that person, even if he had to tear this shop apart today, he must enter.


    The salesman immediately stopped, and seeming a little strange, he cupped his hands towards Guan Shanjin. ¡°Sir, I have to first inform the manager, please wait a moment.¡± He ran hurriedly towards the back, and did not dare to look back.


    The salesmen of the?Peng?Society were all very clever. Naturally, he could see the murderous air in the eyes of this awe-inspiring, imposing beauty. This was not an air that a normal wealthy family could produce, it was so sharp that it was almost tangible, and made the fine hairs on his neck shiver.


    Guan Shanjin waited leisurely, picking up some of the valuable objects in the shop and ying with them before the panting salesman returned.


    ¡°Sir, the manager would like to invite you for a chat, please follow me.¡± That briefly fawning look made a few customers standing by the side express a face of curiosity, and their eyes secretly measured up Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled up slightly, he was starting to be interested in this manager. Looking at the attitude of this salesman, it was likely that he knew his identity already. It was only such a short period of time, but he was actually able to get information on him?


    The backyard of the shop was a lot more spacious than Guan Shanjin had estimated. It was lush with grass and trees, with flowers blooming everywhere. Courtyards upon courtyards stretched in front of him, and ordinary people would easily lose their sense of direction while going in.


    Finally, they arrived at a man-madeke. In the middle of that small and exquisiteke was a pavilion made of white jade. A green bamboo bridge connected it to the shore, and on the surface of the water was an emerald green reflection of the bridge, extremely picturesque.


    The salesman led the group of them to the pavilion, then cupped his hands at them. ¡°General Guan, please wait a moment. The manager is still attending to a guest, and will join youter. Please enjoy the tea and snacks.¡±


    As expected, they knew about his background. Guan Shanjin smiled, and naturally he would not find trouble for the salesman; he just waved him off.


    The furniture of the pavilion was made of ck bamboo, the bamboo gleaming in the light, cool and smooth to touch. On the bamboo table, there were two cups of tea ced, still steaming. The snacks were also exquisite looking, so appealing that people could not bear to eat them.


    Guan Shanjin never had a sweet tooth. He smiled at one of his guards, ¡°Hei¡¯er, I remember that you like sweet things, take them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, General.¡± Hei¡¯er did not stand on ceremony, he picked up the snacks and started eating.


    In no time at all, there were not even crumbs left of the snacks. Hei¡¯er, wishing for more, was licking his fingers, and gotughingly scolded by Guan Shanjin. The four people were then shoo-ed back by Guan Shanjin. Everyone knew what would happen next, but Guan Shanjin did not wish to talk about it in front of his subordinates.


    He did not have to wait too long. A slim and delicate figure drew closer from afar, as it crossed the bamboo bridge and stepped into the pavilion, greeting the imposing Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°The ordinary civilian Rancui greets the Great South Garrison General.¡±


    ¡°Manager Rancui.¡± Guan Shanjin too cupped his hands at him.


    ¡°To have let the General wait so long, I¡¯m sorry, please do pardon me.¡± Rancui gave a beguiling smile, his voice and dressing both somewhat androgynous. His alluring eyes were very bewitching, and looked like a seasoned courtesan.


    ¡°The Manager is too polite, take a seat and let¡¯s talk.¡± Guan Shanjin gestured. Although Rancui was very good looking, he was unable to stir even a little bit of his heart. Instead, because his identity had been exposed, his eyes looked a little sharp.


    ¡°Thank you, General.¡± Rancui took his seat elegantly, and picked up a teacup, holding it in front of his mouth. ¡°May I ask, for the General toe here specially, is there someone you¡¯re interested in?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty smart.¡± Guan Shanjin sneered lightly.


    ¡°No, no. I only did it for the safety of the members of the?Peng?Society, and so had no choice but to pry into the General¡¯s identity.¡± He covered his lips as he smiled, his alluring eyes curving lightly. His figure was very lithe, while his words were soft but forceful.


    Shooting him a cold nce, Guan Shanjin also could not be bothered to spend any more time on this subject. He asked directly, ¡°I want to know who that man just now was.¡±


    ¡°That man just now?¡± Rancui blinked, responding after pondering over it. ¡°Oh, so the great General likes men like Old Master Bao? You really can¡¯t judge a person by his appearance.¡±


    ¡°Old Master Bao?¡± Guan Shanjin frowned. Although he did not know the name of the person who looked ordinary and shared a slight resemnce to Mr Lu, he was sure that the person would not be addressed as an old master. ording to his looks, he could at most be a vige¡¯s school teacher.


    ¡°Is it not? Don¡¯t be shy, General. Although Old Master Bao is of a certain age, he has maintained his body very well and he also has properties under his name. He¡¯s honest and devoted, if ?not for him bing a widower, he also would not havee to the?Peng?Society.¡± It was as though Rancui had not noticed Guan Shanjin¡¯s darkening expression, and continued introducing the man to him with a smile. ¡°As for your preferences, the?Peng?Society never judges.¡±


    ¡°I guess I can only thank you for that.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled without any amusement, pulling Chenyuan Sword out and pointing it at Rancui¡¯s neck. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk anymore nonsense with you. Treasure your life, Manager. You should take note of the situation.¡±


    Clearly this straightforward threat had stunned Rancui. His eyes widened, as though frozen in horror, and only shifted to the side slowly after a few breaths. He smiled, ¡°Calm down, General. I¡¯ve only misunderstood. Just tell me what you want to know, there¡¯s no need for any knifes or spears here.¡±


    ¡°This is Chenyuan Sword. It¡¯s neither a knife nor a spear, you don¡¯t have to be scared.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curved up as well, his tone consoling, as though he was flirting. However, that glinting sword tip never moved from its position.


    Rancui¡¯s hands, hidden in his sleeves, slowly fisted. He also knew that he could no longer beat around the bush. This person in front of him was the famed demon of Great Xia. If he were to kill him right now, he might not even blink, and no one could save him.


    With no other choice, Rancui could only give a stiff smile. ¡°Could it be that the general is asking about Qingcheng County¡¯s adviser, Adviser Wu Xingzi?¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu¡­¡± Guan Shanjin chuckled softly.


    After knowing Adviser Wu¡¯s name and personal details, Guan Shanjin did not act immediately on the information. His original purpose ining here was also not for the adviser of this little ce, but for another person on?The Pengornisseur.


    It was also another refined and gentle looking man, nearly forty years of age, and he had a quiet, elegant, schrly air to him. He was an ountant in Sushui Vige near Goose City, and his boss owned the biggest restaurant in the vige. Other than two younger siblings who were already married, there was no one else in his family.


    Although this face was slightly longer, it had a somewhat sordid feel to him, with eyes that were a little dim and not regr enough and his facial features were rathercking, but staring hard he did look very like Mr Lu. This was why Guan Shanjin was astounded, and insisted oning to Goose City despite Man Yue¡¯s objection.


    However, he had never expected to meet someone even more simr here.


    He tapped his finger on Adviser Wu¡¯s portrait. He could tell that the adviser was not good at drawing, his image was only about sixty percent simr, and the spirit of the drawing was even worse. He looked lifeless, and those soulless eyes, that bulbous nose, and that broad mouth seemed extremely dislikable.


    Fortunately, to prevent the members¡¯ poor drawing skills from affecting their possible marriages, the?Peng?Society would employ an expert painter to copy the drawing before sending it for publishing. By that time, Adviser Wu¡¯s portrait would be even more simr to Mr Lu.


    Guan Shanjin was satisfied. He decided that before the next month¡¯s copy of?The Pengornisseur?was published, he would first make friends and have some fun with the ountant in Sushui Vige.

 Chapter 13 - They Meet Again

    <strong>Chapter 13 ¨C They Meet Again</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited By: DancingdolphinsYo</i>


    Of course, after trying it out, the great General Guan who had been living by the borders discovered that the people of the cities now really knew how to y. Making friends through the pigeon express was not just a simple exchange of mail, and the first reply was often a phallus drawing. Despite being very experienced and having nock of bed warmers, this was truly an eye opener for General Guan.


    He even confirmed it with Man Yue. They did not know when it started or who it started from, but drawings of phalluses had be the form of greeting. Thinking about Man Yue drawing his phallus and mailing them to several men, Guan Shanjin firstughed out loud, but next, had a rude awakening.


    Naturally, he had sent people to investigate Adviser Wu. Qingcheng County was a small ce, and it was too easy to collect information there. Adviser Wu¡¯s background had beenpletely dug out by him, and so of course he knew that this middle-aged man was inherently shy. Together with his simple schrly air, he would definitely get a shock if he were to receive a phallus drawing. Needless to say, Guan Shanjin was not worried about whether he would be shocked, but he was concerned about Wu Xingzi following this trend. He would definitely not be able to tolerate other people looking at the private part of the toy he had chosen.


    Although they had yet to even officially meet each other, but before he got tired of Wu Xingzi this substitute, no one else would be allowed to touch even a hair of his.


    The extremely conceited great General Guan straight away went to look for Manager Rancui, and they agreed that whenever Adviser Wu mailed out a drawing of his own phallus, there was no need to forward it, and it would be delivered straight to his hand. As for whether Manager Rancui agreed to it willingly or not, that was not something Guan Shanjin was bothered about, as the one suggesting it was the Chenyuan Sword of his.


    Turning around like this, Guan Shanjin remained in Goose City and had a very amorous time with that ountant from SuShui Vige. However, just like before, in less than half a month, Guan Shanjin got tired of him. After all, an imitation could never be as mesmerising as the genuine article.


    This was also the moment when he received the first letter Wu Xingzi mailed to him.


    ording to tradition, together with a little wicked experimentation ¡ª Wu Xingzi had never ever sent a second letter to the same person, and this had became a sort of interesting observation in the?Peng?Society ¡ª Guan Shanjin mailed out the drawing of his phallus for the first time.


    As for what happened after receiving Adviser Wu¡¯s reply of a phallus, it was beyond his expectation, and so, Guan Shanjin ate him up at his own convenience. Despite getting annoyed several times by how Wu Xingzi¡¯s expressions were not like that of Mr Lu during the process, he could not stop himself from hunting down those few traces that were simr.


    After a night of passion, Guan Shanjin slept very deeply. Being part of the army that was stationed by the borders and having spent more than half his life on the battlefield, Guan Shanjin was not a person who could fall asleep easily. His vignce was also very high, and just a little noise could alert him from his sleep. As such, when he discovered that the portion of the bed was cool to touch when he woke up and that there was no one there, he was unprecedentedly horrified.


    He did not even put his clothes on properly, casually pulling his trousers on and with bare feet, pushed the door open. ring at his subordinates who were standing on guard outside, he questioned harshly, ¡°Where is he?¡±


    The two subordinates looked at each other in dismay and were shocked by his demon-like appearance. After being stunned for a short moment and seeing that he was about to pull his sword out, they hurriedly answered, ¡°Adviser Wu has been invited by Manager Rancui to have a chat.¡±


    ¡°Rancui?¡± Guan Shanjin was speechless. He mmed the door shut, quickly dressed up and casually tied up his hair. The raging fire in his heart did not simmer down, but instead it burned even brighter, as though it was a snarling beast that wanted to burst out.


    No one, no one had ever left him like this after such acts of passion. Guan Shanjin was very confident in his looks and skills. There was no denying, towards those people who always put on such airs, but still ended up losing themselves in the pleasure he gave them, he always felt disdainful.


    There was nothing special about this Wu Xingzi. His timidness and shyness, and his inexperienced yet wild behaviour during the passionate act, it waspletely different from how proper and upright he acted in the day when he had his clothes on. Guan Shanjin had seen too many people like these, and so he always felt fed up by such people.


    Who would have thought that this quail-like old man actually dared to run away after sleeping with him!


    ¡°Damn you Wu Xingzi!¡± Guan Shanjin gnashed his teeth, and with a pound of his fist, the table turned into dust. With a wave of his hands, the disy cab by the window was no longer safe, and together with the exquisite antiques, they all went crashing on the floor.


    The subordinates outside listened to the crashes, trembling in their boots. A quarter of an hourter, the door finally opened, and Guan Shanjin walked out with bloodshot eyes. He shot a look at the salesman who, after hearing the noises, quickly came over to investigate. He frostily said, ¡°Bring me to see Rancui.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The salesman mopped at the cold sweat on his forehead, trying to avoid Guan Shanjin¡¯s sharp re.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Guan Shanjin sneered, his hand on the door exerting a little force, and he quickly caught a door panel. The next moment, spider web-like cracks appeared through the panel and shattered.


    The salesman quaked and stared stupefied at the wood chips on the ground, as well as the chaos in the room. His gasps sounded like bellows, and he looked like he was about to copse onto the ground, losing his consciousness.


    Naturally, the great General Guan would not let him escape with such a method. He strode forward, his wed hand savagely gripping the salesman¡¯s throat and coolly yet cloyingly said, ¡°If you faint, I¡¯ll break every single bone in your body one by one, starting from your fingers¡­¡± Then, his other hand stroked the salesman¡¯s little finger.


    Even though he had seen many trials in his life, the salesman was still frightened to the point of choking and nearly cried. Only by suppressing himself as much as possible, did he not pee his pants; still he was shivering to the extent where he could barely speak a word.


    ¡°R-r-ran¡­ P-p-please f-f-fol-low m-m-me¡­¡±


    The difference in his manners was too big, and the salesman had yet to get used to it. He was still shivering, but a smile was already on his face.


    That distorted smile was hideous.


    ¡°The two of you can go and do some self-imposed punishments.¡± Before he left, Guan Shanjin tossed his words indifferently at his subordinates. The towering men stiffened up obviously, but did not find excuses for themselves and acknowledged him with low agreements.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    Several days passed. Since Wu Xingzi experienced the acts of passion, he was very satisfied for a long time. His sleep was so much better, and he no longer had wet dreams. With the lowering temperature, it was time to start preparing for winter. Wu Xingzi went to the magistrate¡¯s office daily, dealing with the case files and writing indictments for his fellow vigers. After work, he would go home and mend what needed to be mended, and strengthen what needed to be strengthened. His roof was nailed down, his windows were repaired. Although Qingcheng County was in South Xinjiang, where it would not snow in winter, the cold winds were mingled with moisture, and that bone piercing cold was really unbearable.


    When he received a surprise, it was already the day for the new edition of?The Pengornisseur?to be published.


    He was on the way home, thinking about whether he should poach two eggs in his noodle soup. However, out of nowhere, he suddenly thought about the two full round balls below a pengornis, and his pants tightened fiercely. He was nearly unable to walk and had to awkwardly bend over slightly. Shrinking into the corner of a wall for quite some time, he finally calmed down.


    Who would be in the new edition of The Pengornisseur?


    His already carefree heart became even more joyful. It had been very long since Wu Xingzi thought about his ns onmitting suicide at the age of forty.


    Since he had remembered it, then he should go to Goose City tomorrow. As such, Wu Xingzi made a turn and headed to Old Liu¡¯s ce. After confirming the time to set off and getting a bag of roasted chestnuts shoved in his arms by Auntie Liu, he peeled the chestnuts and ate them as he walked home.


    When Wu Xingzi arrived at his doorstep, only a slit of red was left in the horizon. He was also down to hisst chestnut, and so he just peeled it and stuffed it into his mouth. After tossing the chestnut shells at where the firewood was stored, he opened his door.


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back¡­¡± Wu Xingzi answered instinctively, then trembled as he came to a realisation. Staring with wide eyes inside his simple little home, there was a vague silhouette in there.


    Was it a person or a ghost?


    He stood by the door in a fix. Both his hands and feet were chilled, he tried his best to not let his shivering be obvious and rejoiced in the fact that there were still one and a half chestnuts in his mouth; even if his teeth were chattering, it could not be heard.


    The person in the house was considerate. Afterughing lightly, he lit a candle, and the cramp room soon glowed with warm candlelight.


    At the same time, an indescribably beautiful face was also lit up.


    ¡°M-master Guan¡­ No no no, General Guan, General Guan¡­¡± Discovering that the person was someone he knew, Wu Xingzi immediately sighed in relief and cupped his hands at him.


    ¡°Advisor Wu.¡± Guan Shanjin remained seated imposingly, his fingertips sweeping past the me of the candle, and his fair skin instantly reddened. Afraid of pain, Wu Xingzi had already squinted his eyes, but he still behaved as though nothing happened to him. ¡°Adviser Wu,e in quick. This is your home, why are you standing outside?¡±


    It sounded very considerate, but something seemed to be not quite right?


    Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek and took two timid steps forward. He had finally entered his home, but did not know if he should close the door. To turn and reveal his back to Guan Shanjin, for some reason, he felt a little shy about it.


    ¡°Close the door, it¡¯s getting cold.¡± Guan Shanjin nced at him, his soft lips curved up in a faint smile. In the wavering candle light, he looked coldly elegant.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi continued saying yes. He reached behind him and spent quite some time before he felt his door handle and finally managed to close the door.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Guan Shanjin was very satisfied with Wu Xingzi¡¯s reaction, and a bright delight could be seen in his cold eyes.


    ¡°Not really¡­¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his belly and swallowed down what was left of the chestnuts in his mouth. Of course, he was still hungry, those chestnuts just now were not even enough to cushion his stomach and instead made him even hungrier. ¡°Has the general eaten yet?¡± Being here, he was a guest, so Wu Xingzi asked after him politely.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled, brushing his fingertip through the me again. ¡°I wanted to wait for Adviser Wu to eat together.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯m only afraid that you won¡¯t like the food.¡± Although Wu Xingzi lived in poverty, as a host, he still had some provisions in the house, enough to prepare some gnhi stew. ¡°It might take some time before it¡¯s ready. General Guan, if you¡¯re hungry, I¡¯ll fry some vegetables first?¡± He happened to have those two eggs, and the leeks he nted in the backyard were ready to be cut. Now was the time when they were the most tender, a dish of scrambled eggs with leeks, it should be enough to let Guan Shanjin pad his stomach first.


    Having made his decision, Wu Xingzi rolled up his sleeves and was not as timid and shy as before ¡ª after all, their pengornis and hole had already spent a night together, there was nothing left to be awkward about ¡ª and went out to the backyard to cut the leeks.


    Guan Shanjin did not stop him, just staring after his silhouette, as he bustled back and forth, with his passionate and charming eyes.


    Soon, a te of scrambled eggs with leeks arrived on the table. Wu Xingzi ced the chopsticks on the table as well, and said, ¡°General Guan, please eat first. On my way back, I ate some chestnuts so I¡¯m not that hungry. The gnhi needs some time to prepare, please don¡¯t go hungry.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Guan Shanjin picked up his chopsticks, then picked some scrambled eggs with leeks, put them into his mouth and chewed.


    The leeks were freshly cut, sweet and tender. It did not have the bitter taste of vegetables, and the mes used to cook the dish was perfect. The crisp leeks together with the silkiness of eggs, although it could not be called an amazing delicacy, it was enough for people to enjoy it. Still Guan Shanjin put his chopsticks down after a bite, stood up, walked to the entrance of the kitchen and stared at the person inside kneading the dough.


    The kitchen was very small, filled to the brim with pots, bowls,dles, and a stove. The rest of the space was only enough for Wu Xingzi to squat down and start a fire.


    Having not seen him in a while, Wu Xingzi seemed to have gotten thinner, which made his mouth looked wider, and his pouty lips looked like they were smiling.


    It was clear that Wu Xingzi was used to cooking. The fat balls of dough soon entered the pot, and within moments, they bubbled up to the surface. They were all scooped up, and next, all sorts of mountain vegetables and a small chunk of minced bacon were thrown into the pot to braise. After it boiled, he returned the gnhi into the pot and simmered it for awhile, and then the dish was done.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi turned his head and unexpectedly met Guan Shanjin¡¯s alluring eyes. With a tilt of his body, the bowl in his hand looked like it was going to fall.


    Guan Shanjin moved very quickly. In the blink of an eye, he had one arm around the person, another hand steadying the bowl and prevented a small catastrophe.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wu Xingzi blushed lightly. The fragrance that belonged to Guan Shanjin cloyingly wafted past his nose, and behind him was the man¡¯s strong and warm body, it was nearly impossible for him not to think about that night!


    ¡°It¡¯s no bother.¡± Guan Shanjin nudged the bowl back into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand and pushed him out of the kitchen. Hedled a bowl of gnhi stew for himself and returned to his original seat and sat down. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    The meal was quiet, but nobody was paying attention to how the food actually tasted.

 Chapter 14 - Let Mr D In, Here’s a Good Boy (NSFW)

    <strong>Chapter 14 ¡ª Let Mr D In, Here¡¯s a Good Boy (NSFW)</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited by: DancingDolphinsYo</i>


    When his stomach waspletely satisfied, Wu Xingzi tidied up the table and washed the dishes. He even prepared a new pot of tea, before remembering that he should ask Guan Shanjin the reason for his presence.


    ¡°General Guan¡­¡±


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Guan Shanjin sipped at his hot tea, and cut him offposedly. ¡°Your courtesy name?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ I don¡¯t have one. We¡¯re not so particr about it in these areas.¡± Actually, he should have been given a name when he had started school. For some reason, his father had not paid any attention to this matter, and was used to calling him by his name instead. Out in the vige, people also did not care much about such matters, and so it was just left unsettled.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeming as though he was not too satisfied with the vour of the tea, Guan Shanjin put his cup down after taking a sip. Looking at him, he asked. ¡°Why did you leave without saying anything?¡±


    Leave without saying anything?


    Wu Xingzi looked back at him nkly, he clearly did not understand his question. This made Guan Shanjin raise his exquisite brows unhappily, and his slender fingers tapped heavily on the table, every sound jarring Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you leave before I woke up?¡± Toozy to drag this on, Guan Shanjin went straight to the main point.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi did not expect Guan Shanjin to ask this question. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and sincerely apologised, ¡°I was wrong, I should have left only after greeting you when you woke up.¡±


    But for some reason, on that day Wu Xingzi had a feeling that if he did not leave then, he might never be able to leave. Coincidentally, Rancui had also invited him for a chat and so he just went with the tide. He had really been too negligent. Thinking about it, he could understand General Guan¡¯s anger. Spending a night like that together but leaving without a word, it was as though he had treated the other like a prostitute, with no sincerity at all.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never thought about staying by my side?¡± Guan Shanjin urately picked out what Wu Xingzi had left unsaid. This old fellow had really thought to break all ties with him after sleeping together! The mes of fury and embarrassment twined together, burning Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart till it ached.


    Even Mr Lu had never behaved in such an indifferent manner towards him! Having been well-favoured his entire life, everyone¡¯s attention had been on him since he was a child. There were only people who clung on to him, refusing to let go, and never had there been anyone who was so dismissive of him! And this person actually turned out to be the adviser of some small, poor vige!


    ¡°No, definitely not!¡± Wu Xingzi took three steps back in panic, shaking his head as he spread his palms open, stressing, ¡°I know that I¡¯m not worthy of the great General, and I would never dare dream of it.¡±


    He had really been rmed by the general. Although his pengornis was fantastic, whether using it or swallowing it, it felt so great that people could lose their self-control over it. However, Wu Xingzi was very clear about his role, even if he liked this great general Guan Shanjin, he would never imagine that he could be worthy of him! A night of passion had been enough for him to praise and thank his ancestors for the blessing.


    In case Guan Shanjin did not believe him, Wu Xingzi tried his best to repress the timidness within him. He stared at those sharp yet charming ck eyes, saying sincerely, ¡°I know that the General is a noble and gifted person. General, please be assured. I¡¯ve never thought of going above my station.¡±


    He hadpletely not been assured at all. Wu Xingzi¡¯s thorough disimer had embarrassed Guan Shanjin even further, and he dearly wished he could squeeze this old, reckless thing to death.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Seeing that Wu Xingzi nned to continue exining, with a palm, Guan Shanjin smacked the table into two in his fury.


    Sucking a lungful of air deeply, Wu Xingzi watched as the solid wood table that he had been using for twenty years, under Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, lost half the area of its surface.?Bang! It fell to the ground, and he started trembling with shock.


    T-t-this¡­ Wu Xingzi was at aplete loss for what to do. He did not know what he had said wrongly to so provoke the general, unless he thought that he had been too shameless about climbing into his bed? But¡­ Wu Xingzi could not be med for that! It was clearly the general who had pushed him down without a word. As a gentle and frail adviser, he was physically weak, and really was unable to withstand his might.


    ¡°G-great General, you¡­¡± Maybe he could still do something to redeem himself?


    ¡°I want you to shut up.¡± Guan Shanjing¡¯s imposing aura gathered. It was not reassuring at all to Wu Xingzi and was in fact very oppressive, causing Adviser Wu to gasp for his breath. His legs softened, and he fell sitting on the floor, timidly looking up at that beautifully threatening, demon-like man.


    ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± These four words sounded so smooth and pleasant that one did not realise there was something wrong, and instead unconsciously followed the instruction.


    Only until he was left in his undergarments with Guan Shanjin¡¯s satisfied smile, did Wu Xingzi regain his wits. Embarrassed, he froze, and the parts of him that were revealed flushed with a burning red.


    ¡°Take them all off.¡± Guan Shanjin was dissatisfied, and hemanded with emphasis.


    ¡°U-uh¡­ Dare I ask the General what is the meaning of this?¡±


    Wu Xingzi felt a great sense of shame to have came up with a guess like that, but he could not deny that he did not have an anticipatory feeling about it.


    Was this pile of fortune going to end up depleting the Wu family¡¯s luck?


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand soon. Take your clothes off. Now.¡± Guan Shanjin still remained seated where he was, grandly. However, a wooden box of about seven or eight inches had appeared in his hand, and the smile on his face was seductively charming. Just by ncing at him, Wu Xingzi submittedpletely, and no longer had any questions.


    Very quickly, Adviser Wu had stripped himself bare. Pale flesh glimmered under the dim candlelight. His waist was narrow, his bonyness apparent. However, he did not give off the impression of being sickly, but rather, a delicateness and fragility that made people want to bully him.


    In front of Guan Shanjin¡¯s smiling visage, his cock had be erect, timidly raising its head, and the pearly drops trickling down stood out under the light of the candle.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Guan Shanjin held his hand out to Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi felt as though he was walking on clouds, and drifted over to sp that big, wless hand. His shoulders shrank as he felt the burning heat of Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm, but he still slowly drew in closer.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Pulling Wu Xingzi onto his own thigh and putting his arm around him, Guan Shanjin bit Wu Xingzi¡¯s sloping shoulder?<sup>1</sup></a>, and opened the wooden box in his hand.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± What was this? Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes first widened, looking in astonishment at that thick and long thing within the wooden box. A cautious look that had a trace of excitement gradually appeared on his face, and his eyes were glued to the object.


    This was definitely the ¡°Mr D¡± that Manager Rancui had mentioned before! This was the first time he had seen this thing in reality! Adviser Wu nearly could not resist reaching his hand out to touch it. He licked as his dry lips, and there was no hint of the bashfulness that Guan Shanjin had been anticipating.


    Feeling an inexplicable sulkiness within him, the curve of Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips turned a little savage-looking.


    ¡°You seem very interested in it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, quite¡­ Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi suddenly realised what he was saying and found that he had been too unrestrained. He hurriedly lowered his head, ¡°N-no, not really¡­¡±


    ¡°This is Mr D.¡± Guan Shanjin caught one of Adviser Wu¡¯s hands, spreading his palm open. He then took Mr D out, which was made of some unknown material, from the box and ced it in his hand. Laying his hand under Wu Xingzi¡¯s, Guan Shanjin curled Wu Xingzi¡¯s fingers over Mr D.


    ¡°I, I¡¯ve seen it in drawings before¡­¡± Drowning in the sensationing from his palm, Wu Xingzi revealed himself unknowingly.


    ¡°So you should know how to use Mr D?¡± The low pleasant voice exhaled into his ear, his breath enjoyable yet intense. Unable to endure it, Wu Xingzi shuddered, it felt as though his veins were tingling through his body.


    ¡°I do¡­¡± He cleared his throat, his voice hoarse, responding suddenly.


    ¡°Good.¡± Guan Shanjin licked his blushing ear and spoke with a bewitching tone, ¡°Demonstrate it to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ignoring that part where Wu Xingzi¡¯s brain waspletely overwhelmed by Guan Shanjin¡¯s alluring tone, Wu Xingzi himself was already very curious about Mr D, and he did consider before whether to use some of his bucket stash to purchase one to y.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s breaths sped up as his ear was tongued and sucked at. His hand, holding on to Mr D, shook so much that he could barely move.


    Even like this, Guan Shanjin did not let him off. He first opened up the end segment of Mr D, and his hand, that was around Adviser Wu¡¯s slender waist, caressed the soft skin under it. He urged, ¡°Now that the tea is still warm, you should quickly fill Mr D up.¡±


    He clearly meant that Mr D should be filled up with tea, but out of nowhere, Wu Xingzi recalled how, just a few days ago, he was filled full ofe, that warm and bloated feeling.


    Lost in that recollection, his hand loosen its grip, and his entire body was about to melt. He snuggled up into Guan Shanjin¡¯s heated embrace, intoxicated with that cool sandalwood scent.


    Seeming to be amused by his behaviour, Guan Shanjinughed softly. He grabbed Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands and ced them both around Mr D. ¡°Hold it tightly, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Ok¡­¡± Wu Xingzi obediently tightened his hands around the toy.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Appreciatively, Guan Shanjin kissed his forehead and picked up the teapot. cing the spout at the opening to the end segment of Mr D, he poured the all the hot tea in. Filling up with tea, that Mr D got warmer and swelled up, looking just like a real penis. Due to its increasing weight, it nearly slipped out of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand.


    Subconsciously, Wu Xingzi¡¯s grip tightened, and the tea nearly spilled out. Guan Shanjin hurriedly closed the end segment. The seal was perfect, and the tea did not leak out at all.


    ¡°Go on, let me watch you use it.¡± He lifted one of Wu Xingzi¡¯s legs onto the table. The table that had been split in half was a little shaky and caused Adviser Wu¡¯s body to sway along with it. His buttocks were raised up, and behind him, Guan Shanjin could vaguely see that little hole pulsing slightly.


    ¡°Use it?¡± Despite feeling as though his brain had melted out of his ears, Wu Xingzi still had some resistance within him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± As if Guan Shanjin would care about his hesitation. He took out a container of grease and rubbed it over Mr D. At the same time, he also covered Wu Xingzi¡¯s ten fingers with grease as well. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯ll use grease this time. If you take it in slowly, it won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    With the experience of their previous time, he knew that Wu Xingzi was born with this gift. Even without using grease, he would only feel the pain for a moment., tTaking in his thick and long cock, he was not injured in the slightest. Now, the purpose of him mentioning the grease was to try making Adviser Wu feel ashamed.


    As expected, Adviser Wu shuddered. He breathed heavily, almost about to cry. The grease on his hands mingled together with the grease on Mr D, making it so slippery that he almost lost his grip on it. His body, leaning on Guan Shanjin¡¯s thigh, convulsed.


    ¡°Quick, stop dragging it out.¡± Without any care, he caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s finger and shoved it into his hole. When Adviser Wu¡¯s finger entered himself, he cried out hoarsely.


    He had never touched himself there before. Once his finger went in, his hole mped down tightly on it. It felt soft and warm inside, and he shivered as he thrust his finger in deeper.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin said that with a smile in his voice, and sucked on his ear. ¡°Here, push Mr D in as well. Don¡¯t let that little mouth go hungry.¡± With an exmation, Wu Xingzi pressed the thick head of Mr D against his cleft. His arm was not long enough. In the position, where he was half-sprawled in Guan Shanjin arms with his buttocks raised high, together with the greasy weight of Mr D, even before he could thrust Mr D in, his hand started cramping. Losing strength in his fingers, Mr D fell to the ground.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upset, he became worried whether Mr.D had been damaged in the fall. However, Guan Shanjin had caught that toy and again pushed it back into his hand. Considerately, he held Mr D together with Wu Xingzi and slowly pressed that egg-sized head into his hole.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The warm, thick and hard object impaled his body, and even Wu Xingzi¡¯s moans were trembling.


    This Mr D was not as big as Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, but the thickness wasparable, and might even be a little thicker. It seemed as though it was about to tear him apart, but his pliant hole was incessantly greedy, swallowing that thing in continuously. Wu Xingzi almost could not pull it out. After Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand slid off the end of Mr D a few times, Guan Shanjin took over, and shifted Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands to his chest.


    ¡°Rub your nipples. You like that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Without any protest, Adviser Wu started rubbing his tender nipples.

 Chapter 15 - Guess Where This Jade Rod is Going? (NSFW)

    Chapter 15 ¨C Guess Where This Jade Rod is Going? (NSFW)


    (Warning: Contains descriptions of sounding (urethra y) ¨C warning will be shown in the chapter, please avoid if you cannot.)


    Edited by: DancingDolphinsYo


    Just a few days ago, that thin and slender pink body part had be swollen after ying with it. Now, under Wu Xingzi¡¯s own hands, it was stroked and caressed until it shivered, tingling to the point where his eyes were clouded. Yet, he could not stop.


    In his hole, the Mr D in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand was manipted so deftly that it could make people hate it. Every time it entered, it would brush past his sensitive spot right into his core, and finally, it would grind itself there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s, it¡¯s too much¡­¡± Wu Xingzi moaned softly. He tried to struggle, but had no strength to do so. He was even unable to put his legs together.


    Guan Shanjin was too strong, and he hadplete mastery over his body, knowing which exact spots made him weak. Wu Xingzi¡¯s brain had melted thoroughly, other than pleasure, he registered nothing.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s pleas were ignored, and instead, Guan Shanjin increased the speed of his hand. Mr D felt like a living thing, warm and weighty. It spread apart his tight hole, then savagely pulled away, and again impaled itself deeply into his emptiness, causing Wu Xingzi to cry out.


    He felt that he was about to die, burning to death from the heat welling up in his body.


    ¡°Ge-general Guan¡­ General¡­ It¡¯s burning me up¡­¡± When Mr D once again was thrust right into his sensitive spot and ground there, Wu Xingzi could only plead as he cried. Thick white fluids spurted from his cock, andnded on his own belly, a few drops even reaching his face.


    Out of strength, hey feebly in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. His hand that was ying with his nipples was trembling so much that he could not grip anything with it, and sagged by his side. His hips twitched, his buttocks spasmed, tightening around Mr D so much that it could barely be moved. Guan Shanjin decided to leave that toy in him to let him clench around it himself, while his slender fingers moved to the front and started ying with the already softened pink cock.


    ¡°This little thing of yours is quite interesting.¡± He ced a gentle kiss on Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek. His kiss was soft like a lover¡¯s caress, while the actions of his hand made Adviser Wu whimper weakly.


    Adviser Wu seriously believed that this time, he was doomed, unable to escape. He opened his mouth, trying to make overtures to Guan Shanjin in his brief moments of lucidity, but Guan Shanjinpletely did not n on giving him a chance to even catch his breath. His fingers, warm yet torturous, seized his tender cock with much strength, pinching at his slit that had yet to recover from his recent orgasm. It was even more agonising than a few days ago when Guan Shanjin used his tongue to y with the slit. His hard fingernail pressed forcefully into the tender tip, and made Wu Xingzi yell, tremors in his voice. Guan Shanjin lifted Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin in constion, kissing him on the lips. ¡°Here, take a look at this.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were blurred with tears, almost unable to distinguish what was in front of him. Through hazy eyes, he managed to see that between Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers was a long, thin rod.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªWARNING STARTS HERE¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Blinking his eyes and looking at it again, he finally saw that it was a rod made of jade, about three to four inches long. One end of it was curved into a hook, and the rod was very thin, less than half an inch in diameter. The colour of the jade was the pale green colour of ake, simr to clear spring. When in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, it appeared so gorgeous that one¡¯s heart was chilled just by looking at it.


    Wu Xingzi had a feeling that he had seen such an object before in some erotic drawings, but by this point, he could no longer recall anything. Unconsciously, he hunched his shoulders, wanting to avoid it, but his waist was so tightly caught that marks were left on his skin.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s this for?¡± Guan Shanjin smiled.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± With a dry mouth, Wu Xingzi swallowed. He had yet to fall from the peak of pleasure, and he blinked pitifully as he shook his head.


    ¡°In a while, this will be inserted into your urethra.¡± Guan Shanjin tenderly caressed his hips and buttocks, dragging the jade rod along the tip of his cock that had turned red due to the pinching. ¡°Rx, I¡¯ve already applied some grease on it and will do it gently. Don¡¯t be scared, ok?¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded obediently.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin fondled Wu Xingzi¡¯s fatigued cock in satisfaction, his fingers pinching the tip and further exposing the slit, then slid that jade rod into the tiny hole.


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s body convulsed, only to be held more securely. The jade rod was cool and slippery to touch; although it did not look thick, his urethra was tight around it. The edge, that was on the end of the rod, scratched lightly past the tender insides, and the prickling sensation was like thousands of bugs nibbling at him.


    Wu Xingzi wailed out loud, his two legs kicking out a couple of times before being caught by Guan Shanjin. ¡°Don¡¯t move about like this, you don¡¯t want to start bleeding, do you?¡±


    Bleeding? Hearing that, Adviser Wu was nearly frightened to death. Even though it itched so much that he really wanted to scratch at it, he did not dare to make any sudden movements. Gritting his teeth, he muffled his moans and experienced the iparable tingling sensation of having the jade rod scraping lightly in his urethra.


    He could not describe how he felt. He could only feel that his body was about to melt, apletely different pleasure from having his cock sucked on or his body being entered. However, it really brought him to a high that nked his mind out.


    ¡°Ge-general Guan¡­ Ge-¡­¡±


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Guan Shanjin sucked on his earlobe.


    ¡°Hai, Haiwang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shuddered. He could feel that the jade rod had already reached a ce that caused his scalp to prickle, but Guan Shanjin did not stop, and nned to continue letting it go deeper.


    ¡°Stop¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s too much¡­¡± He reached out to push him away, but how could his strengthpare to Guan Shanjin? Instead, he identally bumped into the part of the jade rod that was protruding from his cock. Even the part that was buried within his cock jolted, and that bone-jarring tingle and pleasure,ced with a little pain, made Wu Xingzi crazed with cries.


    ¡°Hungry fellow.¡± Guan Shanjin chuckled. He tugged the jade rod out a little, then pushed it back inside. After repeating a few times, Wu Xingziy as though he was dead, tears and drool staining his face. His mouth was wide open, but unable to make a sound, and the muscles of his inner thighs twitched violently. Finally, he let out a loud cry as he broke down.


    ¡°No more¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± Guan Shanjin again pulled the jade rod out before inserting it back in, and this time, he pushed it in deeper than before, leaving only the curved part outside.


    The pink cock had been teased so much that it had now turned a deep dark red. Half-erected, it trembled.


    Wu Xingzi really did not know what he could do. He wanted toe, as well as to piss, yet he could do neither. His urges had all been firmly obstructed by that jade rod.


    Having both his holes teased and yed with thoroughly by Guan Shanjin, they were both swollen to the point where Wu Xingzi could not bear with it.


    He convulsed a few times, but Mr D and the jade rod had him trapped on the edge of orgasm, always just missing that one step to bliss. He could not touch himself anywhere, as one touch would cause him to spasm. Other than crying and pleading for the man behind him to show him mercy, there was really nothing he could do.


    Instead, Guan Shanjin only kissed his eyes and brows, consoling him superficially with some alluring and bewitching phrases, making Wu Xingzi even more agitated.


    ¡°Please¡­ Please let mee? Please?¡± A face full of tears, Wu Xingzi waspletely frightened of being trapped at this pleasure point. He could not stop begging, to the point where he was no longer conscious of what he was saying.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Guan Shanjin held Wu Xingzi¡¯s half hard cock, twisting the jade rod that was in it. He immediately heard a cry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Stop, don¡¯t¡­¡± The muscles of Wu Xingzi¡¯s inner thighs were contracting like mad. He reached out to push him away, but was once again blocked from doing so.


    ¡°Will you still run away again?¡± Guan Shanjin pulled half the rod out, listening to the sobs and wheezes next to his ear. The thin body in his arms jolted violently, and finally shrank, shivering in his embrace. He was satisfied with this reaction.


    He was used to being high and mighty, and he did not even care for that man sitting on the dragon throne. No one would dare to refrain from giving face to him, and yet the little adviser of this impoverished ce had the guts to actually do so, how would he be able to ept that? He should havee here even earlier, but Rancui had the nerve to arrange for people to obstruct his way. It resulted in him having to return to Bastion City to settle a problem with the southern barbarians, and hence he waste ining to Qingcheng County.


    On his journey, he had ridden four good horses to death. This debt, he would definitely settle it with Rancui, and the ultimate cause of this debt was this old fellow.


    ¡°No, no¡­ I won¡¯t run away again¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had no idea what Guan Shanjin was talking about. He shook his head, sniffling, and begged weakly, ¡°Can you please let mee? It hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°It only hurts?¡± Guan Shanjin naturally did not believe it. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body seemed to be born for such sex matters and would not suffer from any injury no matter how he yed with it. His recovery was also astounding, not to mention his cooperation towards any sex y.


    ¡°It itches¡­¡± Wu Xingzi wailed, being as honest as usual. ¡°Touch me, quick, touch me¡­ Please¡­¡±


    As expected, Wu Xingzi was craving for it.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled up coldly. He quickly removed the jade rod from his urethra. Then, gripping Mr D, he pumped it fully in and out of that twitching, loosened hole. Every thrust would brush against his sensitive spot within and press directly into his core, grinding against it. Guan Shanjin¡¯s other hand wickedly fondled Wu Xingzi¡¯s two tight balls, and in a few strokes, Wu Xingzi came, fluids dripping from both his cock and hole. His mouth opened wide, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, as saliva drooled from the corner of his mouth.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªWARNING ENDS HERE¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°You lewd darling, you can actually leak from your little mouth here.¡± Clicking his tongue in amazement, Guan Shanjin pulled Mr D out. However, he had not expected that due to his orgasm, the spasming hole would clench down on Mr D which was almost fully out, and suck it all the way back in. Mr D again brushed against the swollen sensitive spot, and the hole almost swallowed the whole thing in.


    This bit made Wu Xingzi scream in crisis, and he cked out.


    How slutty.


    Guan Shanjin had to use some force before he could retrieve Mr D out from Wu Xingzi¡¯s body, and he carelessly tossed it aside.


    Although Adviser Wu¡¯s looks were ordinary, the charming ability to lose himself in such passions could really tug at one¡¯s heartstrings.


    ¡°Mr Lu¡­¡± Despite there not being a single simrity between the two of them, Guan Shanjin could somehow still see the person he was thinking of from this face that was red from crying. ¡°Mr Lu¡­¡± Guan Shanjin hugged this person tightly, and lowering his head, heid a gentle kiss on those plump and soft lips. His tongue brushed past the neat rows of teeth, teasing that familiar, soft tongue, and he entwined himself with it as he sucked upon it.


    The slightly cautious kiss gradually turned passionate, and wet sucking sounds could be heard.


    ¡°Uh, oh¡­¡± Kissed to the point where he could barely breathe, Wu Xingzi regained his consciousness. Confused, he did not understand what had happened, only feeling a pain in his tongue, his breathing haphazard. An intoxicating sandalwood fragrance mingled with the scent of orange blossom, as well as a vague trace of blood filled his nose, all the way into his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Guan Shanjin reluctantly ended the kiss and pecked the tip of his nose with a slight smile.


    ¡°Huh? Uhh¡­ Mn¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s memories slowly settled. He remembered how he had fainted, and his body was still aching at the moment. It was really too embarrassing.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake.¡± Guan Shanjin carried Wu Xingzi up in his arms, giving a smile like spring. ¡°Now it¡¯s time for you to y with me.¡±


    Wu Xingzi put his arms around Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck to steady himself. His face reddened, but that did not affect any bashfulness, and he even asked ingratiatingly, ¡°Can we not use Mr D and that jade rod again?¡±


    Although he did get a lot of enjoyment from these toys, for now, his old body would not be able to withstand the torture from these two objects again.


    ncing at him, Guan Shanjin only smiled. Falling into bed together, he reached out and released the bed curtains.


    Not long after, coquettish whimpers and moans drifted from the bed, interspersed with the loud smacking sounds of fleshing together. Together with wet, squelching sounds, it was a beautiful night¡­


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    As the vice general of the South Garrison General, when Guan Shanjin wilfully dropped everything and ran off to Goose City to rob male civilians, Man Yue was extremely busy. He identally put on a few more kilos of weight and gained even more resemnce to a full moon1.


    A few days ago, the southern barbarians had created chaos at the borders, out of the blue. It just happened that he was unable to contend with them, and he had no choice but to hurriedly call the general back from miles away to settle this matter. When the general rushed back, Man Yue knew he was in trouble.


    Who was so unafraid of death, that they even dared to anger the South Garrison General?


    Man Yue could not deny his curiosity, especially after hearing from his associates that the general was the one who suffered a loss this time. He really admired this person that he had never met before! He had only seen Guan Shanjin, in his lifetime, causing others to suffer a loss, and there had never been anyone who could make him suffer a loss before.


    Of course, as Guan Shanjin¡¯s personal guards, the mouths of these men were sealed tightly, and Man Yue was unable to get anything more out from there. However, his heart itched to know and wanted to ask the general himself, after he had vented his anger on the southern barbarians and calmed down. It was only that, in the blink of an eye, the general had again left with his personal guards.


    Is he going to catch that person, or vent his anger? Or catch that person to vent his anger?


    Despite his curiosity, Man Yue had no choice but to bitterly clean up after the general. His desire to see exactly how impressive that male civilian was, grew day by day. After all, ever since Mr Lu appeared, Guan Shanjin had never been interested in anyone else.


    Over the past years, Guan Shanjin had yed with so many men who had a hint of Mr Lu¡¯s resemnce. After they became infatuated with him, he would heartlessly reject any rtionship between them, maintaining a revolving door where substitutes came and left. When Man Yue watched Guan Shanjin go through these men at will, leaving a trail of disaster behind him, he had tried many times to advise him as he no longer could bear to watch anymore.


    Still, Guan Shanjin did not take his words into consideration. Man Yue¡­ also could do nothing about it. How sharp that Chenyuan Sword was, Man Yue really did not want to test it with his own neck.


    This was the first time that there was someone who could make Guan Shanjin ignore Mr Lu, even if it was to settle the debts between them.


    For Man Yue, this matter seemed quite optimistic. It was for the best if this male civilian could gain aplete hold over Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart and make him stop grasping onto Mr Lu.


    ¡°Vice General Man.¡± A clear voice that could refresh a person¡¯s senses sounded. However, Man Yue was not one of those people whose senses could be refreshed so easily. He looked up from his paperwork and gave a good-natured smile to the person standing by the door.


    ¡°Master Hua, is there a reason you¡¯re looking for me?¡± Outside the room was a young man dressed in blue. He most likely had juste of age and looked very gentle and attractive. He stood tall and straight, his appearance excellent, with a schrly air to him. His smile was restrained but not distant, perfectly disying his beauty and loneliness.


    ¡°I heard that the general had returned from Goose City a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°He has went back to Goose City again.¡± Man Yueughed as he looked at him.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Master Hua bit his lip.


    ¡°Is there anything else, Master Hua?¡± Man Yue nced at the paperwork on his desk, hinting that he had no time to beat around the bush with him.


    Master Hua was an intelligent man, he naturally understood what Man Yue meant. He revealed a wry smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve disturbed Vice General Man. However¡­ Vice General Man also knows that I¡¯ve been apanying Mr Lu for so long, knowing that Mr Lu misses the general, I cannot help but look out for my master.¡±


    ¡°Mr Lu misses the general?¡± Man Yue had a surprised look on his face, and his reply seemed to be given carelessly. ¡°I had thought Mr Lu wasing along very nicely with the third miss from the Yue family. Didn¡¯t he just return from Fragrance City? So it turns out he still thinks about the general.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± A trace of embarrassment could be seen on Hua Shu¡¯s face, but he quickly recovered his calm and returned to that reserved and mild look of his. ¡°Mr Lu always feels differently towards the general.¡±


    ¡°This, I believe.¡± Man Yue nodded and asked with a grin, ¡°Master Hua, is there anything more you¡¯d like to discuss?¡± This was explicitly chasing him away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been rude. Vice General Man, please forgive me.¡± Master Hua cupped his hands, his brows slightly creased, and he hesitated for a moment before he left.


    When he confirmed that the person was far away, Man Yue sighed deeply.


    A female beauty was nothing, it was the male beauties that really made one tired!

 Chapter 16 - The General Wants to Stay

    <strong>Chapter 16 ¨C The General Wants to Stay</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited by: DancingdolphinsYo</i>


    Something major happened recently in Qingcheng County ¡ª Adviser Wu of the magistrate¡¯s office seemed to have found a life partner.


    ¡°Aiyah, there¡¯s something all of you don¡¯t know about. Don¡¯t look at Adviser Wu¡¯s honest face, his methods are out of the ordinary.¡± Due to having some free time, Auntie Li grabbed a chair and sat outside her door, chattering with her neighbours.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ah Niu¡¯s wife was still a girl aged fifteen or sixteen. As she helped her mother-inw strip the maize, she could not help but ask curiously.


    ¡°Hah! Although Adviser Wu is a friendly person, you should know what he¡¯s like!¡± Auntie Li clicked her tongue a couple of times, a look of scorn on her face.


    ¡°Adviser Wu is rather clean.¡± Ah Niu¡¯s wife was young and so after she said this, her thigh was pped by her mother-inw. ¡°Niang<sup>1</sup></a>¡­¡± Full of grievances, her tears nearly fell.


    ¡°Shh! What do you know? Looking like that, how can Adviser Wupare to anyone?¡± Her mother-inw shot her a warning look and turned to echo Auntie Li, ¡°Who knows how he managed to attract that god-like person? He must have used some shameful method.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯repletely right!¡± The few aunties all agreed with each other.


    With such support, Auntie Li became even more pleased. She raised her chin, ¡°The heavens really have eyes! A few days ago, my boy woke up early to go to the mountain and happened toe across Adviser Wu and that god-like man! Aiyah, it was so embarrassing! The god-like man had wanted to leave, but Adviser Wu stopped him and refused to let him go, kneeling and begging. The god-like man was too kind and had no other choice faced with his pleading, and so he stayed.¡±


    ¡°I really couldn¡¯t tell that Adviser Wu was actually this shameless!¡± Fang had a look of loathing on her face. ¡°To think that Adviser Wu is actually a schr. He didn¡¯t look for a woman and live his life properly, instead chasing after a man all day long. Could it be that he has been running to Goose City all this while to harass this god-like man?¡±


    ¡°Who says it isn¡¯t!¡± Ah Niu¡¯s mother was deep in thought. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Liu family just mention a few days ago about how Adviser Wu was obsessed with making friends through the pigeon express? Hah! How do you make friends without seeing the other person? No way! He must have done something shameless and so managed to cling onto the god-like man.¡±


    ¡°But Adviser Wu is such a nice person¡­¡± The little daughter-inw wanted to speak up for the adviser, only to get smacked again by her mother-inw. Being red at, she did not dare to speak again and lowered her head to do her work dejectedly.


    ¡°Auntie Li, what is the background of that god-like man? How was Adviser Wu able to kneel and beg to deceive him into staying?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Let me tell you, this god-like man is really extraordinary. Apparently he moved here from the capital and hasn¡¯t been in Goose City for too long. With a good family and a good career, he¡¯s young and promising! The Emperor treats this man like no other. When the god-like man was going to leave the capital, the Emperor even personally sent him off for ten miles!¡± Auntie Li was very detailed, as though she had witnessed it herself. That yearning and sighing on her face made the other women all sigh along with her.


    ¡°Too bad that this god-like person was somehow deceived by Adviser Wu. Such a noble stature, but he¡¯s living in that little house.¡± Auntie Fang sighed, an unconcealed jealousy in her eyes.


    ¡°Who knows? Adviser Wu is a schr, he must have drawn some charm of sorts to blind the god-like man. How evil!¡± Auntie Li¡¯s spection had roused everyone¡¯s agreement, and she was extremely smug.


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± A voice suddenly rang out, and next, a basket of kernels was flung towards them.


    Auntie Li shrieked, falling from her chair. Groaning on and on, she was unable to pick herself up.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Ah Niu¡¯s mother jumped a step away, snarling as she looked for the culprit.


    ¡°Who else but me!¡± Auntie Liu spat, rolling up her sleeves. She pushed away the few bystanders aggressively and rushed towards Auntie Li. Raising the broom in her hand, she started hitting her. ¡°You cheap gossip mongers, aren¡¯t you afraid that the King of Hades would yank your tongue out?!¡±


    ¡°Aiyah! Why did you start hitting people!¡± Auntie Fang too received a few swipes from the broom. She retreated in panic, but was pushed back to the center by the bystanders.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you all gossipy old women! All of you, you¡¯re always troubling Xingzi with this and that. Auntie Fang, didn¡¯t your family just look for Xingzi a few days ago to get him to write an indictment for you? Even an animal knows how to be grateful, all of you are worse than animals!¡± When Auntie Liu got angry, the broom in her hand swung and danced around, hitting Auntie Li and Auntie Fang till they cried and dodged.


    ¡°Why? Why? Wu Xingzi dares to do such things, yet he¡¯s afraid of us talking about it? With his looks, how would he be able to attract the god-like man? If not for using some demonic method, would he have been able to make him stay? Who doesn¡¯t know that Wu Xingzi is bad luck, that his parents were cursed to death by him!¡± Ah Niu¡¯s mother had been hiding a distance away, but her mouth was merciless. This time, Auntie Liu was extremely furious. She had watched Wu Xingzi grow up, and their families had stayed rather close to each other. Although she too liked to chatter about Wu Xingzi with the other women, she would never say anything that would harm Wu Xingzi. Such a good child, it was that god-like man who seemed to have bad intentions!


    In no time at all, the few aunties had all gathered up, one digging at the other¡¯s eyes while the other pulled at someone¡¯s hair. No one could stop them, until their husbands heard the news and came running over, pulling them apart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it now! If I hear another ungrateful bastard speaking bad about Xingzi, I¡¯ll beat that person each time I hear it!¡± Naturally, Auntie Liu was the final victor. She was barely wounded. Although her hair was messy, her face scratched a little, she was still a lot tidier looking than those women who had been smacked by her broom.


    ¡°As if we¡¯re even willing to talk about such ugly things!¡± Ah Niu¡¯s mother who was not beaten as badly could not swallow this down and turned to shout at her.


    ¡°What ugly things?¡± This voice made the crowd fall silent.


    ¡°Hmm? What happened? What ugly things? We¡¯re all neighbours, we should talk things out nicely.¡± The voice came from Wu Xingzi, who was dressed in a dark green robe. His forehead was covered with sweat, looking like he had run over. Still panting, he had a warm and friendly smile on his face, and the gossipy aunties all lowered their head, not daring to respond.


    Auntie Liu snorted with augh. ¡°Who¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t dare to admit what they¡¯ve done now? Maybe they¡¯ve also drawn some charm to deceive others, the effectiveness of this charm isn¡¯t very good!¡± This time, no one dared to retort.


    ¡°Charm?¡± Wu Xingzi was perplexed. ¡°Auntie Liu, you shouldn¡¯t believe in those travelling Taoist priests so easily. If you really have any trouble, I can help you.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Auntie Liu waved her hands, pushing those gossipy women to the back of her head. Warmly, she caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, ¡°I¡¯m very well, don¡¯t worry over nothing. There¡¯s nothing much going on here now, you should head back.¡±


    Nothing¡¯s going on??Wu Xingzi sneaked a nce at the mess on the ground, as well as at the untidy looking aunties. He seemed to even see Auntie Liu¡¯s basket that had been broken by a foot, lying on the ground pitifully.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask them.¡±


    ¡°Aunties, if you do have any trouble, please feel free toe to me.¡± Wu Xingzi spoke honestly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine.¡± The beaten-up aunties all replied with a dryugh. They had no choice but to swallow it down. How could they mention the things they had been saying in front of Wu Xingzi?


    ¡°Look! Some people are just too free. If they don¡¯t do some funny things, they would feel ufortable. You won¡¯t be able to help with this, who let them be so spiteful?¡± As one of the people of Qingcheng County who usually started a topic, when Auntie Liu started talking, her words tended to be more ruthless than a beating.


    Wu Xingzi could only smile in response. He was also not a fool and could vaguely make a guess about what might have happened, and so, he naturally did not probe further. Also, he was here because someone had went to the magistrate¡¯s office to call on them to settle this dispute, and so he should also close one eye.


    After expressing some sympathy, Auntie Liu then dragged Wu Xingzi away, as pleased as a peacock.


    When they arrived at her ce, Auntie Liu shoved a few steamed buns at him before letting him go.


    After walking only a short distance away from the Liu family¡¯s ce, a warm chest embraced him from behind. Wu Xingzi hurriedly came to a stop, the tips of his ears tinted red.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re here?¡± He secretly looked to the side. Under the gentle afternoon sun, Guan Shanjin looked as though he was covered with ayer of golden gauze. There was a glint of light in his half-lowered eyelids, scattering about with his breaths.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin curled his lips, hugging the person in his arms a little tighter.


    ¡°Look, Auntie Liu has given us some buns.¡± Wu Xingzi waved the cloth bag in his hand. He was clearly feeling a little constrained and uneasy, but did not try to struggle out of Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace.


    Ever since that day, Wu Xingzi had been assuming this attitude.


    Talking about that day, nearly one month had passed.


    That morning, Wu Xingzi had woken up in hunger due to the aroma of food. He groggily opened his eyes, his body and mind feelingzy. He was still drowsy, and if not for the fact that he was starving, he would be unwilling to even open his eyes.


    They had indulged too much the night before, and Wu Xingzi felt that his waist no longer seemed to belong to him. It was sore, painful and numb. He tried to get off the bed, but found himself unable to move. It scared him so much that he thought he was paralysed, and quickly pinched his thigh. Only until a bruise could be seen and when the pain nearly made him cry out loud, did he feel relieved.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± His door was pushed open. Guan Shanjin had very sharp hearing and he immediately knew when Wu Xingzi had woken up. He walked in with a bowl of porridge in his hands.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi stared foolishly at the beauty who had a bowl of porridge in his hand, and unconsciously rubbed at his eyes. ¡°You, you¡¯re still here?¡±


    This was the second time already, shouldn¡¯t Guan Shanjin leave after having done it?


    ¡°Why do you always ask that question?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows creased slightly, with a slightly resigned look on his face. ¡°You must be hungry,e up and have some porridge.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands, then tried his best to push himself up from the bed. However, his hand suddenly gave out, and he nearly rolled off. Guan Shanjin¡¯s reaction was very fast. In the blink of an eye, he was next to the bed and caught him in his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too impulsive.¡± The gentle and mild voice was right next to his ear. Feeling the familiar, warm breath, Wu Xingzi shuddered, his hips convulsed, and his entire body flushed red in an instant.


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± A bowl of porridge was tucked in his hands, and he was firmly supported between the mattress and the broad chest. Wu Xingzi did not know how he should react, and so, he just lowered his head and gulped the porridge down.


    That porridge was minced meat porridge. It tasted like rabbit that had been seasoned with ginger and garlic, leaving behind the rich and smooth vour, but without the gaminess of meat. The meat was minced very well, but not to the point where it was so fine that it could not be chewed upon. Together with the porridge that was cooked perfectly, every mouthful was delicious.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite had been whetted, and he finished one bowl after another. Only after four continuous bowls did he feel satisfied.


    ¡°You can clearly eat so well, but why can¡¯t you seem to put on any meat?¡± Watching him satisfy his hunger, Guan Shanjin could not help but exim. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body was extremely sensitive, and was one of the most enchanting ones that he had ever touched, but he was very very thin.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I was born like that¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was very dejected. Ever since he was a child, he could never put on weight. As a baby, his mother had fed him without a single sense of aplishment. He had clearly drank twice the amount of milkpared to an ordinary child, but his size had always been smaller than other babies.


    Even as an adult, although Wu Xingzi¡¯s meals were simple and in, the quantity was not small. He did increase in height, but he was as thin as a piece of paper. Compared to his life, it was hard to decide which one was worse off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to feed you more in the future.¡± Guan Shanjin shook his head, his voice proper. However, those passionate eyes of his had a little seductive charm to it, and Wu Xingzi nearly blurted out,?are you nning on feeding the mouth on top or the one below?


    Fortunately, he managed to hold himself back, if not he really would have to look for a ce to bury himself.


    Hmm? Hold on¡­?What did he just hear?


    ¡°G-general Guan¡­¡±


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Despite the door between them, Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was still crisp and clear.


    ¡°Hai, Hai, H-h-hai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi took a deep breath and tried to call out without any embarrassment, ¡°Haiwang.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ You said in the future¡­ What do you mean by that?¡± He half-reclined on the bed, cautiously trying his best to speak louder.?I definitely did hear wrongly, right? The general of Bastion City would definitely return to Bastion City in the future!


    However¡­ Since he still hasn¡¯t left, maybe¡­


    ¡°The meaning?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were very fast, and he was soon done with the dishes. Coming back, he stroked Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks with his hands that were still wet. ¡°Why? Are you worried that I¡¯ll stay here in the future, or worried that I¡¯m about to leave?¡±


    Uh¡­ Wu Xingzi chuckled wryly, not daring to respond.


    He still had to go to Goose City today to collect?The Pengornisseur! If Guan Shanjin remained, what to do about?The Pengornisseur? That was fifty coins! And a hundred pages of?pengornises!


    ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t want me to stay?¡± He naturally could see what he was thinking. Guan Shanjin¡¯s face sunk, and he pinched Wu Xingzi hard on the cheeks. ¡°Wanting to retreat after treating me like a whore?¡±


    Whore? T-t-this¡­?Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes rounded, and he could not help but dig at his ears. A beauty was truly a beauty, even the word ¡°whore¡± could sound so elegant from his mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not admitting to it?¡± Beauty Guan bared his teeth with a smile, and those white teeth caused a shiver down Adviser Wu¡¯s spine, making him feel breathless.


    ¡°I, I¡­ I didn¡¯t pay any money¡­¡± He also did not know why he was murmuring like this.


    Guan Shanjin huffed inughter. ¡°How much do you n on paying me?¡±


    This old fellow even dares to mention money? Together with his bucket stash, he probably has less than ten silver taels, and he even dares to think about using money to brush him off?


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± He could not say that it was for free, as that was illegal¡­


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to afford my fees.¡± Gnashing his teeth in anger, Guan Shanjin leant into his face and bit his cheek. Only after leaving a mark was his anger somewhat released. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be staying here until the debt is cleared.¡±


    What??Wu Xingzi was stunned. In a fluster, he waved both of his hands, ¡°Uh uh uh¡­ I¡¯m bent over with the General¡¯s undeserving generosity!¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just continue bending it. I know very well how flexible you are.¡±


    No! What does he want to bend? His waist?


    Last night¡¯s memories immediately shed across Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind. His face reddened, and he did not know how he should ce his limbs.


    Last night, he had been directly bent into half by Guan Shanjin and forced to lick at his own little?pengornis! His waist¡­ ¡°But, but¡­ I¡¯m not good at cooking. I¡¯m afraid that the general won¡¯t be used to it. It¡¯ll be too, too impolite¡­¡±


    No, no, Wu Xingzi was determined to reject this. He had originally only nned on having a casual fling with General Guan.


    Instead, Guan Shanjin avoided the topic. ¡°Was the porridge just now delicious?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­¡± Wu Xingzi licked his lips, wishing a little for more.


    ¡°I cooked that personally. With regards to food, I can take care of it.¡± Beauty Guan¡¯s eyes narrowed with a smile, and he bent over to lick his wet lips.


    Wu Xingzi could not be anymore astounded.


    General¡­ General¡­ With such aplishments on the battlefield, and such skills in the kitchen, is this reasonable?


    ¡°Then this is settled.¡± Guan Shanjin smacked the table and leant over to kiss Wu Xingzi.

 Chapter 17 - A Beauty’s Favour is the Hardest to Enjoy

    <strong>Chapter 17 ¨C A Beauty¡¯s Favour is the Hardest to Enjoy</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited by DancingdolphinsYo</i>


    Under the situation where Wu Xingzi did not have time to reject, nor was he able to reject, General Guan officially moved in, suffocating Adviser Wu.


    The books said: A beauty¡¯s favour was the hardest to enjoy.


    Wu Xingzi had many feelings about this, and his feelings felt as though they were pervading into his bones! There was no way he would be able to go to the?Peng?Society. Guan Shanjin was following him daily, they ate together, slept together, and even when he went to the magistrate¡¯s office, he was right there behind him. At first, the county magistrate had nned on chasing that extraneous person away, but who would have guessed that they would freeze upon seeing each other! Delighted, the magistrate quickly made his way towards them, bowing deeply at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Haiwang-xiong<sup>1</sup></a>!¡±


    ¡°Li Jian?¡±


    Guan Shanjin was first surprised, then he smiled. As an eyewitness, Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach was aching with curiosity. He had never asked the magistrate about his past with General Guan and only knew that even this safe space of the magistrate¡¯s office had fallen. This young and promising general was really making one unable to enjoy himself.


    Adviser Wu wearily made his way into his office. With a sigh, he fell into introspection. What did he do wrong?


    Those books had clearly always said that those people in high positions would only have casual affairs with themon folk. They might take pity on them, or even like them, but they would never be reluctant to part from them.


    He even finished reading the book that Manager Rancui had given to him, and thought that he really met a general who only wanted a casual affair. Who would have thought that once the affair was over, Guan Shanjin would still refuse to leave and insist on staying next to him? He would squeeze with him on that narrow bed, cook every day for him, and even apany him everywhere he went¡­ Thinking of Manager Rancui, he would think about?The Pengornisseur, and Adviser Wu¡¯s heart ached!


    What exactly was Guan Shanjin thinking? Wu Xingzi sank into contemtion. He definitely did not believe that Guan Shanjin liked him, he still had this little bit of self-awareness. He was old and not good looking, old-fashioned and timid. His lifestyle was boring, and he also ate a lot. If he was Guan Shanjin, he also would not like a person like Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± After reminiscing with the magistrate, Guan Shanjin entered the room to see Wu Xingzi in a daze, his eyes staring nkly at the files spread open upon his table.


    This foolish look naturally did not resemble Mr Lu at all. Guan Shanjin detested it, and so, he reached out to pinch Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Ow!¡± In pain, Wu Xingzi jerked up. He rubbed his cheeks, looking at the man, who was smirking at him, pitifully.


    Even though the smile was very wicked, it was still as beautiful as a painting, and Wu Xingzi was entranced by it.


    He had wanted to order this old fellow to never disy an expression like that, as the reason Guan Shanjin stayed here was for that little trace of Mr Lu in Wu Xingzi. Treating Wu Xingzi very well over the past few days was because when he smiled, his shyness was the most simr to Mr Lu, but this old fellow more often than not had that silly and foolish look on his face instead.


    Guan Shanjin was unhappy, but on an impulse, he instead scratched at Adviser Wu¡¯s fleshy nose with a finger, smiling, ¡°Why are you always in a daze?¡±


    A beauty¡¯s scolding was really like a poisoned wine!


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face reddened, immediately forgetting all about how Guan Shanjin had been obstructing his life. He joyfully observed the beauty and shyly thought that it was also a good thing that his?pengornis?and his little hole could interact at night!


    So, the two of them continued on like that for another month, each with their own thoughts. The rumours spread even more vividly and wildly within Qingcheng County, and erupted in today¡¯s showdown between Auntie Liu and the other aunties.


    Guan Shanjin knew about this rumour, but he was not bothered by it. After all, he was the god-like man admired by everyone, and towards the obscene words spoken by these vulgar vigers, he did not concern himself with them.


    As for Wu Xingzi, he had long allowed the vigers to go on with their rumours, and so, he naturally never paid attention to them. In the end, without him knowing, half of them had thought that he could draw charms and cast spells, resulting in him being able to capture a god-like man such as Guan Shanjin.


    Ansheng had wanted to remind him a few times, but for some reason in front of Guan Shanjin, Ansheng was like a quail with a noose around its neck. Pinned under those charming and alluring eyes, his voice stuck in his throat, and his heart jolted. For this, he was fairly angry with himself.


    However, seeing that Wu Xingzi was eating well and sleeping well, together with how he got along with Guan Shanjin, Ansheng felt that it was good that he did not say anything about it too. Why must he use those rumours and upset Wu Xingzi? At most he would observe the ongoings with Auntie Liu, and they would think of another way to correct the information.


    On the way home, Wu Xingzi asked the man who was hugging him, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you the entire day, is there something you¡¯re busy with?¡±


    ¡°Mn. I¡¯ve received some news from Bastion City, I¡¯ll need to deal with it.¡± Guan Shanjin did not hide it from him. He was a little gloomy, as the news was mainly rted to his military affairs, while there was nothing from Mr Lu. Instead, it was Man Yue who told him about Hua Shu.


    Guan Shanjin only had a vague recollection of who Hua Shu was. If not for the fact that he was someone next to Mr Lu, Guan Shanjin would not have even remembered his name.


    In Man Yue¡¯s letter, Hua Shu had been recently asking after him quite frequently. Apparently, Mr Lu had missed the general, and he was unwilling to see Mr Lu be mncholic, and so, he would like to invite the general to go visit Mr Lu.


    However, Man Yue also mentioned that Mr Lu had recently been quite intimate with the third miss of the Yue family. The two of them were constantly in contact with each other, and the Yue family seemed rather interested in bing Mr Lu¡¯s inws. Man Yue was afraid Mr Lu did not really miss the general that much. At least, he did not miss him as much as Hua Shu had said, and that was how Man Yue unceremoniously ended the letter.


    Guan Shanjin was vexed by looking at the letter. He knew that Mr Lu had always been dreaming of marrying and settling down. Mr Lu was already thirty-six this year, and was at the age where, despite being a man, people would discuss his age behind his back. The Yue family was a well-known one in Bastion City, and was always extremely deferential towards the troops based there. They had always presented themselves in a very humble position, and it was understandable why they would want to have a marriage alliance with Mr Lu.


    In this matter, each person had something they were looking for. The marriage was also something Guan Shanjin could not interfere with. He was unwilling to make Mr Lu angry with him and did not want to leave Mr Lu the impression that he was a person who would coerce others with his power. Already irritated, he still had to deal with some middling military affairs, and the entire day made Guan Shanjin furious. He sent a reply, demanding Man Yue to get Hua Shu reced. Mr Lu did not need such a scheming person next to him, and neither did he want this person to continue bothering Man Yue. After all, Man Yue had already sent a letter to him airing his grievances, and whether it was publicly or privately, he had to support Man Yue.


    However, after seeing Wu Xingzi, the gloominess in Guan Shanjin had lessened quite a bit.


    The current expression of this old fellow clearly did not even have a shadow of Mr Lu. He looked like a silly quail, so foolish that a person¡¯s heart would soften just by looking at him.


    ¡°Is your military rank very high?¡± This was the first time Wu Xingzi had asked about Guan Shanjin¡¯s personal matters.


    For some unknown reason, Guan Shanjin was delighted by his question, and so he hugged him even tighter before answering, ¡°It¡¯s not too low, there¡¯s no one who can do anything about me.¡±


    ¡°Even the great South Garrison General can¡¯t do anything about you?¡± Wu Xingzi was surprised. He held the South Garrison General in awe, as that general was truly renowned. He had heard that the battle, where the southern barbarians werepletely defeated, was a difficult one, the ground drowning in three feet of blood, and up till now, the blood could be seen on the earth.


    ¡°He can¡¯t.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled and kissed his face.


    Already used to such periodic kisses, Wu Xingzi even obligingly turned his head, allowing Guan Shanjin to reach his lips easily.


    The two of them went home like that, clinging onto each other. Guan Shanjin headed into the kitchen to prepare a few dishes to apany the buns, as well as to stew a pot of fish soup. The soup was a milky, creamy colour. Together with the spiciness from the ginger, it was extremely fresh and sweet.


    Wu Xingzi ate a lot, and the few buns were not enough for two people. After emptying the tes and finishing the soup, he kept feeling as though there was still space in his stomach for him to stuff a bit more within it.


    ¡°Do you want to go with me to Goose City?¡± Guan Shanjin reached out and rubbed at Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft belly, feeling that it was a little hollow.


    ¡°Goose City?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, tilting his head and considering it.


    Tomorrow was an official holiday. Normally he would take the opportunity and help Auntie Liu out at her farm, then tidy up his own vegetable plot in his backyard. However, it was now winter, and all the nts had long been harvested. Alone at home, he could happily read some books and admire some?pengornises, but to let Guan Shanjin stay at home with him, how could he do that?!


    Also, those?pengornis?drawings, no matter what, he could never let Guan Shanjin know about them.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to visit Manager Rancui.¡± He might even have the chance to ask him about?The Pengornisseur.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. On horseback we only need 3 hours to get there, and we can even get something to eat at Goose City.¡± Guan Shanjin was a man of action. He swiftly retrieved some furs from the wardrobe and covered Wu Xingzi in them, then dragged him out of the door.


    ¡°We¡¯re going right now?¡± rmed by this rash and hasty action, when Wu Xingzi finally managed to ask the question, he had already been lifted up into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, and they were flying through the trees.


    ¡°Of course, you haven¡¯t eaten enough, right?¡± Looking down, Guan Shanjin smiled at him. Thest rays of the sun were still visible, lighting that face of the unsurpassed beauty with a glow, and Guan Shanjin looked just like an immortal.


    Wu Xingzi was naturally entranced, and so, he forgot to continue probing. Anyway, he was not a person who really liked to get to the bottom of everything. Whatever Guan Shanjin felt like doing, he would usually oblige him.


    The horse was stabled on a hill a distance away, it was an area of fertile grasnd. However, it was not part of the territory of Qingcheng County. For some reason, Qingcheng County always managed to avoid such fertilend and was instead situated on a barrennd.


    Wu Xingzi of course did not know how to ride a horse. Guan Shanjin carefully sheltered him in his arms and made sure that he was wrapped up tightly in the furs. After checking that he would not suffer a chill from the wind, he then kicked his horse off.


    As a military man, Guan Shanjin¡¯s riding skills were impable. His horse was also one of the best ones to be found in Great Xia. With their speed, they reached Goose City in two hours, just before the city gates closed.


    ¡°Where do you want to bring me to eat?¡± Only at this point did Wu Xingzi have the guts to expose his face and ask. On the way here, the horse was running too fast. Even though he was wearing Guan Shanjin¡¯s furs, he could still vaguely feel the cold wind cutting through, and he did not know how the man behind him could maintain that warm body temperature.


    ¡°Have you eaten at House of?Taotie<sup>2</sup></a>An ancient Chinese mythological creature.?] before?¡± Galloping was forbidden in the city, so Guan Shanjin leisurely allowed the horse to make its way through the streets. Only asionally would he then tug on the reins to direct it.


    ¡°House of?Taotie?¡± Wu Xingzi gasped, his eyes about to fall out of his sockets.


    House of?Taotie?was the most famous and the most expensive restaurant in Goose City! Even amongst the top families in Goose City, not everyone had the chance to eat in House of?Taotie. It was not a matter of money, but it was the strange personality of the owner. If he did not like the customer, he would refuse them service and even get his staff to chase them out.


    As for how he decided if he liked them, the criteria was both difficult and easy. It was by their appearances.


    Wu Xingzi turned to look at Guan Shanjin. Due to their positions, he was only able to see skin that was as fair as jade, a well portioned and marvellous looking neck, a chin that looked perfect no matter how he looked at it, and a bit of the red lips that were like petals of a blossom.


    If Guan Shanjin decided to demolish House of?Taotie, it was highly likely that the owner would joyfully watch the beauty demolish the ce.


    However¡­ Wu Xingzi sighed, touching his own face.


    ¡°Why? Afraid that the owner of House of?Taotie?would chase you out of the doors?¡± Guan Shanjin saw through him immediately,ughing lowly and biting him on his ear lobe. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The owner of House of?Taotie?is my childhood buddy. With my protection, he wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you.¡± So they were childhood friends¡­ Wu Xingzi was not surprised hearing this. If it was a few months ago, he would definitely be shocked, but Guan Shanjin was born in a top aristocratic family, and so it was expected that he would know these wealthy and powerful businessmen.


    It took him no time to get used to it. It was remarkable how people could adapt!


    The horse proceeded and they soon arrived outside House of?Taotie. A staff was waiting by the door, and seeing Guan Shanjin in the distance, he quickly ran over, greeting warmly, ¡°This must be General Guan? The owner wees you in.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin was calm, and hugging Wu Xingzi, he leapt off the horse and handed the reins over to the staff as he instructed him, ¡°Zhu Xing has a fierce temper. There¡¯s no need to tie him up, he won¡¯t run away.¡±


    ¡°Your humble servant understands. General, please make your way inside.¡± The staff hurriedly gestured at someone inside. A middle-aged man looking like the manager walked out slowly, his appearance clean and fair. In between his brows, there was an awe-inspiring air, attracting everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°General Guan.¡± The manager cupped his hands towards Guan Shanjin. ¡°The owner has assigned this humble servant to wee the general.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡± ?Guan Shanjin nced at the manager, not paying much attention to him. Instead, he looked down and helped Wu Xingzi straighten hispels, drawing his finger across his nose. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯re in another world.¡±


    Of course he was! There was a beauty! Wu Xingzi looked at the manager, his face flushing slightly. Although he was honest, he did have an admiration for beauty. Why else would he always be gripped tightly by Guan Shanjin¡¯s appearance?


    Also, he always preferred the sort of gentle, mild men.


    The manager had also noticed his gaze and reservedly looked at him, frowning slightly. ¡°If I may ask the general, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu from Qingcheng County.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s answer was very casual. Pulling Wu Xingzi into his arms, he headed into the restaurant.


    ¡°May the general forgive us, however, House of?Taotie?has its house rules. Adviser Wu has an outstanding temperament, but¡­¡± The manager¡¯s eyes were cold, even a little disgusted, and he was unwilling to look directly at Wu Xingzi.


    Wu Xingzi had always been self-aware and did not feel insulted by the manager¡¯s attitude. He only had a look of ¡°told you so¡±, and shrugged at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°You were just salivating over him, and now that person is looking down on you. Don¡¯t you know how to get angry?¡± Guan Shanjin burst outughing at Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude. Bending down, he kissed his brow then turned towards the manager, speaking coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to ask anything about who I want to bring into House of?Taotie. Ask Su Yang toe and speak with me.¡±


    ¡°The owner is waiting inside for the general. General, please¡­¡± The manager was about to continue, only to hear a soft sound of metal sliding against metal, and a cold, sharp feeling on his neck. By the time he regained his wits, he realised that there was a gleaming dark sword pointing at his throat.


    ¡°Ask Su Yang to speak with me.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was soft, but pressed on like an evil spirit. The manager broke out in a cold sweat, almost unable to stand.


    ¡°I was wondering why you still hadn¡¯t gone in. You¡¯ve even unsheathed?Chenyuan?Sword?¡± Following that voice was a man who seemed to have juste of age recently. A person would not be able to help thinking ¡°On the street this man was like jade, and he had no equal¡± upon seeing him.


    Adviser Wu, who loved looking at beauties, naturally could not drag his eyes away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look. This person is the epitome of not all that glitters is gold. Your eyes will only hurt after looking at him.¡± Guan Shanjin shielded Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, his voice full of scorn.


    ¡°Hah, if we were topare who is worse than trash, when General Guan deres himself in the second ce, there would be no one in the world who would dare take the first ce.¡± Su Yang, the owner of House of?Taotie?spatughingly. However, when his eyes fell upon Wu Xingzi, he did not conceal the unhappiness in his eyes. ¡°This is?¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu from Qingcheng County.¡± Guan Shanjin introduced him again and cut Su Yang off. ¡°He¡¯s under me, you better think about it.¡± What he meant was,?you better think about whether your throat would be able to withstand?Chenyuan?Sword.


    Su Yang¡¯s brows creased. He reached out and touched his fair and wless neck, and could only give in. ¡°Come on in, the food¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

 Chapter 18 - City Folks are Really Different

    <strong>Chapter 18 ¡ª City Folks are Really Different</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited by DancingdolphinsYo</i>


    Returning?Chenyuan?Sword to its scabbard, Guan Shanjin wrapped an arm around Wu Xingzi, whose mind had drifted away, and set foot in the House of?Taotie.


    The interior was decorated tastefully, a few tables and chairs scattered across randomly. The beams had been specially adjusted to be higher, and the spaciousness of the room was especially pleasant.


    A few antiques, several pots of nts, the ce was not extravagantly ornamented. Looking at the room, it even looked a little simple, and only after careful observation would one then realise how exquisite everything was.


    As Guan Shanjin walked, he quietly introduced the history of some of the antiques to Wu Xingzi. His voice was gentle and pleasant sounding, his breath hot against his face, and right next to his sensitive ear. As a result, Wu Xingzi was unable to focus on what Guan Shanjin was saying.


    Su Yang led the way, asionally turning back and narrowing his eyes at them. He seemed to disapprove of how considerate Guan Shanjin was being to Wu Xingzi, and was obviously very impatient.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a waiting hall, do you n on walking through it for the rest of your life?¡± These words were clearly resenting Guan Shanjin, but Su Yang red at Wu Xingzi. It was evident who the words were actually directed to.


    ¡°Without anyone to appreciate them, these items are only junk.¡± Towards his childhood friend, Guan Shanjin naturally did not remain polite.


    His eyes almost rolling to the back of his head, Su Yang grumbled sulkily, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you be so considerate towards anyone normally. Even that whoever, you¡¯ve never been so caring towards him before.¡±


    This made Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows crease, and his demeanour cooled greatly. ¡°It¡¯s Mr Lu. He¡¯s my teacher, and it¡¯s different from Adviser Wu.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you bring Mr Lu here instead, at least he¡¯ll be more pleasant to the eyes.¡± Su Yang smiled wickedly at the foolish looking Wu Xingzi, hastening them. ¡°If you want to appreciate them, I¡¯ll get people to bring them all in to the room for you to appreciate all you like. If we still don¡¯t eat the food, it¡¯ll lose its vour.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, I only had a sudden impulse to do so. Adviser Wu doesn¡¯t like any extraneous distractions when he¡¯s eating, don¡¯te and create any trouble.¡± Guan Shanjin waved him off and finally was willing to follow Su Yang up the stairs.


    House of?Taotie?was not very big, it only had two storeys. It also had an extremely spacious courtyard in the back, but instead of building some pavilions, there was a huge pond. In it were lotus flowers, water caltrops, gorgon fruits and various other nts. Once it was summer, the staff would just harvest them and use them in the restaurant¡¯s dishes.


    Surrounding the pond was a dirt path, and no stone bs were installed.


    Squares of vegetable plots were on the left of the pond. The seasons did not disturb them, and there was a row of bamboo nts along the peripheral area, giving off a leisurely air of a southern farmstead.


    House of?Taotie?only had private rooms, there was not a shared dining hall. All of the six rooms had windows facing the courtyard. Looking out, it was like an elegant painting, the outline vividly sketched out.


    Entering the room, Su Yang pointed outside as he curled his lips. ¡°You guys came at the wrong time. It¡¯s both cold andte now, and the only barely presentable thing are the lights reflecting across the pond.¡±


    ¡°We only haven¡¯t seen each other in a short while, yet you¡¯ve learnt to be modest?¡± Guan Shanjin snorted, bringing Wu Xingzi to the windowside and pointing out the various highlights of the courtyard to him.


    Lamps would be lit around the pond at night. With lotus shapednterns floating across the water, the glowing lights evoked a certain feeling.


    Wu Xingzi looked at the view, but not only was he not amazed by it, he was even a little baffled.


    ¡°Why? You have some advice with regards to the courtyard that I¡¯ve decorated meticulously?¡± Su Yang¡¯s eyes were very sharp, and so of course, he noticed Wu Xingzi¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek, looking somewhat uneasy. He nced at Guan Shanjin for a rescue, but Beauty Guan only smiled brightly and did not even lift a finger.


    ¡°Just say it. There¡¯s this Guan fellow as your backer now, so I won¡¯t be able to do anything to you.¡± His tone sour, Su Yang was unable to ept that such an ordinary, ugly old man had actually appeared in House of?Taotie. Now, he was just waiting to hear Wu Xingzi say something wrong, so that he would be able to vent his anger.


    ¡°Umm¡­.¡± With his plea for help getting ignored, Wu Xingzi bowed his head, taking in a deep breath. ¡°I was only curious about why people in the city would like this sort of scenery.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? This is the vour of the countryside! The view of an idyllic and peaceful scenery, apanied by the scent of fresh air and earth, one would leisurely enjoy their food and drinks. This sort of rxed, carefree feeling, I¡¯m afraid, Adviser Wu wouldn¡¯t understand a bit of it!¡± Su Yangughed mockingly. How did Guan Shanjin be attracted to this sort of philistine?


    Wu Xingzi truly did not understand.


    Ponds and farm plots like these could be found all over Qingcheng County. As long as a household had an empty plot, they would usually clear it out to nt vegetables. They had no other choice; because if they did not use thend wisely, it was very easy to starve to death in winter or a drought.


    Although Goose City recently had be prosperous, together with the calm in South Xinjiang, the well maintained water embankments, as well as not having a drought in the past ten years, everyone had suffered through hardships before and no one dared to rest easy.


    Wu Xingzi really could notprehend what Su Yang called the vour of the countryside, as in his eyes, these were all only ways to survive.


    City folks were truly different. Adviser Wu eximed silently and did not say anything, cupping his hands at Su Yang and smiling warmly.


    Su Yang¡¯s words seemed to have missed its mark. He had ced quite a punch behind it, but the other person did not take it to heart. He was choking on this vexation, and his chest started hurting.


    Huffily, he sat by the table and asked the server to bring the food up.


    ¡°Turns out even Su Yang can only swallow his grievances in silence when in front of you.¡± Guan Shanjinughed lowly as he stroked Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose. However, his amusement did not reach his eyes and a coldness could vaguely be seen in them.


    If Su Yang had not been rubbing his chest in irritation, he would not have missed this. How unfortunate.


    ¡°How did I let Master Su swallow his grievances?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, his face nk. He had never liked arguing with others, also, Goose City was different from Qingcheng County, it was not his ce to interfere in other people¡¯s preferences.


    Guan Shanjin smiled as he shook his head. Bringing him to a seat, he poured tea for both of them.


    The refined scent of tea wafted over, refreshing their hearts and souls. Guan Shanjin sipped at it and praised, ¡°It¡¯s actually Monkey Picked tea.¡±


    ¡°How is it? I¡¯ve spent a lot of effort trying to get this. Other than the 1.5kg that I¡¯ve kept, I¡¯ve offered all the rest of it to the emperor.¡± Su Yang looked proud, and he too sipped at the tea.


    Yes, it definitely was a good tea. A little bitter when it was first tasted, then the sweetness came in at the back of the throat. A mouthful of the aromatic tea, the bnce was perfect. If the temperature of the water had not been maintained perfectly, the tea would have turned a little more bitter. Its colour was a jade green, extremely clear, reminiscent of Khotan jade.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Guan Shanjin asked Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Mn¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded awkwardly, sipping a couple of times at his cup. It was very delicious, even more vourful than the one he had at the?Peng?Society. However, he felt it was a little difficult to drink. ¡°How much is this tea?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about money, it¡¯s vulgar,¡± Su Yang sneered. Having been born with a silver spoon, he had never met a guest who would ask about the price when he was the one entertaining them! How rude!


    Wu Xingzi bit his lip, lowering his blushing face. He had really been somewhat too direct and impolite. Having interacted with Guan Shanjin for so long, he no longer experienced that initial shyness with him. This sort of awkwardness and embarrassment was something he had not felt in a while, and he did not know where to ce his hands and feet.


    How could he forget that Guan Shanjin too was a high official¡¯s son, as well as a Bastion City general that no one could control¡­


    Despite the fact that when they were in Qingcheng County, Guan Shanjin was so amiable and approachable, even cooking for him everyday, their lives were, after all, two separate entities, as different as they could be.


    How did he¡­ identally forget about it?


    Looking at Wu Xingzi¡¯s reddened face and uneasiness, Su Yang¡¯s anger finally was relieved. After that, when the food came, he continued excluding Wu Xingzi, making him feel ufortable eating. Taking only a few bites, Wu Xingzi then said that he was full and quietly sat on his seat falling into a daze.


    From start till end, Guan Shanjin had not said a word for him. It was as though that person who had pulled out the?Chenyuan?Sword before entering House of?Taotie?for Wu Xingzi was not him.


    The meal took quite some time. Guan Shanjin and Su Yang rarely met, and had many things to talk about. Although Su Yang was usually the one speaking, Guan Shanjin seemed happy to listen to him. Such intimacy made Wu Xingzi feel even smaller, and that he should not have appeared in a ce like this.


    Only until it was 9pm did Guan Shanjin bade farewell.


    ¡°Bring Mr Lu here next time.¡± Walking them to the door, Su Yang added his final words.


    He had already guessed that Wu Xingzi was only a substitute for Mr Lu, and so, he was unwilling to let him rest easy.


    ¡°Definitely.¡± Guan Shanjin cupped his hands at him.


    Wu Xingzi still did not speak, obediently cupping his hands like Guan Shanjin, and silently followed the man half a footstep behind.


    Su Yang looked at them again, then turned and headed back into House of?Taotie.


    With one hand leading the horse, Guan Shanjin held Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand with his other one. The two of them walked along the quiet street. The Great Xia Dynasty did not have a curfew, but after 9pm, they would be hauled to the magistrate¡¯s office for a night if they disturbed anyone.


    ¡°Su Yang¡¯s words have always been harsh, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Guan Shanjin shifted his hand, wrapping his arm around Wu Xingzi. It seemed as though he had just thought aboutforting him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take it to heart¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed lightly, rubbing his belly. ¡°I just didn¡¯t eat enough. The food in House of?Taotie?is exquisite and delicious, but I couldn¡¯t tell what ingredients they were made of, and I didn¡¯t really dare to eat much.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t me me for only reminiscing with Su Yang, and neglecting you?¡± This question sounded tender, but Wu Xingzi did not see the chill in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes.


    Instinctively, he shook his head. ¡°What me is there? He¡¯s your friend, not mine, naturally there¡¯s nothing we can talk about.¡± When they had gone to Ansheng¡¯s stall to have beancurd, Guan Shanjin too had not spoken.


    ¡°You¡¯re truly broad-minded.¡± Guan Shanjin could not exin, but he was gloomy. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have insisted on bringing you to House of?Taotie?for a meal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Wu Xingzi gazed at him. ¡°You¡¯re after all a general, and even know our county magistrate. It¡¯s expected that you¡¯lle to ces like this. Next time, it¡¯s better that you bring Mr Lu here.¡±


    Guan Shanjin stopped abruptly and he looked at Wu Xingzi, his eyes sombre. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, Mr Lu is my teacher.¡±


    Huh??Wu Xingzi blinked, a nk look on his face. ¡°I know that Mr Lu is your teacher, I didn¡¯t think too much.¡±?Didn¡¯t Su Yang, Master Su, also just specially invite Mr Lu there?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think too much?¡± He knew that Wu Xingzi was not a deceitful person. Since he said that he did not think too much, then he definitely did not think about it at all. Guan Shanjin suppressed the annoyance within him, and did not understand why exactly he was so annoyed.


    ¡°Yes, since Mr Lu is your teacher, he would definitely like House of?Taotie. As for me, it¡¯s not suitable. I prefer food that is filling, like porridge, noodles, mantous. I¡¯m not used to food that¡¯s too exquisite.¡± The more he spoke, the hungrier he got. His dinner was early and he only had a small portion. The servings of the food in House of?Taotiewere all small, there was no staple that could satiate his hunger, and Wu Xingzi was now hungry beyond belief.


    ¡°Then you didn¡¯t eat some more in House of?Taotie?¡±


    ¡°I saw that the dishes were only enough for Master Su and you to have them with wine. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t eat, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Wu Xingzi smiled catingly, rubbing his stomach. ¡°Why don¡¯t we look for a noodles or a porridge stall, and let me fill my stomach?¡±


    ¡°Are there any food stalls still open at this timing?¡± There was barely anyone on the streets. Guan Shanjin was unfamiliar with Goose City and found it troublesome.


    ¡°There are. There¡¯s no curfew, so some food stalls will remain open at night over at the square.¡± Wu Xingzi perked up eagerly. This was something he had heard Ansheng mentioned to Constable Zhang. He did not know if those stalls were delicious, but it would not stop him from tasting them.


    ¡°Alright, no harm apanying you.¡± Guan Shanjin walked towards the square leading the horse, with an arm around Wu Xingzi.

 Chapter 19 - It Always Backfires When The General Tries to Fuck A Certain Someone Over

    <strong>Chapter 19 ¡ª It Always Backfires When The General Tries to Fuck A Certain Someone Over</strong>


    <hr>


    <i>Edited by: DancingDolphinsYo</i>


    The south of the city was split into two areas. The upper area was where the whorehouses congregated, and the lower area was for ces of entertainment, with abundant teahouses and restaurants.


    At this timing, all the shops in the lower area had closed. The streets were cold and quiet all around, but this was the time when the upper area was bustling.


    As there were many people gathered around the area, hawkers were plenty. Stores selling noodles and porridge were all open for customers. Across the street, there were fragrant whorehouses with pleasant music drifting from them. Handsome pages and prettydies were all smiling andughing gaily at the doors weing customers in. It felt as though even the night breeze was filled with the scent of cosmetics, as well as theughter and cheers of thedies.


    With an arm around Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, Guan Shanjin strolled about casually. Even though he was only wearing a simple ck robe, the quality and price of the flowing material used was evident to everyone.


    Despite looking so, none of the pages nor thedies dared to call out to him, and all obediently avoided him.


    Wu Xingzi however did not notice such small matters. All he could see were the rows of stores selling noodles, porridge and snacks. Wriggling his nose slightly, he sniffed at the aroma of the food in the air.


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Guan Shanjin brought Wu Xingzi to take a look at every stall, hisck of interest could vaguely be felt.


    He had already eaten at House of?Taotie. Although the food was light tasting, every dish was exquisite. The skills used in preparing the food was wless and it was perfect.


    The vours naturally were iparable, it definitely lived up to Su Yang¡¯s reputation for indulging in creatureforts.


    Needless to say, the sort of crude food he was looking at now could not rouse his interest. However, looking at how Wu Xingzi was so happy, the slight unhappiness he felt originally faded away without a reason.


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Wu Xingzi had looked at every stall. Every single one of them had something to attract him. After all, these were stalls that were open across whorehouses, the food they sold were finer and more delicious than other stalls. Especially that stall selling dumplings, every shrimp dumpling looked fat and scrumptious, almost the size of a baby¡¯s fist. The skin was almost half-translucent, and the fresh, juicy shrimp together with the chopped cabbage and some chives looked bright and lovely. Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was about to overflow with drool.


    ¡°What about dumplings?¡± Guan Shanjin naturally paid attention to Wu Xingzi¡¯s every move. He noticed that he had taken a couple more nces at the dumpling stall, and it was clear what upied his mind.


    Feeling happy, Wu Xingzi nodded his head continuously. He took the lead and tugged Guan Shanjin to the dumpling stall.


    ¡°Boss, a bowl of dumpling noodles. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still full, just order for yourself.¡± Guan Shanjin patted the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, then found a table and pulled him there.


    The boss selling the dumplings was a sturdy man of about age fifty. He acknowledged his order loudly, then deftly started preparing the noodles. Quickly, a steaming bowl of dumpling noodles was ready, and in it were about seven or eight big dumplings, floating about in the soup made from seafood stock.


    This bowl of noodles made Wu Xingzi¡¯s face bright with happiness. The way he looked when he was enjoying the food made Guan Shanjin feel hungry out of nowhere, and he too, ordered a bowl of dumpling soup for himself.


    With six or seven big dumplings in the bowl, Guan Shanjin of course could not finish it. He transferred three of them into Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl and the eyes of this old fellow shone immediately. A face full of gratitude, he thanked him profusely, as though what he gave him were not three dumplings but three gold ingots.


    It had to be said that this dumpling was really delicious. The skin was thin and the filling was plenty, with top quality ingredients and skillfully made. Every bite burst with vour.


    The soup made of seafood stock was mouthwatering as well, tasting even better than the mushroom stewed chicken from House of?Taotie.


    They enjoyed themselves greatly with this supper. Rubbing his bulging stomach, Wu Xingzi looked satisfied, his cheeks dyed a pleasant red.


    To digest their food, the two people strolled about in each other¡¯s arms, exploring the nightlife of Goose City. Although Wu Xingzi did not know where Guan Shanjin was bringing him to, throughout this month, he was used to being taken care of by him and so let him lead the way.


    This way turned out to be pretty long. They walked from the south of the city to the north.


    The north of the city was mostly residential areas, divided into eight squares. Qingyang Square was where the rich people of Goose City lived, and every mansion took up arge plot ofnd. The long wall fences felt as though they would never end.


    This was the first time Wu Xingzi hade here.


    Unlike other squares, the doors to Qingyang Square would close after 11pm and only open at 5am. To enter or exit the square between these timings, a waist tag issued by the magistrate¡¯s office was required. Other that owners of mansions in Qingyang Square, no one else would be able to get these tags.


    When they reached Qingyang Square, it was already past 11pm. A little tired, Wu Xingzi was yawning. Not noticing anything strange as he watched Guan Shanjin retrieve a waist tag and showing it to the guards, he wondered,?how luxurious are the inns in Qingyang Square?


    Only until they walked to the door of a mansion did Wu Xingzi realise the truth. Astonished, he asked, ¡°You have a property in Goose City?¡±


    Guan Shanjin smiled and did not reply. He had just bought this mansion a couple of months ago, and he had left it for his four guards to manage. Till then, he had barely stayed in it.


    Thinking about it, it was not surprising. Previously he was with the ountant in Sushui Vige, and so naturally stayed in Sushui Vige. As for this month, he was with Wu Xingzi, and so naturally stayed in the little wooden house of Adviser Wu.


    Without having to knock, the side door opened, revealing a deathly solemn face. Wu Xingzi hunched into himself and shivered, hiding behind Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°General.¡± The man greeted him respectfully.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin waved him off indifferently. Catching hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, he walked through the side door.


    The mansion was not considered very big, but it gave off an overall spacious feeling. The furnishings were simple, and there was not any overlyvish decorations. Wu Xingzi soon calmed down and secretly observed this big mansion.


    Guan Shanjin allowed him to look around, following behind him as he spoke quietly with the guard. After a short exchange, his brows knitted, his attitude turning cold and stern. Unhappily, he murmured, ¡°You say that Mr Lu has already decided on the day of betrothal gifts with the head of the Yue family?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­. General, shouldn¡¯t it be time for us to return to Bastion City?¡± The guard was only asking casually. He shared the same opinion as Vice General Man, feeling that it was rare to see the general showering someone other than Mr Lu with his attentions. Whether it was sincere or just a sham, the more time they spent together, the more difficult it would be to predict what would happen in the future. It would be best if they could take this opportunity to rify the General¡¯s rtionship with Mr Lu.


    This question was rather loud and the adviser heard it too. His steps faltered, blinking at the unhappy looking Guan Shanjin, as well as the guard whose head was lowered and expression was unclear.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ returning to Bastion City?¡± Wu Xingzi had asked this question without thinking and could not control the quirking up of his mouth.


    He could go and collect?The Pengornisseur? That was great news!


    ¡°You¡¯re so happy about me leaving?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled coldly.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± It had to be said that he was, of course, happy. He had gotten used to living with Guan Shanjin, that he could see a beauty everyday, eat the food the beauty cooked, and y with the beauty¡¯s?pengornis, but¡­


    ¡°Hmm?¡± This questioning sound was very affectionate, but it caused shivers to go down his spine and his hair stood on end.


    Having somewhat of a grasp on Guan Shanjin¡¯s temper, Wu Xingzi shook his head forcefully and catingly spoke, ¡°How could I be happy? Once you leave, I won¡¯t have any more?pengornis?to y with.¡±?Oh no, I¡¯m dead.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s expression could not be described in a few words.


    His brows creased tightly, and his mouth looked stiff. The cold look in his eyes was like a blizzard in winter, and it seemed as though he wanted to say something, only to have nothing to say in the end.


    Wu Xingzi knew that he had said the wrong thing. He obediently lowered his head, not even daring to exhale loudly.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Guan Shanjin finally opened his mouth. ¡°After living together for a month, in your eyes, my?pengornis?is the only thing you¡¯ll miss?¡±


    These words were too acerbic, but in the ears of others, they were hrious. At least, the guard next to them could not help but burst outughing.


    ¡°General, I was wrong. I¡¯ll go and punish myself.¡± Self-aware, the guard bowed his head and admitted his wrong, but the amusement in his tone could not be concealed.


    ¡°Go.¡± What else could he say? If this had happened to someone else, Guan Shanjin was afraid he would¡¯ve beenughing even harder.


    He had stayed with Wu Xingzi for a month and showered him with all his care, even his own parents had never enjoyed such meticulous and considerate treatment from him. However, this old thing usually looked so foolish and pure, yet he was actually someone so hard-hearted.


    If Wu Xingzi could hear his internal monologue, he would¡¯ve definitely cry out in grievance for himself ¡ª only if he had the courage to do so.


    Wu Xingzi was deeply moved by Guan Shanjin¡¯s care for him. Having lived all these years, no one else had treated him like this before.


    Even when his parents were around, they had not been as meticulous as Guan Shanjin.


    Still, Wu Xingzi was very clear that Guan Shanjin and him could not be together forever. Ignoring their age difference, the difference in their family backgrounds was enough to be a statement. In the Great Xia dynasty, no families whose members had official appointments, no matter how small, would ept a male as a wife. Furthermore, with Guan Shanjin¡¯s strong family background, his wife definitely had to be someone who brought benefits to his family.


    What did Wu Xingzi have? Two months ago, he still had a bucket stash worth ten silver ingots. Now, there were only nine and some additional coins.


    No matter how frank and straightforward Wu Xingzi was, he understood that he could never mention any of this to Guan Shanjin. It was fine if Guan Shanjin did not care. However if General Guan cared even a little, he was afraid that to vindicate himself, he might do anything, and this would create a hugemotion.


    When the guard walked away, Guan Shanjin gently asked again, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you replying? Did the cat get your tongue?¡± He was clearly a general and a northerner as well. Why was his voice always so soft, gentle and intoxicating?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears flushed red and he stammered, ¡°I, umm¡­ There¡¯s no other meaning, I just, just¡­ don¡¯t want to be a burden to your work¡­¡±


    ¡°A burden?¡± Guan Shanjin drawled out, repeating his words. Wu Xingzi¡¯s limbs weakened and his face was deeply flushed.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Returning to Bastion City, you definitely must have something urgent to handle. I understand. Don¡¯t worry, you can go back without any worries, there¡¯s nothing to miss.¡± The first half of the sentence was just titudes and only the second half was what he actually meant, could Guan Shanjin not have realised it? His breath was stuck in his chest and he was almost unable to take a breath. A pair of beautiful, charming eyes red harshly at Wu Xingzi, causing him to look down, averting his gaze. Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was nk and full of innocence.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to stay?¡± Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth. He had always been the one neatly abandoning others, and this was the first time someone was eagerly chasing him away.


    Thinking about their one month of interaction, Guan Shanjin was vexed to the point where his chest hurt. He even felt an indescribable intense unwillingness, as though ants were gnawing on his heart. How he wished he could swing his sword around and dispel his unhappiness!


    ¡°You can¡¯t be staying in Qingcheng County forever, right?¡± Wu Xingzi was startled. Unless there was a change in the garrison, the soldiers could not leave their stations whenever they wanted to, could they?


    Naturally, as the Great South Garrison General, Guan Shanjin had been away long enough. It was truly time for him to return.


    However¡­ ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought of going to Bastion City with me?¡±


    ¡°Why would I follow you to Bastion City?¡± Wu Xingzi was really astounded. He had long nned on living his entire life in Qingcheng County and Guan Shanjin had already knew about this!


    ¡°Having lived together this month, won¡¯t you even miss me a little?¡± Although he had asked this question, Guan Shanjin had already known the answer. Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude had always been like this. He never begged nor wanted him to stay, and what he was infatuated with seemed to only be the physical interaction between the two of them. There absolutely was nothing else to be reluctant about.


    Faced with this question, Wu Xingzi had a rare moment of hesitation.


    It could not be said that he would not miss him at all. At least, towards Guan Shanjin¡¯s?pengornis?he definitely would never forget it. As for Guan Shanjin¡¯s care over the month, how could he be indifferent towards it? It was just¡­ They all said that love was painful. He had not even started thinking about love, but his head really ached.


    ¡°But you will still have to return to Bastion City.¡± In the end, Wu Xingzi sighed and replied lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s part amicably, shall we?¡±


    Guan Shanjin could not help but press his hand against his chest. His heart was pounding, knocking against his rib cage, almost causing him to vomit blood.


    What the fuck!! This had always been what he said to those shadows of Mr Lu, how could this old fellow say these words to him?!


    ¡°Your, yourplexion doesn¡¯t look very good. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Finally noticing that Guan Shanjin did not look good, Wu Xingzi was anxious. Leaning over, he patted him on his chest,forting him, ¡°Did you eat too much just now? You shouldn¡¯t have had that bowl of dumpling soup, are you getting heartburn? Do you need a heart-cleansing pill?¡±


    He might as well offer me a heart-relieving pill!


    Guan Shanjin was vexed to the point where he could no longer hide it. Swatting Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand away, he hoarsely said, ¡°I¡¯m getting heartburn, not because of that bowl of dumpling soup, but because of you, you foolish quail! You really want to get rid of me this much?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Wu Xingzi guilelessly waved his hands. ¡°But you do have to return to Bastion City, right? We can still keep in contact through the pigeon express. Later, when we go back, I¡¯ll give you a mail pigeon for the magistrate¡¯s office? Like this, we can even save money! Through the?Peng?Society, a letter would cost a coin and I even have toe to Goose City to collect the letter. What do you think about sending the letter straight to the magistrate¡¯s office?¡±


    ¡°Up to you¡­¡± Other than this, Guan Shanjin really did not know what other response he could give. In his life, he had considered everything below his notice and had been puffed up with his own pride. Not to mention his parents, even the one on the dragon throne did not dare restrain him. This was the first time he had tripped himself up so badly and was helpless to do anything about it.


    Of course, Wu Xingzi was only a physically weak old quail. Guan Shanjin only needed the strength of his two fingers and he could have pinched him to death. However, he was really too simr to Mr Lu, and no matter how frustrated Guan Shanjin got, he did not dare to do anything that would cause him harm.


    He really was choking on his frustrations and waspletely annoyed!


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ still not happy?¡± Wu Xingzi was not blind. Guan Shanjin¡¯s alluring eyes were bright, his face red, and the way he was gasping for air, he was definitely feeling differently from what he had just said.


    He quietly leaned closer, tugging at Guan Shanjin¡¯s sleeves. ¡°If¡­ if not¡­ you can do whatever you want to me tonight?¡±


    Guan Shanjin wanted to reject him instantly, but seeing how Wu Xingzi looked shy yet obliging, the mes of fury in him immediately turned into a desirous fire, lighting him up from within.


    ¡°You lewd darling¡­¡± Scolding him harshly, Guan Shanjin pulled him into his arms andy a deep kiss onto him.

 Chapter 20 - The Lewd Darling and The Big Pengornis

    <strong>Chapter 20 ¡ª The Lewd Darling and The Big?Pengornis?(NSFW)</strong>


    The soft and deft tongue swept around Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. After teasing at some of his sensitive spots, it twined with his tongue and sucked upon it. Only when Wu Xingzi was breathless did Guan Shanjin retreat.


    Late at night, the silver moon hid behind the clouds. There was only a vague, indistinct light shining upon them. Thenterns in the courtyard were also dim and they swayed gently in the air.


    Inparison, Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes were brilliant. Light shone brightly in the depths of those misted eyes as he stared into Wu Xingzi¡¯s reddened ones. Other than their panting breaths, neither of them spoke.


    Wu Xingzi did not dare to ask Guan Shanjin what he was looking at. He obediently and quietly remained in his embrace, reliving the kiss.


    The tip of his tongue was all tender and tingly from the kiss; it was as though it had been almost swallowed away by Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°What should I do about you?¡± A momentter, Guan Shanjin sighed lowly. His tone was full of gentle affection, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears burned red.


    However, it was clear that Guan Shanjin did not need a reply from him. He lifted him up and headed towards his room.


    The courtyard did not look big, but walking from the entrance to Guan Shanjin¡¯s room took quite some time.


    Kicking the door open, it was found that the brazier within had already been lit. The air was warm and toasty and brought along with it the white sandalwood scent of Guan Shanjin. The room must have been deliberately scented.


    cing Wu Xingzi on the bed, this time, Guan Shanjin did not spend too much time teasing him. He swiftly stripped them of their clothes. From the cab next to the bed, he retrieved a box of grease that had yet to be opened, his lips curving up slightly.


    ¡°You said that you¡¯ll let me do whatever I want to you tonight?¡± That grease was stored in a small, thin, shiny ck round box. On the lid was a gold drawing of two dragons chasing a pearl, extremely luxurious looking. Wu Xingzi nced at it and dared not look at it anymore.


    He was afraid that he would start calcting the cost and spoil the mood.


    ¡°Mn. Everything is up to you.¡± He submissively lowered his head. Although he was so embarrassed that his entire face was flushed, he did not try to conceal any part of hispletely bare body.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Leaning forward to kiss him, Guan Shanjin twisted the box open. A sweet, cloying scent filled the air, permeating the entire room.


    The grease was red and slippery looking. Guan Shanjin¡¯s fair, slender fingers scooped some up. The red colour reflected upon his fair skin, the position of his fingers looking like a buddha in meditation, while he himself looked like a devil luring his soul away. Wu Xingzi was unable to calm down, his breathing bing heavier. Guan Shanjin flipped Wu Xingzi over on the bed with just one hand, somehow managing to ce him in a position where the top half of his body was lying on the bed, as his hips curved up beautifully, his buttocks raised lewdly up in the air. His fingers that were thered with grease smeared directly on that brilliant, red hole.


    This shy little hole, after a month of grooming, had turned an alluring colour from its original pink and fair look, the tight creases swelling up slightly. With very light pressure, the finger was swallowed immediately, and the hole mouthed at it hungrily.


    Guan Shanjin was very patient, slowly applying the grease within the hole. Not only did he pay attention to the creases on the outside, he paid special care inside as well, covering every inch with ayer of grease. As Wu Xingzi¡¯s body warmed the grease up, softening it, a squelching wet sound could be heard. Wu Xingzi could not help covering his ears.


    After the grease softened, it became even more slippery. Wu Xingzi¡¯s buttocks too turned shiny and oily, and when touching it, it could not be decided which was smoother to touch.


    In a moment, the hole gaped open slightly, a perfect finger¡¯s width. Shiny grease dripped slowly from it, with the possibility of some lewd juices mixed into it as well. The hole winked slowly at Guan Shanjin, as though weing him in.


    ¡°Hungry old fellow.¡± Guan Shanjinughingly scolded him. On the bed, his speech was slightly coarse, but his tone was still soft and gentle as usually, sounding just like words that were spoken by a lover.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips shuddered, his hole itching all of a sudden. As he moaned and whimpered, his buttocks unconsciously started swaying. In between the fair, white flesh of his buttocks, his little hole clenched in emptiness. It looked extremely alluring, creating a desire to screw him hard on the bed.


    Guan Shanjin had long been hard to the point of pain. The head of his thick and savage shaft was already oozing precum, looking even more weighty than usual.


    Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips, he pulled them towards himself. His hard tip rubbed against his cleft, grinding against that little hole. That little mouth mped tightly upon it, sucking on the head as if wanting to take it in. Going along, Guan Shanjin allowed half the tip of his cock to enter, but suddenly pulled himself out, and brushed his dick against the two balls below Wu Xingzi¡¯s hold.


    ¡°It itches¡­¡± Wu Xingzi pitifully rocked his hips. His hole was currently aching and tingling, wishing desperately for something to enter and soothe it. This itch was not only concentrated in his hole, but also spread along his veins and into his limbs, creeping into his head. He could not control his crying pleas, ¡°Haiwang, Haiwang¡­ Please, help me soothe it, it itches¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so obscene, how am I going to help you with it?¡±<sup>1</sup></a>?Guan Shanjin had only just shoved half the head of his cock into the hole, and it naturally got stained with the softened grease. His breathing too turned heavy. Having held himself back, his forehead became beaded with sweat, and his wicked words were even more passionate.


    His lean hips thrust against Wu Xingzi, using his thick cock to grind against Wu Xingzi¡¯s pink and tender little member. Two heads of different sizes pressed against each other, their shafts rubbing together. Wu Xingzi bit at the nket in pleasure, broken moansing from him continuously.


    Feeling the ecstasy as well, Guan Shanjin leaned over and wrapped Wu Xingzi in his arms, obsessively using his hard member to rub against Wu Xingzi¡¯s tender little cock. Probably because he rarely used it, as well as being born like that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s dick was smooth and soft, and grinding against it was extremely pleasurable. However, in the end, it still was that particr male organ, and naturally, it was hard with some bounciness to it,pletely different from the soft and slippery hole.


    The feeling of resistance as he thrust against him gave him a satisfaction that overwhelmed him, and Guan Shanjin could not help but groan aloud.


    Wu Xingzi could barely endure it. That groan that was full of passion, mixed with Guan Shanjin¡¯s heated breath, it felt just like a zing fire, causing his body to me up in desire, and his brain turned muddled. He released the nket he was biting at, turning his head and kissing Guan Shanjin on the lips.


    General Guan was really a little seductive demon!


    It was rare that the person below him would actively kiss him. Was there any reason for Guan Shanjin to refuse it? He then allowed Wu Xingzi to nibble and gnaw at him, sucking on his tongue, unwilling to let go. Their saliva overflowed, sliding down from the corner of his mouth, and loud kissing noises could be heard.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ Haiwang¡­¡± Adviser Wu kissed and kissed, his body tingling all over. He ground his buttocks against Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch, begging pitifully, ¡°I¡¯m itching all the way inside, help me soothe it, please¡­ help me soothe it¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to soothe it with?¡± Guan Shanjin was nearly at the brink of explosion. The tip of his tongue drew lightly against Wu Xingzi¡¯s, following his lips, then kissed towards his sensitive ear. He then sucked on his soft earlobe, biting on it. ¡°Say it clearly.¡±


    ¡°Use your big?pengornis¡­ I like it when your big?pengornis?helps me soothe it¡­¡± Although Wu Xingzi was embarrassed, the mes of desire had already overwhelmed him, and he was very straightforward. His buttocks also ground enticingly against Guan Shanjin, his pink cock rubbing torturously against his thicker one. Arge amount of fluids leaked out from the head of his cock, soaking the nket.


    Guan Shanjin clicked his tongue, patting those saucy buttocks forcefully. From below him came a lewd and pained sob.


    Guan Shanjin grabbed onto those writhing hips, inserting his thick shaft into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole that was flooded with lewd juices.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Guan Shanjin mmed straight into his sensitive spot. Wu Xingzi trembled, crying out loud, and hise was forced right out of him, ejacting.


    ¡°You¡¯re really as obscene as I said you are!¡± Having just came, Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole wrung constantly at Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock. For a moment, Guan Shanjin could not move. It felt as though thousands of little mouths were sucking and mouthing his cock. It felt so good that his forehead was covered with sweat, and his alluring eyes narrowed as he gasped.


    ¡°Slow, slow down¡­ ¡° Wu Xingzi had not thought that he was that sensitive. His pleasure did not decrease even a bit after his orgasm, but instead, because of the movement of that thick, sturdy cock, it itched so much that he burst out in tears.


    Guan Shanjin ignored his pleas, grabbing onto his hips and speaking softly, ¡°Hold on, I haven¡¯t entered all the way in yet.¡±


    Guan Shanjin then went down to business, spreading his convulsing buttocks apart and thrust his entire cock inside. Like this, he would thrust right into his stomach. In the past, he did not always enter so fully, but today, he would not let Wu Xingzi off so easily.


    Pressing down the writhing and crying person under him, he caressed Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft belly as he impaled himself further inwards.


    ¡°Ah ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi cried out sharply, copsing onto the bed as though he was dead.


    A section of his stomach bulged out, and the shape of the man¡¯s cock could vaguely be made out. The little?pengornisunderneath ejacted again, and the thin white fluids stained both the nket as well as his own stomach. A warm hand wiped the fluids away, sweeping past that scary bulge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t be like this¡­ Haiwang¡­ Have mercy on me¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cried so hard his entire body was shuddering. Together with the aftershock of his orgasm, he was almost about to faint away.


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s chesty against his back, holding him around his waist and supporting him up. His powerful thighs spread his two legs apart, and Wu Xingzi was almost sitting upon Guan Shanjin¡¯s?pengornis.


    Wu Xingzi was pressed against the headboard, his slender, fair legs feebly hooking around Guan Shanjin¡¯s thighs. His bulging stomach was again rubbed at. Before Wu Xingzi could cry out loud, Guan Shanjin thrust in again and his weighty balls pped loudly against his slippery, smooth buttocks. The cock in his stomach was again pushed forward a little, reaching a depth that no one had ever explored.


    Wu Xingzi howled, his voice shivering. His slender legs fell down, and his toes all curled in.


    Next was a bout of rhythmic thrusting. Guan Shanjin fucked Wu Xingzi to the point where he could barely make a sound, his hole loosening with his brutal thrusts. It tried its best to tighten around the savage cock to please it, but was always defeated instead. Wu Xingzi could only weakly let the man y with him, and his belly bulged out with every thrust.


    However, Guan Shanjin was still not satisfied. His heated palm pressed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s bulging belly. It felt as though he was masturbating through a thinyer of skin, and that feeling gave him so much pleasure that his eyes darkened, and he bit harshly on Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin neck. Wu Xingzi groaned along with the bites, and bruised teeth marks were scattered all across his neck.


    It was not long before Wu Xingzi came again. This time, his ejacte was thin like water. His head tilted all the way back and his cry was soundless. His eyes rolled all the way to the back, looking as though he was about to faint away.


    However, Guan Shanjin still shoved himself further in. His palm too obligingly pressed down harder. Still in the throes of orgasm, Wu Xingzi could not withstand such y. After a few violent convulsions, his pee spattered onto the bed.


    Stimted by this pungent odour, along with the intense wringing of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, Guan Shanjin too got pushed over the edge and delightedly shot straight into Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach.


    The man came a lot, the warme making the adviser twitch heavily. It took him a long time before he finally exhaled, and he fainted dead away.


    Guan Shanjin did not immediately pull out. He too had no idea what was going through his head. Looking as though he was three months pregnant, Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly was filled withe. Guan Shanjin caressed that belly, turning around and hugging him as hey within the bed. He had no ns on cleaning up the mess on the bed.


    Within the canopy, that pungent odour filled the space. The sweet scent of the grease could still be vaguely detected, as well as Guan Shanjin¡¯s white sandalwood smell, together with a faint herbal scent.


    That was Wu Xingzi¡¯s scent.


    This scent could not be said to be very pleasant, but it was a scent that made him feel that he could not tear himself away from it. Some part of Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart softened, and he felt a trace of satisfaction along with a little grumbling, as well as quite a bit of indignance and unwillingness.


    ¡°You really want to separate from me that much?¡± He hugged the man in his arms, his half-hard dick sliding out a little. A squelching sound was heard, and the sleeping old fellow moaned aloud a couple of times. Huddling into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, he fell deeper into sleep.


    Ah, forget it. We¡¯ll just leave it for tomorrow¡­?Guan Shanjin kissed the man in his arms. Although he was really reluctant to pull himself out, he still climbed up from the bed to clean everything up.

 Chapter 21 - Why Must You Insist On It?

    <strong>Chapter 21 ¡ª Why Must You Insist On It?</strong>


    Staying in Goose City for a couple of days, it seemed like Guan Shanjin had some work to handle. After assigning a guard to follow Wu Xingzi, he disappeared.


    Of course, Wu Xingzi would not let go of such a rare opportunity. Waking up early, he headed for the?Peng?Society with the guard following him.


    When the familiar-looking salesman saw that it was him, he went up to them with a warm attitude. ¡°Adviser Wu, our manager has been thinking about you since the past few days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that Manager Rancui has been thinking about me. May I ask if he¡¯s avable to see me?¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands at him, his head had long been filled with thoughts about?The Pengornisseur.


    ¡°Of course he is. The manager has reminded us over and over again that if we see Adviser Wu, we must invite you in for a chat.¡± The salesman¡¯s friendliness made Wu Xingzi bashful yet happy. Who did not like to be missed?


    Even more so when this had to do with fifty coins.


    It was evident that the guard knew what the?Peng?Society and?The Pengornisseur?was about. He silently followed five steps behind Wu Xingzi. If not for the salesman¡¯s nce towards him, Adviser Wu would have forgotten that someone was following behind him.


    ¡°This is?¡± Actually, the salesman did recognise this guard. Last month, when Manager Rancui wanted to stop the general from going to Qingcheng County, they had exchanged quite a few blows.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was unable to answer. He looked at the guard apologetically and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been negligent. May I ask, Sir, how should I address you?¡±


    Wu Xingzi only knew that he was Guan Shanjin¡¯s guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hei¡¯er.¡± The guard replied respectfully, then cupped his hands towards the salesman. ¡°I¡¯ve beenmanded by the general to protect Adviser Wu. We fully trust Manager Rancui, but since we can¡¯t defy our orders, we would like to request the manager to bear with us.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The guard had been very polite, and the salesman was unable to criticise him on any point. He also still clearly recalled the frightening memories of the conflict that had happened a while ago. There were still a few pavilions in the courtyard that could still not be used today. ¡°I can bring you along, but when the manager is chatting with Adviser Wu, you should stand further away!¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you very much.¡± Since the guard was bent on following him, Wu Xingzi did not reject him. He soon ced all his attention on?The Pengornisseur?and Rancui.


    The salesman led the two people towards that familiar pavilion. Manager Rancui was already seated within and was sipping on his tea. When he looked up to see Adviser Wu, he revealed an indescribably beautiful smile.


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡± Putting down the teacup, Rancui stood up and cupped his hands at Wu Xingzi, weing him. Looking behind Wu Xingzi, his smile turned colder. ¡°Commander Hei, we meet again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Hei¡¯er. We¡¯ve caused a disturbance to the manager a few days ago.¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s head was bowed, and his expression could not be seen clearly. He was also standing far away, but his voice was loud enough. Rancui snorted with an icy look on his face, then turned to Wu Xingzi immediately and smiled intimately at him.


    ¡°Please take a seat, Adviser Wu. I haven¡¯t seen you in a month.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Manager for thinking about me.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands in thanks, cautiously taking a seat. ¡°Manager, it¡¯s like this. I¡¯d like to ask about?The Pengornisseur¡­¡±


    He turned his head and nced at Hei¡¯er, before lowering his voice and carefully continuing, ¡°I was unable toe and collectst month¡¯s?Pengornisseur. Manager, please ept the fifty coins for next month¡¯s edition.¡± He secretly sneaked out a little coin pouch and pushed it towards Rancui. Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red, looking uneasy yet excited as though he was doing something naughty.


    ¡°So Adviser Wu means¡­¡± Rancui did not ept the little coin pouch. He gestured at the salesman outside the pavilion. The salesman instantly understood and walked over to Hei¡¯er, distracting him with conversation.


    ¡°My meaning is, I¡¯ll like to continue receiving?The Pengornisseur.¡± Adviser Wu¡¯s face reddened further, but he was very determined. Rancui eyed him for a moment, and the smile on his face turned even more radiant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t General Guan and you have ns on bing life partners?¡± Rancui was furious when he mentioned that. A month and a half ago, he had confirmed that Adviser Wu had only wanted a tryst. He had immediately handled the matter with the great General Guan, even causing some trouble in Southern Xinjiang. Although the smallmotion would not affect the lives of the civilians, Guan Shanjin would still need to spend some effort in settling it.


    That little thing about General Guan was supposed to be a secret, but Rancui knew about it. A person whose heart was upied was really unsuited to join the?Peng?Society to make friends through the pigeon express. However, his boss had wanted Guan Shanjin to participate based on this point, wanting to stir the waters. He had said that if someone like Guan Shanjin could meet his life partner through the?Peng?Society, then the society¡¯s future would be even more assured.


    Rancui did not know if he would be able to find a life partner, but it could not be denied that Guan Shanjin had brought trouble to the members. The heart of the ountant in Sushui Vige was as dead as ashes after Guan Shanjin¡¯s departure. In the end, he had actually ended up marrying a woman. Two days ago, Rancui had received the bridal cakes, and in a fit of anger, he ate them all. Even now, his stomach still ached slightly.


    With how General Guan never had feelings for anyone, Rancui had thought that after settling themotion in Southern Xinjiang, he would just forget about Adviser Wu. Who would have thought that not only did he not forget, he even returned to Goose City and demolished half his courtyard. Pointing?Chenyuan?Sword at Rancui¡¯s throat, he smilingly told him to not reach his hand out too far, or he would chop it off the next time.


    To tell the truth, Rancui hadpletely lost all hope. Especially after Wu Xingzi had note the previous month to collect?The Pengornisseur, he had thought that maybe the cakes Adviser Wu would send might be a little nder, and he would not be afraid of a stomach ache when he ate them all.


    Who would have guessed¡­


    ¡°No such thing, no such thing.¡± Wu Xingzi waved his hands with a blushing face. ¡°General Guan and I are not on the same path in life, how can I ever go above my station like that?¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu doesn¡¯t have to be so modest. In my eyes, General Guan is the one going above his station.¡±


    After demolishing the courtyard, the general had tossed enough money at them to build a whole new manor. However, that did not relieve Rancui¡¯s anger. Having done his work conscientiously in the?Peng?Society for ten years, he would never have thought that in two short months, two members would be ruined under the hand of one person!


    What a p to his face this was!


    Who was going above his station, Wu Xingzi did not have any interest in arguing over it. All he was concerned about was?The Pengornisseur.


    ¡°Manager, can I take thest month¡¯s edition?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not a problem. However, you¡¯re now still living together with General Guan, right?¡± Rancui nced over at Hei¡¯er. That man still had his head lowered. The salesman was talking his tongue off at him, but he still stood there motionlessly, towering over the salesman. No one knew if he could hear their conversation.


    ¡°Yes yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed as he rubbed at his nose. He was a little unhappy, but soon he perked up again. ¡°He¡¯s about to return to Bastion City. Why don¡¯t Ie back and collect?The Pengornisseur?once he leaves?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we can definitely do that.¡± Rancui replied with a smile. However, he was very curious and could not help asking, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be very bothered by General Guan¡¯s imminent departure?¡±


    It could even be said that Wu Xingzi seemed to be looking forward to it. Although Rancui did not like Guan Shanjin, he could not deny that that man was truly very attractive. In the matters of romance, he was definitely very sessful, and who knew how many hearts he had stomped on, to this very day?


    Adviser Wu did not look as though he had been snared by love, and this was very surprising.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Even if I¡¯m bothered, he still has to leave, and I don¡¯t want to leave Qingcheng County. I¡¯m not afraid that you¡¯llugh hearing this, but I¡¯ve already selected my gravesite. It¡¯s a good ce that¡¯s great for my long rest.¡± His yearning look seemed as though he was not talking about his grave, but a scenic spot instead.


    ¡°I would have never thought that Adviser Wu was so easy-going.¡± In Rancui¡¯s sharp eyes, Wu Xingzi was a man of great affection. On top of that, with his loneliness, he should be the type to fall in love easily and find it hard to get out of it.


    Looking at him now, not only did Wu Xingzi not seem to have any great affection for Guan Shanjin, it seemed as though he did not even have a ce for him in his heart.


    ¡°Am I easy-going?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, picking up his teacup and drinking from it. He gave a vague, wry smile, ¡°You¡¯re overestimating me. This isn¡¯t being easy-going, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s impossible for some people to be together forever, so why seek this trouble?¡± This sounded logical, but there was a poignancy to it.


    Rancui did not respond to that. Instead, he asked Wu Xingzi to enjoy the snacks.


    The two of them chatted for a little while more. When another member arrived, Rancui then pushed the little coin pouch back into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, speaking gently, ¡°Adviser Wu, take these 50 coins back. It was the?Peng?Society¡¯s inadequacy that caused General Guan to be able to find you. Fortunately, you weren¡¯t harmed, but the?Peng?Society has topensate you for that. Before you find your life partner,?The Pengornisseur?will be provided to you for free, please ept it.¡±


    ¡°How can I ept that?¡± Wu Xingzi anxiously pushed the coin pouch back to Rancui, but Rancui had already stood up, signalling that he would not ept it.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, you¡¯re an important guest of the?Peng?Society. Don¡¯t worry and ept our apologies. This little book is not worth mentioning, I await respectfully for your good news.¡± Rancui motioned the salesman over, instructing him to lead Wu Xingzi out.


    Seeing that he was unable to object, Wu Xingzi again cupped his hands gratefully and thanked him. Only until Rancui had disappeared from sight did he leave.


    When he exited the?Peng?Society, it was already a quarter to two.


    Wu Xingzi rubbed his belly. Although he had eaten some snacks and tea, his stomach still felt empty. He spoke apologetically to Hei¡¯er, ¡°Commander Hei, I¡¯ve been negligent. You must be hungry as well? Why don¡¯t we look for a stall to fill our stomachs?¡±


    ¡°The general has instructed that once you¡¯re done at the?Peng?Society, I have to bring you to Restaurant of Songs to meet him. Also, Adviser Wu can just address me as Hei¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Adviser Wu scratched at his nose. He was just amoner, an adviser of a little county, how could he just call themander by his name like this!


    ¡°You¡¯re with the general, and so naturally you¡¯re the master of Hei¡¯er. There¡¯s no need to be bothered by this.¡± Hei¡¯er bowed his head, his tone respectful, and it made Wu Xingzi feel even more at a loss.


    Seeming to notice his uneasiness, Hei¡¯er no longer mentioned the matter of address and led Wu Xingzi towards Restaurant of Songs.


    Speaking about Restaurant of Songs, it was one of Goose City¡¯s most famous restaurants. It was also the oldest one, and its prices were the most unadorned. A meal with three dishes, one soup and half a bucket of rice could be had for around ten coins, the cooking style simple and grounded, and the restaurant would never cut corners and do things carelessly. With its reputation, Wu Xingzi had also eaten there twice before.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s choice had made him feel a lot more relieved, and he was even hungrier.


    Although it was past the meal time, Restaurant of Songs was still full of customers. Seeing Hei¡¯er and him, the server came up immediately and weed them warmly. ¡°Customers, you¡¯re here for a meal?¡± Restaurant of Songs had something that set them apart from other restaurants. They had a license to brew alcohol, and they could supply their own liquor without purchasing from other merchants.


    The exclusive?Kongsang?liquor was brewed from mulberries. Its colour was simr to the liquor brewed from grapes, but a little lighter, like agate. It tasted slightly sour and sweet, with a lingering spiciness to it. It felt warm and mild upon drinking it, but the throat would tingle as it slid down, feeling a little spicy. When it hit the stomach, it heated up like a fire, bringing with it a kind offort to the drinker.


    Many customers came just to have a few sses of the liquor and did not have any food.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for Master Guan.¡± Hei¡¯er told the server.


    ¡°Master Guan?¡± The server thought about it for a moment, and his smile turned warmer. ¡°Master Guan is waiting for the two of you in the Room of Rain, please follow me.¡±


    They climbed all the way to the top. The building that housed Restaurant of Songs was the tallest in Goose City, and there was a bird¡¯s eye view of the surroundings.


    There were only four rooms on the top floor, and they were all very spacious.


    The Room of Rain was the first room on the left. It had the best view, and it was no wonder the server smiled till his eyes could not be seen.


    Opening the door, the first thing to be seen was Guan Shanjin¡¯s tall and slender figure. He was still dressed in ck, sitting by the window. Hearing the noise, he turned his head towards them. Those alluring eyes were hazy, with a little glimmer in them. Seeing Wu Xingzi, they curved slightly.


    Although he did not smile, his face looked even more enchanting than if he had smiled, and a lingering affection could be seen.


    Wu Xingzi could not drag his eyes away. His face flushed deeply, and he made his way floatingly towards Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Have, have you been waiting for long?¡± Only after he smelled the cool scent of the man did Wu Xingzi stop, and stammered.


    ¡°Not too long, I¡¯ve only had a sk of liquor.¡± Guan Shanjin reached out to pull him into his arms, stealing a kiss.


    The sweet and sour taste of the liquor from his lips transferred to Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi clearly had yet to drink anything, but he felt slightly intoxicated.

 Chapter 22 - Who Exactly Was That Person?

    <strong>Chapter 22 ¡ª Who Exactly Was That Person?</strong>


    He did not know whether it was because he knew Guan Shanjin was about to leave, but Wu Xingzi too started treasuring their times spent together.


    He took the initiative to stretch his tongue out, licking across Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips. It was then caught and sucked upon. Only when he was short of breath did he start struggling before it was released.


    ¡°Why are you so obedient today?¡± Guan Shanjin raised his brow. Adviser Wu lowered his head shyly and did not speak.


    Guan Shanjin had no intentions of forcing an answer out of him. Drinking a sk of wine, he was clearly in a good mood and asked the server to serve the dishes. He called Wu Xingzi to eat, while he sat by the window, drinking. Next to him was a?weiqi?set, which he was ying with, in a happy and contented manner.


    Soon, the entire table of dishes were wiped clean. Wu Xingzi patted his tummy in satisfaction, as he sipped his tea. He seemed very interested in Guan Shanjin¡¯s game and dragged a chair over to watch.


    ¡°Do you know how to y?weiqi?¡± Guan Shanjin was ying both sides, and the ck and white pieces were all over the board. However, the white pieces seemed to have the advantage, hiding their capabilities and biding their time. Without any hints, the white pieces engulfed the ck pieces.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it boring to y?weiqi?by yourself?¡± The white pieces would know what the ck pieces were going to do, and the same went for the ck pieces. Wouldn¡¯t the victory have already been decided?


    Guan Shanjin smiled and exined, ¡°This has the same logic as arranging the formation of your army. During a war, you cannot only create your own formation, but you¡¯ll have to understand the enemy¡¯s formation as well. That¡¯s what it means by mapping out a strategy now, and being sessful in the future. Leading an army into battle is not topare who has better martial arts, but who is more astute, who is more vicious, who can react faster, and who is luckier.¡±


    ¡°Who is luckier?¡± Wu Xingzi tilted his head, looking nk. He could understand what Guan Shanjin said at the beginning, but as for luck, that was a little unreliable. This was something that was out of the control of humans, and they could only pray to the heavens.


    He had thought that Guan Shanjin did not believe in such mystical things.


    He did not realise that he had said that aloud. Guan Shanjinughed cheerfully, ¡°Why would I not believe in them? Going onto the battlefield is risky business, once we¡¯re there, we never think abouting back. In this world, there¡¯s no such thing as a perfect strategy and formation, and no one is perfect. There is bound to be a weakness for people to breach. When I¡¯m specting what they¡¯re thinking, won¡¯t they be doing the same to me? After seeing so much of life and death, I¡¯ve learnt that many victories and losses do not depend on how detailed a strategy is, but who has the greater luck. This is very hard to put into words, but most of us do hold it in awe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, not fullyprehending it. He watched as the white pieces finally demolished the ck pieces, while Guan Shanjin looked even more gentle and rxed than any other time. In his eyes, there was a faint amusement, and also an unlimited charm.


    ¡°This game is that battle where I conquered the southern barbarians. The southern barbarian king was captured live by me and delivered to the capital. Our calvary stampeded into the king¡¯s throne, and the eldest son of the king had no choice but to surrender. I also conveniently helped him deal with a few of his disobedient brothers.¡± All the way to the south of the board, only a small pile of ck pieces were left. They too had been scattered, looking pitiful and lonesome.


    ¡°Do you miss the days of killing your enemies on the battlefield?¡± Wu Xingzi vaguely felt that his words were not quite right, but what he first noticed was the sentiment and pride in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes. Southern Xinjiang had been calm for five years, and under the defense of the South Garrison General, it was likely that Southern Xinjiang would be unable to stir any major trouble in the next twenty or thirty years. Other than the asional suppressing of bandits, the soldiers who had been used to war would definitely feel a little at a loss for what to do.


    ¡°Why would I? The situation on the battlefield is treacherous, and one careless mistake can result in dying in a foreign ce. The price civilians have to pay is even greater, so who would like war?¡± Guan Shanjin sighed as he separated the ck and white pieces. ¡°Want to have a game with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at?weiqi.¡± Wu Xingzi blushed slightly. He had yed a few years of?weiqi?with his father when he was a child. However, at that time he was young, and he only yed for fun. After that, he was alone. Even though it was not considered busy in the magistrate¡¯s office, he had lost any pleasure in ying it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, we can just y it for fun.¡± He pushed the white pieces to Wu Xingzi. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 25 pieces then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Adviser Wu rubbed at the tip of his nose and did not stand on courtesy. He did understand what was going on in the previous game, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s skills were not something he couldpare with. This was really just simply ying a game with the General.


    After arranging the pieces properly, the game was considered to have started.


    However, in less than fifteen minutes, Wu Xingzi had pretty much been annihted by Guan Shanjin. It looked like he had no chance to recover at all, lingering on and holding out till his veryst breath. It happened to be Wu Xingzi¡¯s turn, and he randomly put a piece down, as if he was not looking at the board at all.


    This was not the first time he had done this. It should be said that after cing the twenty-five pieces down, Wu Xingzi was ying with this sort of rxed, carefree attitude. Not only did he not specte about Guan Shanjin¡¯s strategy, he was not even bothered by how Guan Shanjin ced his pieces. This was no longer going with the flow. He waspletely detached from the game and was not the least bit concerned about the results of the game.


    ¡°Why did you make this move?¡± Guan Shanjin weighed the piece in his hand. His fair fingers contrasted with the shining ck pieces made of agate, extremely eye-catching.


    Unfortunately, the beauty had his brows knitted. His expression could not be described as being unhappy, but he seemed to be deep in thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s not really a reason. I¡¯m just not good at?weiqi. Since there¡¯s a space for me to put my piece here, I just put it down.¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose, blushing as he looked down.


    In the past, his father had said that his nature was unsuitable for?weiqi. Ignoring his innate talent, his character was too indifferent, and he did not hunger for victory. A person like this ying?weiqi, winning or losing would not matter to them and naturally, they often just pleased people instead.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Guan Shanjin tossed the piece in his hand back into the box. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to win now. I¡¯ll beat you in seven steps, so we should just stop here.¡± Clearly sighing a breath of relief, Wu Xingzi happily packed up the?weiqi?set. Compared to ying the game, he was more interested in the material used to make the set. Reluctant to put them down, he touched them a few more times before packing them all up.


    ¡°Can you drink?¡± When Adviser Wu had his hands empty, Guan Shanjin pulled him into his arms and they both admired the scenery outside the window.


    Despite the bleak winter, the far away mountains were still a dark, lush green.


    ¡°I only have a small drink asionally,¡± Wu Xingzi licked his lips, sounding a little regretful.


    ¡°I¡¯m here today. If you want to drink, just drink. Carrying a drunkard back home isn¡¯t any trouble for me.¡± Laughing gently, Guan Shanjin pressed a cup into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, filling it up with?Kongsang?liquor. ¡°This is vintage, you won¡¯t be able to drink it even if you have money. The owner of Restaurant of Songs is a great friend of Su Yang, and so he spared me one and a half litres of this liquor. There¡¯s no more even if you want it.¡±


    The fragrance of the liquor filled their noses, and the sweet-sourish note of the mulberry could be distinguished. Wu Xingzi recalled the taste that he had licked from Beauty Guan¡¯s lips just now and naturally hungered for it. He quickly drank arge mouthful, tasting it carefully with the tip of his tongue.


    As expected, the vour was rich and mellow. Compared to themon?Kongsang?liquor avable in the restaurant, there was an additional smooth silkiness to it. The refreshing spiciness as it entered the throat was like a pebble rolling in a river, without any sharp edges yet there was not a loss in intensity at all.


    ¡°Very tasty.¡± In less than three mouthfuls, the cup was empty. Wu Xingzi smacked his lips, his face reddening. His gentle eyes seemed as though they had just been washed clean, extremely bright.


    His stomach wasfortably warm, and the warmth travelled with his blood and diffused throughout his body. In no time, he felt as though he was tucked under a thick nket, and it was so cosy that it made him chortle.


    ¡°Another cup?¡± Guan Shanjin filled Wu Xingzi¡¯s cup to the brim again. The adviser smiled foolishly without any rejection. Sipping at his cup, he emptied it again.


    In this manner, three cups were emptied into his stomach. Adviser Wu was now drunk and in a daze. Rubbing his red face into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, he mumbled about feeling warm.


    Taking the cup back, Guan Shanjin poured himself a cup. As he patted the discontented person in his arms, he looked out at the mountains as he finished his cup.


    Although the?Kongsang?liquor was dry, tart and sweet, its aftereffect was very strong. If not for Guan Shanjin¡¯s formidable inner force, as well as his innate ability of not getting drunk easily, it would not be possible for him to still remain clear headed after finishing a sk and a half by himself.


    Wu Xingzi fussed about for a while, and finally obediently nuzzled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck. Intoxicatedly, he sniffed at the man¡¯s scent, murmuring, ¡°I like your scent¡­ I like your scent¡­¡±


    ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll get someone to prepare a box for you.¡± His sensitive neck was itchy from Wu Xingzi¡¯s ministrations, but Guan Shanjin allowed him to continue.


    ¡°No need no need, don¡¯t give me anything. I¡­ I¡¯m very well¡­¡± This gentle promise made Wu Xingzi tremble. His silly smile faded away, and he hunched over dejectedly.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Suspicion welled in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart. Looking down, he scraped at the fleshy tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose. Out of nowhere, he found Wu Xingzi¡¯s ordinary face, that was now drunk and red, adorable.


    Guan Shanjin was not especially bothered when this thought shed through his mind. As long as Wu Xingzi carried the shadow of Mr Lu, was it not natural that he would think that he was adorable?


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me anything¡­ You don¡¯t have to do so¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scrunched his nose, his face earnest with traces of nkness. He seemed to be worried and reiterated again, ¡°Don¡¯t give me anything, you mustn¡¯t give me anything.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like the smell of this incense?¡± Tightening his arms around him, Guan Shanjin was really curious, and he could not stop himself from asking. ¡°Tell me the reason, and I¡¯ll decide whether I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Tell you the reason?¡± Perplexed, Wu Xingzi blinked. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, pulling that beautiful face closer to himself and stared at him in concentration.


    As he stared and stared, Wu Xingzi smiled bashfully.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really good looking¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed emotionally. Pouting his plump lips, heid a kiss on those petal-like lips and could not stop smiling foolishly.


    ¡°Do you like me?¡± Guan Shanjin put the cup down. Snaking one arm around Wu Xingzi¡¯s slender waist, he pinched his chin with his other hand, feeling exulted.


    Wu Xingzi giggled. Looking at him for a moment, his eyes lowered feebly, but he did not answer his question.


    This was very different from how he usually was like. Normally, Wu Xingzi was shy and timid. He had an inferiorityplex, was frank and not artful, looking as though he had no troubles. Even when the vigers were talking about him behind his back, he did not even get angry. He did not let anything affect him, and all he thought about was?The Pengornisseur. Not even Guan Shanjin was able to make him be a little selfish.


    Now, he looked dispirited, avoiding Guan Shanjin¡¯s gaze. He no longer seemed drunk, but carried a trace of destion and sadness. His entire person was somewhat stiff, and with his head bowed, he did not say a word.


    His intuition told him that this had something to do with Wu Xingzi¡¯s nonchnt attitude. General Guan could not resist lifting Wu Xingzi¡¯s face up with his fingers, coaxing him gently, ¡°Why did you suddenly turn sad? Tell me about it?¡±


    ¡°Tell you about it?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked his eyes slowly, staring straight at Guan Shanjin. A momentter, he opened his mouth, ¡°Haven¡¯t you left already?¡±


    ¡°You really want me to leave this much?¡± His face could not help but darken. Guan Shanjin recalled his conversation with Adviser Wu from a few days ago. This old fellow only wished that he would quickly leave so that he could go to collect?The Pengornisseur, and he still thought he did not know about it? He had purposely assigned Hei¡¯er to follow him, and it was also to give Rancui a warning.


    He still had yet to get sick of him, and nobody should even think about touching him.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, and a tear suddenly rolled down his face. Guan Shanjin was a little angry at first, but now his heart ached, and he hugged and patted Wu Xingzi to console him.


    Other than on the bed, Wu Xingzi had never cried before, and he did not look like someone who would easily cry. Guan Shanjin had asked Li Jian, the Qingcheng County¡¯s magistrate, many things about Adviser Wu, and it could be said that he had a pretty thorough understanding of this old fellow. Adviser Wu was friendly yet detached. He seemed very caring towards everyone, but he also never let anything affect him. Twenty odd years had gone by with him living alone, and his life was calm and ordinary. A few years ago, he had even decided on a gravesite and had been happy for quite a number of days.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to leave, then I won¡¯t.¡± Guan Shanjin had not expected that these tears would make his heart ache so much. Even more so, he had not thought that Wu Xingzi would speak so coolly, and yet he would feel such a loss internally. It made him feel extremely tender towards him, and he kissed him softly as he coaxed, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to return to Bastion City. It¡¯s enough to have Man Yue there. It¡¯s no trouble for me to apany you for a few more months, don¡¯t cry anymore.¡±


    ¡°No you can¡¯t¡­ No you can¡¯t¡­¡± Wu Xingzi obediently sprawled in his embrace, his tears still flowing non-stop. Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest was soon soaked, and the warm tears seemed to contain a blistering me, burning his skin painfully.


    ¡°Yes I can, I¡¯m the one who decides everything in Bastion City. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± A gentle kissnded on top of Wu Xingzi¡¯s head. Guan Shanjin felt a little panicked, he tried his best to make a promise, but still could not stop those tears.


    Then he heard Adviser Wu sob softly as he mumbled, ¡°You have to rush to the capital for your examination, I can¡¯t dy you¡­ I¡¯ll wait for you, I¡¯ll wait for your return. Whether it¡¯s a year or two, or even ten years, I¡¯ll be waiting, you will definitely return with honours!¡±


    Rush to the capital for my examination?


    When these words entered Guan Shanjin¡¯s ears, his brows creased, and he was filled with bitterness.


    So, the person Wu Xingzi was missing as he cried, it was not him?


    Who exactly was this person? He knew very well that ever since his parents passed away when he was sixteen, there had been no one else by Wu Xingzi¡¯s side. He had once liked that beancurdd Ansheng, but once he knew that Ansheng and Constable Zhang were life partners, he no longer thought about him. It seemed as though he had immediately forgot about this matter.


    So it turned out that Wu Xingzi was not nonchnt, but that he already had someone in his heart?


    Who exactly was this person?!


    General Guan was angry and upset. Pressing his hand against his chest, he almost vomited blood.


    However, Adviser Wu, drunk and disoriented as he was, choked pitifully as he sold himself out, ¡°I, I know that your biggest desire is to bring honour to your family name. Zaizong-xiong, you¡¯re talented and knowledgeable, this little Goose City cannot trap you, this big?Peng<sup>1</sup></a>. You should go to the capital and be the top schr!¡±


    Zaizong-xiong? This name sounds very familiar¡­


    Guan Shanjin did not interrupt Wu Xingzi¡¯s chattering. In his head, he searched for the identity of this person as he pieced together the story from Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your travelling expenses. I have some silver ingots on hand, and there¡¯s only me in my family. You can take them first.¡± Wu Xingzi lifted his head, his face full of sincerity.

 Chapter 23 - All First Loves Are Painful

    Chapter 23 ¡ª All First Loves Are Painful


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Guan Shanjin looked at that earnest face. Although those gentle, shining eyes were looking at him, he was thinking of someone else. Guan Shanjin could not help but pinch Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cried out in pain. As Guan Shanjin had not controlled his strength, he nearly left a bruise on Adviser Wu¡¯s face. He hurriedly let go, feelingpletely vexed.


    Since he had mentioned going to the capital to participate in the imperial exam, it clearly meant that this was not a matter of recent years. General Guan had long been aware of how much money Adviser Wu had. Who knew how long it had taken him to umte that miserable amount of ten silver taels?


    This Zaizong-xiong, it sounded like he did not return after going to the capital? He might have died on his journey, failed the exam and was too ashamed to return, got lost in the luxury of the capital, or achieved great results in the exams and found a good marriage, throwing Wu Xingzi to the back of his head.


    However, this name sounded familiar to Guan Shanjin. It seemed like this Zaizong-xiong should have entered the emperor¡¯s court, and his position was quite high as well, at least a fourth-rank or above.


    Such an unloyal person, what rights did he have to let Wu Xingzi remember him for so many years? And even made him cry for him?


    He looked down to see Wu Xingzi foolishly and obediently nuzzling into his arms. His face was still stained with tears, his eyes reddened, but at least he had stopped crying.


    Pondering over it for a moment, Guan Shanjin decided to ask about the matter. He could vaguely guess that something had happened to Wu Xingzi then, and that was why he would be so unwilling to be close with anyone. That weiqi match had already made him unhappy. It was true that some people did have an indifferent personality, and they were not interested inpetition, always just going along with the flow.


    However, Wu Xingzi could no longer be considered just going along with the flow. He simply did not n on asking for anything, as only by doing so, could he then be at ease. Whether it was a victory, his marriage, his livelihood, or even his own reputation, the first thing he looked out for was always an escape route, and he would never take any step forward.


    As such, even though he liked Ansheng, and even bought a jade hairpin in preparation for his confession, in the end he only just buried his feelings that could not be gifted under his bed. If he needed money, he would dig it out to sell it, and he had no reluctance towards parting with it. Wu Xingzi had not hidden this matter from Guan Shanjin, instead talking about it openly in front of him as he dug it out. Finally, he looked at the jade hairpin, sighing, ¡°The colour of this jade is really pretty nice. How many coins do you think it can be sold for?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not keeping this jade hairpin?¡± Guan Shanjin took the muddy box, casually sizing up the dull object. In his eyes, this thing was something an older maid in his house would use, but for Wu Xingzi, it was something valuable.


    ¡°I had wanted to keep it, but¡­¡± Wu Xingzi bit his lip, swiftly shooting a nce at his wardrobe next to him. Guan Shanjin had noticed it, but did not take it to heart. It was clear that he did not know what Adviser Wu was currently thinking.


    This thing can¡¯t be used by the pengornis drawings as well, keeping it buried is such a waste.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sell it first, just bring it to Bastion City! Although the colour of this jade is ordinary, as Bastion City is not as luxurious as Goose City, you can sell it for a higher price.¡± Guan Shanjin reced the lid on the box, patting the dirt and soil away, before returning it to Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Bastion City?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked and burst outughing heartlessly. At that time, Guan Shanjin had yet to mention leaving Qingcheng County, and Wu Xingzi had not asked about it as well.


    Now, thinking about it, something did not seem quite right. Guan Shanjin did not understand, how could he have been so blind to everything? However, no matter what, Adviser Wu was the person most simr to Mr. Lu, and he wanted to keep him by his side for a little while longer.


    In any case, he had been too negligent. General Guan had mixed feelings about it. He signalled to Hei¡¯er who had been standing on guard outside toe in, and instructed him to bring a basin of warm water as well as a clean washcloth.


    Not realising that his mood was different from usual, Guan Shanjin reced the liquor with tea, feeding Wu Xingzi in little mouthfuls. He had already formted a n.


    ¡°Xingzi,¡± He called out Adviser Wu¡¯s name gently. The person in his arms shuddered slightly, bashfully lifting his head up to look at him and gave an acknowledgement.


    ¡°You said that you wanted to give me travelling expenses. How much is that?¡± For schrs who lived further away from the capital, the local authorities would provide a certain amount of subsidies for the travel, and they would also offer the use of a horse. For the schrs of Goose City, it was a three-month journey to the capital. Ordinary schrs tended not to know how to ride a horse, and most would choose to ride an ox cart or even walk there, and fifteen silver taels were usually provided as a subsidy.


    Still, expenses in the capital were high. Although the journey might not require fifteen silver taels, staying in the capital in preparation for the exam as well as waiting for the release of the results would require arge sum of money. Travelling a long way to the capital, it was nothing strange for people to have spent so much that they were unable to make their way back home.


    Hearing his question, Wu Xingzi squinted. He seemed to be seriously in thought, and it looked as though he had already sobered up. Guan Shanjin was a little disappointed that he might not be able to get to the bottom of the matter, but who would have guessed that a smile would bloom on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face? Wu Xingzi answered earnestly, ¡°I have 8 silver taels here. Zaizong-xiong, just take them all. There¡¯s no need to be bothered by this small amount of money. You¡¯re a great talent, and you can¡¯t just remain among themoners.¡±


    ¡°8 taels?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice deepened a little. This amount was not a small sum for Wu Xingzi. The current amount in his bucket stash was less than ten silver taels only!


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong, if that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll go borrow some more for you?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s tone was eager, as though he was worried that his Zaizong-xiong would be unhappy. ¡°The county has some taels that are prepared for schrs. Nobody touches it, and we¡¯re just waiting for the day a candidate from the county could sessfully go to the capital to participate in the imperial examinations. The taels will be for him to bring some glory for us. Although you¡¯re from Goose City, I¡¯ll try and mention it to the magistrate; maybe he will lend me some?¡±


    Wu Xingzi himself froze after saying that. His eyes rounded, as though he was stuck in a daze. Then he mumbled, ¡°I, I b-borrowed 15 taels for you. Zaizong-xiong, I believe you will definitely achieve great results in the imperial examination, I¡­ Zaizong-xiong, didn¡¯t you get married? Are you nevering back?¡±


    Married? Guan Shanjin felt a pain in his heart. He opened his mouth, wanting to stop Wu Xingzi, as he remained submerged in his memories. However, he was too slow, and Wu Xingzi continued muttering, ¡°I still remember the first time I saw Zaizong-xiong. It was spring, and the peach blossoms outside Goose City were in bloom. I was delivering a letter on behalf of the magistrate and saw you dressed in a confucian robe. Like a pine tree, you were standing there amongst the peach blossom trees, and you were looking far off into the distance. Can you tell me what you were looking at? I¡¯ve always wanted to ask, but never dared to do so, as I was afraid of startling you.¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face glowed softly, and Guan Shanjin could imagine how this Zaizong-xiong had enchanted the young Wu Xingzi. It was like the world¡¯s most beautiful item, the gentlest words, interspersed with the most gorgeous colours.


    He could not help but recall the day he had seen Mr. Lu for the first time. His surroundings were dull and grey, and there was only that figure in white smiling and looking at him, just like the Banished Immortal, Li Bai. This was already more than enough for him.


    ¡°After that, I often found opportunities toe to Goose City. Out of ten times, I would be able to see you amongst the peach blossom trees a couple of times. Then, I thought maybe you were a deity of the peach blossoms, and it was all due to the luck I umted in my previous life that I could see you. However, the peach blossoms were about to wilt, and I was so very anxious! As such, I gathered up my courage, and spoke to you, Zaizong-xiong¡­¡± Wu Xingziughed faintly, looking very embarrassed. ¡°Ah, that was the bravest thing I had ever done. Fortunately, Zaizong-xiong, you were very gentle and did not mind that I had offended you like this.¡±


    ¡°Why would I mind? Seeing how foolish you are, who wouldn¡¯t be able to discern your thoughts?¡± Guan Shanjin snorted sourly. This old fellow¡¯s contented appearance was very irritating, and he could not help but bite his nose.


    ¡°Ow¡­ Zaizong-xiong, why do you keep biting me today?¡± Wu Xingzi covered his nose. In hisint, a trace of whining could be heard. Although he was a little shy, there was no artifice, and it was clear that he was used to interacting like this with Zaizong-xiong.


    ¡°Continue with what you were saying.¡± Guan Shanjin was feeling extremely gloomy. Adviser Wu had never whined like this to the general before.


    ¡°Continue?¡± Blinking, Wu Xingzi continued obediently. ¡°After that, we became good friends. Zaizong-xiong, you¡¯re gentle and knowledgeable, your bearing is extraordinary, and you¡¯re not someone who should be trapped in a little ce like this. Both of us have no families, and my heart aches over your troubles. In this crowd of people, who would understand the loneliness of solitude? Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll care about you, I¡¯m always caring about you.¡±


    ¡°As you cared and cared, you fell in love?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was glum. Hei¡¯er just happened to return with the basin and washcloth right then. Guan Shanjin red at him fiercely, causing him to break out in a cold sweat, and he swiftly put the items down and left.


    ¡°You¡¯re angry?¡± Wu Xingzi hunched his shoulders, shivering. He seemed to regain his sobriety, and stared at Guan Shanjin¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re really good-looking. I like your scent.¡± He then nuzzled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, sniffing in satisfaction.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your Zaizong-xiong.¡± Guan Shanjin pushed him away, soaking the washcloth before wringing it dry and wiping Wu Xingzi¡¯s face and neck. It was so pleasurable that Adviser Wu kept moaning, and he could not stop twisting about in the general¡¯s arms. ¡°Look at your useless little self, you deserve to be abandoned.¡±


    Wu Xingzi giggled. He found afortable position andy there motionless. A drunkard could never be reasoned with, and Guan Shanjin could only be angry by himself. He racked his brain, recalling every minister of the court. He decided that once he found out who that person was, he would never let them off easily.


    ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t know that I liked you.¡± His arm that was around Guan Shanjin¡¯s narrow waist tightened, and Wu Xingzi continued with a glum voice, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be great if I didn¡¯t know it?¡±


    ¡°But in the end, you still knew. That was why you were willing to give him so many taels, right? You foolish thing!¡± Guan Shanjin could not stop himself and scratched gently at Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to like me. Although homosexuality is allowed in Great Xia, and many people havemitted to being life partners, you¡¯re to be an official, and I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for you. But¡­ when I gave you the taels, you gave me a perfume sachet. I¡¯ve seen that perfume sachet before. It was always hung on your waist, and pine trees were embroidered on it. A pine tree that remains upright in winter, it was just like the figure I saw amongst the peach blossom trees, stern yet disying a peerless elegance.¡± Near the end, Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice also deepened. There was a vague, weeping quality to it, and his eyes also reddened, but his tears did not fall.


    Instead, he said, ¡°I remember you told me that your mother had sewn this for you in the past, and it was also the only memento you have left of her. You were a child she had when your parents were old, and they had always pampered you. They hired the best teacher for you, giving you the best possible life, and although her eyesight wasn¡¯t good, she still sewed such a perfume sachet for you. And you gave me this remembrance, asking me to wait for your return, that you definitely woulde back and take responsibility of me¡­ that you would definitely take responsibility of me¡­¡± Wu Xingzi exhaled heavily, remaining in a daze for quite some time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it anymore, it¡¯s all in the past. You¡¯re drunk, you should sleep for a bit. If not, you¡¯ll get a headacheter.¡± Guan Shanjin was about to tap his sleep point. He could roughly guess what came next without hearing it. That Zaizong-xiong, who said that he would definitelye back and take responsibility, did note back in the end; instead he married a wife and had a child. He then rose rapidly in court, and did not even n on returning those twenty-odd taels.


    ¡°No, no¡­ I believe you! I really believe you!¡± Who would have thought that Wu Xingzi would be agitated, clutching at Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand tightly. His strength was so great that the battle-hardened General winced in pain. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were unfocused, but they were bright, and his breathing was fast and hurried. He rambled, ¡°I carried that perfume sachet on me every day. Afraid that people would ask when they see it, I even sewed a bag and stored the sachet inside it, keeping it right next to my skin. Every day I looked at that perfume sachet, recalling your image, wondering exactly what you were looking at amongst the peach blossom trees. Why did I happen across you? I missed you every day, praying to heavens to let you pass with one try. I never wished to be life partners with you. I understand that it¡¯s treacherous in the court, and you have to be flexible with things. It was enough for me to just be next to you.¡± He sounded as though he was sobbing, but still, no tears fell.


    ¡°I waited for a year, but didn¡¯t hear any news of you. That was fine, the capital is far away. After your sess in the examinations, you might have many things to deal with. You had no family in Goose City, and it was normal to not have any news of you delivered back home. I waited for another year, and another year¡­ Three winters passed, and I was scared, worried that danger might have befallen upon you. However, I told myself to remain calm, as you were a person blessed with good fortune, and you might just be very busy.¡± At that moment, Adviser Wu paused again. He had a faraway look in his eyes, and he shook his head slightly. His hand that was grabbing Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand tightened even further, leaving crescent marks on the back of the fair hand, almost tearing the skin apart.


    Guan Shanjin did not interrupt. He could see that Wu Xingzi had already been possessed by his emotions. If he did not allow him to vent himself, he might fall into great illness.


    It took some time before Wu Xingzi spoke softly and hoarsely, as though dreading something. ¡°During the spring of the fourth year, the peach blossoms bloomed. Since I was missing you, I took a walk amongst those peach blossom trees. On my way back, I wanted to buy a little something for Auntie Li, as you know how she¡¯s always been so good to me. Upon entering Goose City, I heard that a merchant had just came from the capital and was selling some interesting little things.¡±


    ¡°Why did I be curious?¡± Wu Xingzi mumbled to himself, but there was no answer to this question. ¡°That merchant even brought along news about the Assistant Minister of Official Personnel Affairs, saying that it was someone from Goose City. He said that the person was good-looking and well-educated, and the emperor liked him very much. Three years ago, he had been named a top schr, and soon gained the emperor¡¯s trust. He was promoted every year, and even married the daughter of the Minister of Revenuest year. This year, he got a child¡­ As for me, I¡¯ve known this long ago¡­ If you were still alive, it meant that you didn¡¯t want toe back anymore. I knew this long ago¡­ However, you still left me a memento, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    A faint smile appeared on that ordinary face, but it looked uglier than when he was crying. He then chuckled, and the more heughed, the happier he got. He looked as though he was about to descend into madness.


    Guan Shanjin reached out to his sleep point. He could not let him continue immersing himself in this pain. This wound was buried too deeply. No matter how apathetic Wu Xingzi could get, he could no longer hold himself back.


    However, before Guan Shanjin¡¯s finger could tap the point, Wu Xingzi mumbled, ¡°I saw the perfume sachets the merchant was selling. They were exactly the same as the one you gave me¡­ There were dozens of them, dozens of them¡­ There were dozens of them¡­¡± Guan Shanjin deftly tapped his sleep point then, and he wrapped his arms tightly around the cold, sleeping body. He was finally able to confirm the identity of Zaizong-xiong.


    The son-inw of the ex-Minister of Revenue, the previous Assistant Minister of Official Personnel Affairs. The ex-Minister of Revenue had retired, and his son-inw now became the current Minister of Revenue ¡ª Yan Wenxin, courtesy name Zaizong. Born in Goose City, and a current favourite of the emperor. A staunch follower of the Crown Prince, he had once tried to cozy up with the Protector General. At that time when Guan Shanjin was in the capital, he had also received the drawing of Yan Wenxin¡¯s eldest daughter.


    Hmph! Damn you, Yan Wenxin!


    A smile appeared on Guan Shanjin¡¯s lovely, alluring, beautiful face. Like the devil, it was enchanting yet terrifying. ¡°Once I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll deal with you!¡±

 Chapter 24 - And So Will-o’-Wisp Lu Makes Trouble

    Chapter 24 ¡ª And So Will-o¡¯-Wisp Lu Makes Trouble


    * Will-o¡¯-Wisp is our trantion for °×Ô¹â,monly referred to as white moonlight in other trantions. It holds the idea of a hope or goal that leads one on but is impossible to reach, which seems to suitably describe many of these characters. Maybe except for the leading on, since there are some °×Ô¹â who are actually truly innocent and not to be med.


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    As Guan Shanjin was hugging Wu Xingzi and taking a short rest, Hei¡¯er knocked on the door. Without waiting for Guan Shanjin to respond, he pushed the doors opened and entered, his aloof, solemn face appearing a little dark. Seeing the sleeping Wu Xingzi in the general¡¯s arms, and how the corners of his eyes were still slightly damp and his nose still reddened, Hei¡¯er hesitated with the words in his mouth.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Hei¡¯er and the other three guards were Guan Shanjin¡¯s closest subordinates with the exception of Man Yue. He was normally not very strict with their discipline even in the camp, and so he was not very bothered by Hei¡¯er¡¯s interruption. Most likely, Man Yue had sent another letter urging him to return.


    ¡°Vice General Man has sent a letter.¡± As expected, this was the first sentence Hei¡¯er spoke. However, it sounded like he had more to say, so Guan Shanjinzily opened his eyes to look at him.


    Taking a deep breath, Hei¡¯er again nced at Wu Xingzi who was sleeping uneasily. He lowered his voice and continued, ¡°In Vice General Man¡¯s letter, he said that Mr. Lu fell from his horse two days ago, breaking a leg. He also has some slight internal injuries¡­¡±


    rmed, Guan Shanjin stood up, and the person sprawled in his arms nearly fell to the ground. However, he gave no heed to it. Instead, it was Hei¡¯er who quickly went up to support Wu Xingzi, preventing him from crashing onto the floor.


    ¡°Mr. Lu is injured?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s glinting eyes narrowed and the anxiety in them could not be concealed.


    ¡°Why did you only mention it now?¡± He questioned sharply. That icy tone caused Wu Xingzi to shudder, releasing a muffled groan. A tear slid down his white face, but it was as though Guan Shanjin did not see it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll return to Bastion City immediately. Tell Man Yue to get Physician Tu to treat Mr. Lu.¡±


    ¡°Vice General Man has already called Physician Tu over. In his letter, he says that Mr. Lu¡¯s injuries are not very serious. He¡¯ll be able to get down from the bed after about two months of rest.¡± Hei¡¯er paused for a moment. He took Wu Xingzi who had clearly been forgotten by the general into his arms, so that he would not fall and get injured.


    Guan Shanjin snorted. ¡°He needs two months of rest before he can get down the bed, but it¡¯s still not very serious? Man Yue resents Mr. Lu, it¡¯s hard to say that he won¡¯t take this opportunity and irritate him further. I have to go back right now. The four of you will finish dealing with the matters in Goose City ande back, don¡¯t slow me down.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s smile was very dark. These close subordinates of his all did not like Mr. Lu. It was likely that during this recovery period, Mr. Lu was feeling very uneasy!


    The more he thought about it, the more anxious he got. Guan Shanjin even had no intentions of leaving Restaurant of Songs through its front doors, but instead, used his qinggong and leapt out of the window. He did not want to dy his time for even a second.


    ¡°General!¡± With a person in his arms, Hei¡¯er was unable to chase after him. He could only watch as the ck figure disappeared in the distance.


    They were in for some trouble now. Hei¡¯er looked down at the pale-faced, despondent looking person in his arms, sighing in his heart.


    Standing outside the door just now, he had also heard Adviser Wu¡¯s story, and naturally noticed Guan Shanjin¡¯s tenderness for him as well. This Adviser Wu obviously had a different position in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, and people with eyes would definitely be able to see it. However, no matter how much Guan Shanjin liked him, Wu Xingzi would still never be able topare with the person that had been in his heart for so many years.


    In Man Yue¡¯s letter, he had given some special instructions. There was not to be any dy, and they had to immediately inform the general about Mr. Lu. However, Hei¡¯er did not understand why.


    Mr. Lu was about to seek a marriage alliance with the Yue family already, but right at the moment, this happened. The timing was too coincidental, and if not for Man Yue insisting over and over again, Hei¡¯er had wanted to drag it out for a few more days before telling Guan Shanjin. Now, great, was he supposed to send Adviser Wu back to Qingcheng County? Or was he supposed to bring him to Bastion City?


    Hei¡¯er was not inclined to think further about it. Guan Shanjin¡¯s attitude was not surprising, and Man Yue definitely had his own intentions and that was why he had given him those instructions. Now, he only had to think about Adviser Wu.


    After carefully wrapping Wu Xingzi tightly with a cloak, Hei¡¯er pulled the doors opened and summoned the server, giving him a few instructions. He then carried Wu Xingzi and jumped out through the window as well. Landing, he returned to the manor in Goose City, and happened to see the back of Guan Shanjin riding his horse, Zhu Xing.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er.¡± Fang He, a man with a big beard, came up to him. ¡°What¡¯s going on? The general only instructed us to bring Adviser Wu to Bastion City and left. Yesterday, didn¡¯t he say that he was going to stay here for a few more days?¡±


    ¡°Vice General Man sent a letter saying that Mr. Lu has injured himself falling from his horse. How could the general hold himself back?¡±


    At least he still remembered Wu Xingzi. Hei¡¯er was a little gratified.


    ¡°Falling from his horse at this time?¡± Fang He was speechless, his eyes full of undisguised ridicule. ¡°Isn¡¯t he about to have a marriage alliance with the Yue family already? I heard that he¡¯s nning on confirming the marriage before the New Year. This New Year is going to be tough.¡±


    ¡°Exactly¡­¡± Hei¡¯er sighed, shifting the person in his arms. ¡°If we¡¯re going to bring Adviser Wu with us, should we go to Qingcheng County first? Or do we just take him with us while he¡¯s still asleep?¡±


    He had a vague suspicion that if they waited for Adviser Wu to wake up, it would no longer be easy to take him with them. Secretly, Hei¡¯er wanted to let him go, as when they returned to Bastion City, it was likely that Adviser Wu¡¯s life there would not be very smooth sailing.


    ¡°Would Adviser Wu be willing to go to Bastion City when he wakes up?¡± Fang He was the one who asked the question, but he also shook his headposedly.


    The four of them all knew that Adviser Wu was not at all reluctant to part from the general. Even Manager Rancui probably had a higher position than the general¡¯s pengornis in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart, so how would he ever be willing to leave Qingcheng County?


    ¡°We can only beg the adviser¡¯s pardonter,¡± Hei¡¯er sighed. His entire life had been spent in the military and obeying orders had almost be an innate part of him. Moreover, this order came from Guan Shanjing. No matter how he felt that it was not right, he was unable to disobey the order. Not everyone could be like Man Yue, with a soft and plump figure, excellent tactics, and a silver tongue.


    ¡°Adviser Wu¡¯s body is weak, and he would not be able to endure an arduous journey. You should go ahead with him using a carriage, while we deal with the rest of the matters here. Once we¡¯ve settled everything, we¡¯ll immediately follow behind. If we arrivete by too many days after the general reaches Bastion City, I don¡¯t know if the general will still remember the adviser.¡± Fang He shook his headpassionately, turning around to prepare the carriage.


    It would be even better if he did not remember! The adviser would definitely return to Qingcheng County in delight, and spend his days with The Pengornisseur from then on, living his days peacefully and quietly.


    One hour after Guan Shanjin¡¯s departure, the carriage was ready. Although they were four rough men, they were very meticulous. Inside the carriage, there were veryfortable cushions and bedding. Although it was a little cramped, it was warm within. There were books, scripts and paintings to relieve any boredom and also nock of snacks and tea. Even a few sets of clothes were prepared, neatly and tidily packed within the drawers.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s creased brows rxed upon feeling the soft bedding. His lips curved faintly into a smile, as he nuzzled into a cushion and fell into a deeper sleep.


    Hei¡¯er was very skilled at driving a carriage. On top of that, the carriage itself was constructed very well. During their journey, there were barely any jolts, and the minor swaying only made the journey even more pleasant. Wu Xingzi slept all the way till the next day. Upon waking up, he stared nkly at this space that was even smaller than his own bedroom. Enveloped in a bedding that was as soft as clouds, for a moment he thought that he was still dreaming.


    So, he reached out and pinched himself on the thigh. Wincing in pain, he almost cried aloud before letting go.


    Where¡­ Where was this ce?


    Before he could even recover his wits, a ray of sun shone upon his face. A tower-like figure, blocking some of the light, spoke to him. ¡°You¡¯re awake already, Adviser Wu. Would you like something to eat or drink?¡±


    Wu Xingzi squinted his eyes. That ray of sun was not especially ring, but the eyes of a person who had been sleeping for an entire day and night were naturally sensitive, and the strength of the light was enough to bring tears to his eyes.


    ¡°Warrior, you¡¯re¡­¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly sat up from within the bedding. Now, he could finally see that he was in a carriage. How did he end up in a carriage? It couldn¡¯t be that a robber had kidnapped him, right?


    ¡°I¡¯m the magistrate¡¯s adviser Wu Xingzi from Qingcheng County. Warrior, are you seeking my money or my life?¡±


    Hearing this, Hei¡¯er paused for a few breaths beforeughing cheerily, ¡°This is Hei¡¯er, and I want your person.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­. Comander Hei?¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his eyes, and he could finally make out the person in front of him. Sighing a huge breath of relief, he bowed his head, feeling embarrassed, and apologised, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just woke up, so my mind isn¡¯t very awake. I¡¯ve actually mistaken Commander Hei as a robber. With your magnanimity, please don¡¯t take offense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Adviser, you can just call me Hei¡¯er.¡± Hei¡¯er tied up the curtains of the carriage, allowing the rare warm winter sun to shine into it, hoping that it would give the adviser¡¯s pale face a bit of a flush. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten for a day and night, would you like something to eat?¡±


    Once food was mentioned, Wu Xingzi could feel his stomach gurgling in hunger. With a red face, he pressed his hands against his tummy and replied bashfully, ¡°I am a little hungry. Does Commander Hei have a little rations that you can share with me?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call me Hei¡¯er, and I¡¯ll call you Adviser? Our current form of address makes us feel very distant.¡± Hei¡¯er felt helpless. In Man Yue¡¯s letter, he had asked him to build a good rapport with Wu Xingzi, and it would be best if Wu Xingzi could get used to having a personal guard before reaching Bastion City. Even if Wu Xingzi was unable to treat him like a subordinate, they had to at least interact on the same peer level, and he was not to let Wu Xingzi demean himself.


    Hei¡¯er sighed. He had not expected that this mission would be so difficult.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi faltered. He was only amoner, and he had an innate fear of military personnel. Moreover, themander had to be at least a fourth-ranked military official! For an ordinary folk like him, they were essentially separated by heaven and earth! How could he ever have the guts to just randomly call him by his nickname?


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll agree on it. I¡¯d like to be able to interact with you on an equal level, please grant me this wish.¡± Hei¡¯er no longer remained indirect. Adviser Wu was frank, honest and serious-minded. Rather than waiting for him to think things through, it would be more useful to quietly get him used to it during this journey of several days.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek. He really did not have the courage to refuse giving Hei¡¯er any face, and could only nod his head wildly. He stammered, ¡°Hei¡ªHei¡¯er¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Hei¡¯er smiled at him. He then handed over a bag made of oiled paper, and Wu Xingzi hurriedly epted it. In his hands, the bag was still warm, and he could smell a tempting aroma wafting out from it. Gulping his saliva down, he did not remain courteous any longer and tore into the bag. The fragrant bread and the rich aroma of the meat filling rushed out, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach that had been empty for a day and night gurgled loudly.


    Blushing heavily, Wu Xingzi sneaked a peek at Hei¡¯er. Seeing that he had already turned his head back to the front and was driving the carriage, he patted himself on the chest.


    In the bag, there were four big meat buns. They were still steaming, and biting into it, the juices of the meat dripped down his chin. It was so hot that his tongue became numb. The bun was fluffy, and it was stuffedpletely full with the filling. The meat was finely chopped, the taste well-rounded and pleasant, with a hint of the spiciness from ginger, but it was not overpowering. Like blossoms soaked in the juices of the meat filling, the bun was so delicious that he even wanted to swallow his tongue down along with it.


    These buns were somewhat different from those avable in Goose City. The bun was chewy yet fluffy, and the meat inside was extremely juicy, but was not overly tender. Tasting both fresh and salty, Wu Xingzi could not stop eating. He finished three in a go, and then stared at the fourth, not daring to touch it.


    ¡°Hei-Hei¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry. I was really too hungry, and I actually ate your share as well.¡± With four buns, it was expected that there were two for each of them. Hei¡¯er had a fit and muscr body, and he most likely ate more, not less than Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi was so embarrassed that he desperately wished for somewhere to bury his face.


    ¡°Adviser, what are you saying? These are all yours. I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± Hei¡¯er turned and consoled him, handing him a sk of cool water along the way. ¡°There should be tea leaves in the drawers. If you¡¯ll like some hot tea, I¡¯ll prepare some hot water for youter.¡±


    ¡°No need, no need for the trouble¡­¡± Wu Xingzi quickly waved his hands. He was not used to being taken care of like this, and in such a strange ce as well¡­ Biting into thest bun, he looked around outside. The unfamiliar scenery rushed past them continuously, and the carriage was quite fast. The coats of the two horses pulling the carriage were shiny and sleek, their bodies sturdy and muscr. The tter of their hooves was smooth and powerful, and they were extremely spirited.


    Although he wanted to ask Hei¡¯er where he was bringing him, Wu Xingzi was not a fool. Thinking over it, he could guess what was happening ¡ª this was definitely the path to Bastion City!


    Oh no, his Pengornisseur! Would Manager Rancui know that he had been taken away from Qingcheng County? And his rattan case of pengornis drawings! His erotic drawings! His Mr.D!


    At his wits¡¯ end, Wu Xingzi sat upon the bedding. Licking at the leftover meat juices on his fingers, his heart ached so much that his mind turned nk.


    Because he had been too drunk, Adviser Wu had long forgotten what had happened yesterday in Restaurant of Songs. Now, he also did not have the desire to think about how he had somehow gotten into this carriage on its way to Bastion City, or about Guan Shanjin who had been following him around the entire time, why did he see no sign of him?


    The only thought in his head was, the weather had been quite cold recently, there were not many bugs around, so the insect-repelling scent pouch should be able tost for a few more days.


    If he could not return to Qingcheng County before the New Year, his pengornis drawings might be in danger!


    Each and every one of them was worth a coin! Every piece represented a beautiful night, and as he thought about it, his heart ached to the point where tears were about to roll down his cheeks. He did not have a flush that came from having had enough food and drinks, but instead, his face had an ashen look to it that spoke of destion.


    Hei¡¯er did notice it, but he mistakenly thought that Wu Xingzi was upset about discovering Guan Shanjin¡¯s absence. Thinking about it, heforted him, ¡°Adviser, you don¡¯t have to worry about him. The general had something to attend to, so he went ahead first. You¡¯ll be able to see him once we arrive in Bastion City.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, looking nkly at Hei¡¯er. In his mind, he was still flipping through each pengornis drawing from his memories. His entire person looked lost, and he did not seem to be paying any attention to what Hei¡¯er was saying, only nodding his head along.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Hei¡¯er saw how Wu Xingzi looked at the moment, and he could not bear it. So, he decided to remind him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be too bothered about Mr. Lu. Although the general is unable to get away for now, you¡¯re still in his heart.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± This time, Wu Xingzi heard it, but he did not understand what Hei¡¯er was saying. That dazed look made Wu Xingzi seem even more pitiful. He was like a drenched quail, a little pile of feathers huddled on the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Sighing, Hei¡¯er solemnly made a promise, hoping that the person in front of him would not be hurt too badly.

 Chapter 25 - Let’s Just Plant Cucumbers

    Chapter 25 ¡ª Let¡¯s Just nt Cucumbers


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The carriage was not the fastest way to travel. In consideration of Wu Xingzi¡¯s health, Hei¡¯er always paid some attention and took care of him. By the third evening, the other three guards had caught up to them on their horses.


    It was very apparent that these four tall and sturdy men had been thoroughly tempered on the battlefield. Their expressions were cold and stern. Although they were good-looking, the frostiness in their appearance could not be disguised, and their eyes contained vague traces of bloodlust. One of them had a long scar on his face which split his exotic-looking face into skewed halves.


    Wu Xingzi remained huddled up in the carriage. He had always been timid, and he would even unconsciously detour around the head constable and his team, to say nothing of these military men who had spent so much time killing on the battlefield.


    His feelings could not be described as fear, but more like holding them in awe and respect, as well as feeling at a loss on how to interact with them.


    Fortunately, the four guards all knew about his character, and they silently spurred the horses on as they protected him. Other than Hei¡¯er, no one else tried chatting with him. Of course, all these were instructions that had been specially given by Man Yue. The guards did not understand the reason behind it, but they still obeyed the instructions.


    A few dayster, Wu Xingzi got used to them, and he was no longer as reserved. He could even have a short, casual conversation with Hei¡¯er, inquiring about the scenery of Bastion City.


    When they were about half a day away from Bastion City, Fang He released a pigeon, reporting to Man Yue. This journey had been a little longer than usual,sting for seventeen days. They were ten entire dayster than Guan Shanjin, and the four guards were all a little puzzled. Man Yue wanted them to slow down and not hurry, and also did not want them to stop the general. No one knew what he was scheming.


    If not for the fact that everyone knew Man Yue never liked Mr. Lu, they might have thought that he wanted to solidify Mr. Lu¡¯s position, and was deliberately rejecting Adviser Wu.


    Half a dayter, the group arrived at the gates of Bastion City. From afar, they could see a tall, handsome horse with a red, silver-speckled coat. On its back was a round, plump officer in silver armour, and under the sun, he was extremely conspicuous.


    ¡°Vice General Man.¡± The group quickly made their way over. They had a thousand and one thoughts in their head, and they could not help wanting toin a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. Follow me.¡± Man Yue nced at the carriage, and Wu Xingzi happened to just lift up the curtain to look outside. Their eyes met, and Man Yue revealed a simple and honest smile. The adviser felt a sudden relief and was no longer as nervous.


    So this person, who looks like Maitreya when he smiles, turns out to be the Vice General Man that everyone has been talking about. He seems like a good person andpletely does not have the bloodlust of a military man.


    ¡°Vice General Man.¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands at him. However, he forgot that he was still in a carriage. Staggering, he nearly fell out, but luckily Hei¡¯er was fast enough and deftly caught him, pushing him back lightly into the carriage.


    ¡°Please be careful, Adviser.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you, thank you, I¡¯ve troubled you again.¡± Wu Xingzi blushed, rubbing his nose in embarrassment and no longer dared to move around. Only his eyes darted about curiously, looking at this border city that shared no resemnce to Qingcheng County or Goose City.


    Bastion City was originally called Nan¡¯an City. However, the southern barbarians had staged a long, aggressive campaign against the city, and the city barely experienced many peaceful days. 1


    The young and strong males in the city either had permanent disabilities or were part of the troops stationed there. Most of the citizens were either very old or very young, and those who were able to leave had long been gone. Now, it was mostly the females who were left in charge, and therefore, in Bastion City as well as the four counties surrounding it, the females were highly respected. The status of a female was no less than that of a male, and sometimes, they were even of a higher status.


    As there were too many deaths, Bastion City did not bury their dead, but cremated them instead. They would store the ashes in little earthen jars and bury them under their beds at home. This way, they could prevent the enemy from digging up the graves and tarnishing their ancestors, and it was also much safer for them when they paid their respects to their ancestors. However, in the eyes of outsiders, although the ashes belonged to family members, it still felt extremely creepy to have them buried under their beds.


    After a long time, this strange practice was referred to as Horse-Face, a shortened name from Ox-Head and Horse-Face2. After using this name out of habit, it naturally became part of the city¡¯s name. 3


    The folk customs of Bastion City were unwavering. Although peace had returned to the city five years ago, and the city had also flourished after that, all that they saw were still strong and fortified buildings. Practicality outweighed everything else, and there were barely any decorations. All they could see was a greyish, muddy tone. There was no sign of the elegance that was special to the south.


    By the road, females could be seen with exposed arms. They were dressed in trousers, their shirts tucked under their waistbands. Huffing and puffing, they were transporting goods up the ox carts. Mixed in with the males, it seemed like no one found it strange.


    It really was an eye-opener. Wu Xingzi looked left and right, his body stretching further out, and he nearly stumbled off the carriage again. Hei¡¯er sighed lightly, and decided to just help Wu Xingzi out of the carriage and sat him beside himself. In a low voice, he introduced the sights of Bastion City.


    After travelling for about the time it took for a joss stick to burn, the crowd finally arrived at the estate of the Southern Garrison General. Wu Xingzi stared at the bold and unconstrained writing on the que, his mouth falling open to the point where two eggs could be ced within, and he forgot how to blink.


    A momentter, he heard himself ask, ¡°Hai, H-h-h-haiwang is the Southern Garrison General?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Man Yue smiled at him, his eyes curving. ¡°Has the general never mentioned it before?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head stiffly. Something Guan Shanjin had said before suddenly shed across his mind; that there was no one in Bastion City who could do anything about him¡­ That was true, no one was able to do anything about the Southern Garrison General! How did he not think of that?!


    Wu Xingzi patted himself on the chest as he heaved a sigh of relief; he had been lucky in his escape from his feelings, and an inexplicable wistfulness welled up within him at this thought.


    He did not dare to think about why he had always avoided specting about the possibility of Guan Shanjin being the Southern Garrison General. The reputation of the general had clearly spread far and wide, and there were also many discussions about him in Qingcheng County. Other than being famed for his prowess in battle, many often mentioned how young and promising the general was.


    Should he not have guessed it long ago? With Guan Shanjin¡¯s age, as well as his impressive family background, although his appearance was not the savage and frightening face that the rumours had described, and he did not even have any scars on his face and had a god-like beauty, all signs pointed to Guan Shanjin being the Southern Garrison General¡­ And it was just Wu Xingzi who was unwilling to draw the conclusion¡­


    His slender shoulders slumped slightly, and he urgently needed The Pengornisseur to soothe himself.


    Despite being unwilling to admit it, Guan Shanjin¡¯s care and concern over the past month had made him lower his barriers around his heart by a lot.


    ¡°The general has arranged for Mr. Wu to stay in Shuanghe Yard in the west. Please follow me.¡± Man Yue seemed topletely ignore Wu Xingzi¡¯s apprehensive expression. He did what he had to, and led him into the estate.


    ¡°Right, the four of you, quickly go see the general.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Unconsciously, Wu Xingzi looked at Hei¡¯er. Ever since he returned to the general¡¯s estate, Hei¡¯er was no longer as warm as he had been during their journey. He was even colder and sterner than when Wu Xingzi first met him, and he straight away turned and left. Wu Xingzi felt even more uneasy. He was in a foreign ce with no one familiar next to him. Although Man Yue seemed as though he was easy to get along with, he was still a stranger. Wu Xingzi twisted his own sleeves, almost ripping them apart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯re all good people here in the general¡¯s estate.¡± Man Yueforted him down at the right moment. No matter how Wu Xingzi looked at it, Man Yue¡¯s smiling, cheery face looked warm and friendly. He gradually calmed down and shyly nodded at Man Yue to express his gratitude.


    Shuanghe Yard was a rather small courtyard, and the rooms were very simple. A patch of mallow nts were growing in the yard. There were even some vegetable patches, and despite the overflowing weeds, they allowed Wu Xingzi to give a sigh of relief.


    ¡°The general is especially afraid of you getting bored. Bastion City doesn¡¯t have much for entertainment aspared to Goose City, and so by nting some vegetables, you should be able to while away some time. The soil here can be considered quite fertile. Mr. Wu can just let me know what sort of vegetables you¡¯ll like to nt.¡± Man Yue led Wu Xingzi around the courtyard, then pushed open the doors and brought him into the rooms.


    The scent of wood filled his nose. It was apparent that the furniture within was all brand new.


    The furnishings within were cozy andfortable. Bastion City was further to the south than Qingcheng County. As long as it was not raining or the wind was not blowing, it did not feel like winter at all.


    After pushing the windows opened, the house seemed even brighter. The plum blossom tree outside the window had only just started budding, and when it would be in full bloom, the rooms would definitely be filled with its scent.


    Wu Xingzi liked this little house very much. Every decoration and furnishing was to his liking, and there was even a small kitchen by the side. He did not know if it had always been there, or if they had built the kitchen onlyter.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, please take a rest first. Later on, I¡¯ll get Hei¡¯er to bring two maids toe take care of you.¡± Man Yue was about to leave. He was, after all, the busiest person in the general¡¯s estate. If not for wanting to take a look at the sort of person Wu Xingzi was, he would not have appeared to handle such matters.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for any maids!¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly rejected him. What status did he have to need any maids?


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, in the general¡¯s estate, we cannot slight any important guests. Mr. Wu, don¡¯t worry. The maids I¡¯ve selected are all smart and capable girls, they won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Man Yue was smiling, but his tone was irrefutable. With his mouth left open, Wu Xingzi was unable to say a word, and he could only nod his head and ept it.


    Man Yue¡¯s round and fair figure vanished quickly into the distance. The courtyard immediately quieted. The wind asionally brushed against the mallow nts, and the light scratching sounds made Wu Xingzi shrink into himself, a little fearful.


    After contemting for a moment, he decided to first toss away all the anxiety that he was feeling. Since he was already here, he should go along with it. All he had to do was wait until he saw Guan Shanjin and then he would ask him to send him back to Qingcheng County. He would be able to return home before the new year¡­ right?


    After exploring the entirety of Shuanghe Yard, Wu Xingzi finally stopped at the vegetable patches. Picking up the corners of his robe and tucking them into his belt, he started to pluck out the weeds earnestly.


    When all the weeds were cleared, Wu Xingzi piled them up by the side. He entered the kitchen to look for a flint, wanting to burn the weeds to make fertiliser.


    The soil of the vegetable patches was dark, fertile earth. With the smell of fresh dirt, Wu Xingzi almost forgot that he was in the general¡¯s estate, and instead felt as though he was home.


    Finally managing to find a flint, he saw an unfamiliar man when he returned to the yard.


    It was a pretty man with a refined appearance. Like a willow, his temperament seemed as gentle as water.


    Adviser Wu, who always appreciated a beautiful face, could not help but stare at the man. Only when the man frowned slightly at him, as though he was quite displeased, did Wu Xingzi hurriedly lower his head. With a red face, he cupped his hands in apology, ¡°Apologies to this Master for the offense.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± The man made a small sound of acknowledgement. His voice was extremely pleasant, and even the owner of House of Taotie, Su Yang, did not have a voice as melodious as him. His voice was like the bubbling sound of a brook, as sweet as a nightingale. The tips of Adviser Wu¡¯s ears reddened slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one from Qingcheng County?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯m Adviser Wu Xingzi from Qingcheng County. My pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Ah, this voice is really lovely, only a little worse than Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi¡­¡± The man recited his name softly, ending with a mocking lilt. ¡°This name is quite special.¡±


    ¡°No, no. My father named me on impulse, and there¡¯s no profound meaning to it. It can just be called out smoothly.¡± Wu Xingzi blushed a little. His name had no rtion with any literary anecdotes, and if it had to be exined, it could only be said that the name came from his parents¡¯ sincere love for their child.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hua Shu.¡±


    ¡°Master Hua.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Lu¡¯s caretaker. The general will be staying at Mr. Lu¡¯s abode for the next few days, and so, he may neglect his honoured guest. Mr. Lu has specially sent me here to seek forgiveness from Mr. Wu, and he hopes that Mr. Wu would not be mistaken about anything. He sends his wishes and hopes to prevent you from getting upset.¡± Hua Shu haughtily raised his fair and sharp chin slightly. A pair of limpid eyes nced slowly over at Wu Xingzi, and his lips curled in a faint smile.


    ¡°What?¡± Adviser Wu blinked at him. He could feel that Hua Shu looked down on him, but that was nothing. After all, he was someone from the general¡¯s estate! It would be normal for him to be arrogant. However, he did not really understand what Hua Shu was saying. On his way here, Hei¡¯er had told him that the reason Guan Shanjin had rushed back was because Mr. Lu fell down and broke his leg.


    Since Mr. Lu was currently recovering from his injury, it was human nature for Guan Shanjin to spend more time with him. Were they not a pair of teacher and student? A teacher was like an adoptive father, and the younger generation should take good care of the older generation in the first ce.


    As such, he quickly cupped his hands together and answered, ¡°I hope Mr. Lu will recover well. As they say, a disciple should serve their teachers. Haiwang is the junior, and it¡¯s expected of him to stay by Mr. Lu¡¯s side.¡± However, he did not expect that Hua Shu¡¯s face would suddenly change. A dark glimmer shed across his limpid eyes, and Hua Shu snorted coldly. ¡°Mr. Wu has a very sharp tongue.¡±


    What?


    Wu Xingzi looked confused. Did he say something wrong?


    ¡°You think that the general has really fallen for you? Hmph! In the general¡¯s heart, you can¡¯t evenpare to a strand of Mr. Lu¡¯s hair. You should quickly realise your own status, and stop daydreaming!¡± Hua Shu shook his sleeves fiercely before turning around and leaving.


    Left behind once again, Wu Xingzi was at a loss. He did not have any time to defend himself and could only foolishly stand there and watch as Hua Shu departed. He then sighed heavily, ¡°Let¡¯s just nt cucumbers.¡±


    The people of this city had really bad tempers!

 Chapter 26 - The Adviser’s Daily Life

    Chapter 26 ¡ª The Adviser¡¯s Daily Life


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    With a garden, Wu Xingzi¡¯s days in Bastion City went quite well.


    Not long after Hua Shu left that day, Hei¡¯er led two maids into the house. They were a pair of twins. The elder was called Mint1, and the younger was called Osmanthus2. They were around the age of thirteen, and were locals born and bred in Bastion City. They were quick with their work, and very familiar with handling the garden. Everyday they would collect water to water the nts, remove the weeds, and catch the bugs, and they were even better at the job than Wu Xingzi.


    Guan Shanjin seemed to have left some instructions and ording to them, the two maids were supposed to go to the main kitchen every two days to collect some vegetables, meat, eggs, rice and noodles. The three of them would then start a fire in the kitchen of Shuanghe Yard, and they never ate anything from the main kitchen.


    Wu Xingzi was very satisfied with this. The first day when he ate the noodles that Mint cooked, the noodles were like slippery little white fish. After they were cooked, the water was drained and the noodles were mixed with chili, vinegar, soy sauce, coriander, beansprouts, etc. It was very delicious, but so spicy that it made Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips swell. He did not get a good sleep, and even woke up in the middle of the night with diarrhoea. The next morning, it was as though he had wilted.


    Only then did he learn that the food of Bastion City was so heavily seasoned.


    This was especially evident with the chili peppers that had been imported from overseas over the past few years. They were red and pointy, and looked adorable. However, who would have thought that they were spicy enough to revive a person from death?! The tongue-piercing pain, however, added a finishing touch to the seasoning, and the spiciness was so addictive that people could not stop eating.


    Qingcheng County was located rather far away, it tended to be rather enclosed. On top of that, the people in the past were not too interested in spicy food, and at most, they would only use a little bit of chinese cornel dogwood for vouring. They barely had any dishes that would use chili peppers, and Wu Xingzi actually never took spicy food.


    It was no wonder that Guan Shanjin would specially prepare this small kitchen for Wu Xingzi to cook. If not, if Adviser Wu did not die from the spice, he might have died from diarrhoea.


    After that, the food prepared by the two maids was a lot lighter in vour. They would always meticulously prepare the stock, which enhanced the original vour of the ingredients further. Wu Xingzi was, at first, worried that the two girls had to amodate him in the taste of the food, but after seeing how they would pull out a little jar each time during the meal, and added the pickled chili to their own food, he felt more at ease.


    Farming, eating, and asionally strolling about Bastion City with Hei¡¯er, a month passed for Wu Xingzi. In about ten days, the Chinese New Year would soon arrive.


    In the past, Wu Xingzi had always spent the New Year alone. His reunion dinner was always very simple, settling it with just a fried fish.


    As for the Chinese New Year goods, he never paid special attention to them. After pasting some paper-cuttings on the windows, writing a spring couplet for his door, and buying some dried fruits, his preparations would be done. The dishes that he prepared for the offerings to his ancestors had always been simple, mostly because if he could not finish them himself, they would also be wasted.


    During the entire Chinese New Year period, other than visiting some friends and making his prayers on the first day, the rest of his time was spent at home reading. Those books were actually old books that he had read already. Before joining the Peng Society, Adviser Wu had not bought any new books in the past ten years. Each time, he would reread those books that he had fortunately rescued in the past, the books that belonged to his father.


    That year when the flood happened, together with the age of the books, no matter how carefully Wu Xingzi took care of the books, the words inside had all started to smudge. Especially thements that his father wrote, the ink was not of a very good quality. About eleven or twelve years ago, the words had already blurred into an indistinct smudge. However, Wu Xingzi still treasured them, and looked through them annually. After the New Year, he would then carefully wrap them up in a fewyers of waxed paper and store them with some insect-repelling herbs.


    It seems like it¡¯s toote to go back and take the books this year.


    Adviser Wu sighed, feeling a little lost and disappointed.


    Right, and what should I do about the offerings? I¡¯m the only one left in the family, to let my parents and my ancestors go hungry this year, as a descendant, how can I do that?!


    Wu Xingzi started feeling anxious. Fortunately, Hei¡¯er happened to bring him some Chinese New Year goods, and he hurriedly caught hold of him. ¡°Hei¡¯er, is the general busy recently?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Hei¡¯er could not say that the general was not busy, but neither could he say he was. It was just that the general had given all his free time to Mr. Lu. After a moment of silence, Hei¡¯er resolutely shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not very busy. The New Year is approaching, and so there¡¯s a lot less official duties to handle. If you¡¯d like to see the general, I¡¯ll help you ask him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you. Please check with him as quickly as possible.¡± Wu Xingzi heaved a breath of relief. However, he soon quickly wrung his hands uneasily and asked, ¡°What should I do if the general doesn¡¯t have time to see me? Does Vice General Man have the free time to meet me then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Vice General Man is truly too busy.¡±


    After all, the busiest person in Bastion City was Man Yue! Thinking about the man who had again carelessly gained another five kilograms of weight, Hei¡¯er¡¯s face twitched, and he held hisughter back.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± He could not just let this be. Even a fast horse would need eight to nine days to travel from Bastion City to Qingcheng County. Not knowing how to ride a horse, Wu Xingzi¡¯s journey was bound to dy even more. Making his calctions, if he wanted to go home for the Chinese New Year to pray to his ancestors as well as change the insect repellent sachet for his pengornis drawings, he had to leave within the next couple of days. ¡°Please help me tell the general, I¡¯d just like to tell him something.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, I would live up to my words.¡± In Hei¡¯er¡¯s heart, he believed that Adviser Wu was missing the general. Having been in Bastion City for so many days, the two had not even seen each other once. No matter howposed the adviser was, he would definitely feel a little resentful!


    Hei¡¯er really did not know what the general was thinking. Since he had made arrangements to bring Adviser Wu here, why did he forget all about him now? Also, since he had already forgotten about him, why would he ask after the adviser every few days? Hei¡¯er admitted that his brain was not too intelligent, and after contemting about this a few times, he decided to just stop and no longer think about it anymore.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Wu Xingzi bowed a few times to express his gratitude, forcing Hei¡¯er to run away from Shuanghe Yard before he stopped thanking him.


    The two girls were listening nearby. Seeing that Hei¡¯er had left, Mint then asked, ¡°Sir, are you thinking about the general?¡±


    The reason why Mint would ask this was because over the past one month, the two sisters had never seen nor heard this gentle, friendly master ever mention the general even once. Instead, he mentioned the grave that he had selected three times already, talking about what trees there were, about the shade avable, the luxuriant grass and nts, and that it was truly a great ce to beid to rest.


    They did not understand what he was describing, as the dead in Bastion City were cremated and buried under the beds.


    When Vice General Man had selected them to serve Mr. Wu, they had thought that he was the general¡¯s lover. Although he was somewhat older, the girls really liked his gentle, friendly aura. Aspared to Master Hua and Mr. Lu, he was so much better.


    But as the days passed, they soon realised that they did not understand what was going on. Mr. Wu came to Bastion City from Qingcheng County because of the general, but the general was apanying Mr. Lu everyday. When the two sisters went to the main kitchen to collect the groceries, they did see the general being very close to Mr. Lu a few times. There was no difference from the past, and the general¡¯s alluring, amorous eyes were still full of undeniable love.


    Why did this sort of general still choose to bring Mr. Wu back?


    And what made them even more uncertain was how apparent Mr. Wu¡¯sck of interest in the general was.


    No matter how they looked at it, these two people lookedpletely like strangers! How did they end up together?


    ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched at his cheeks, smiling awkwardly. He could not tell these two young girls that he was thinking about his parents, his ancestors, and his pengornis drawings!


    ¡°Sir, this time when you see the general, you must grab hold of his heart!¡± Osmanthus had a solemn look on her face. Her hand that was catching bugs tightened, and a crack was heard.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Sir. Mr. Lu is to get engaged after the New Year. Just endure it for a few years. Spend some quality time with the general, and twist him around your little finger,¡± Chiming in, Mint looked very excited.


    The girls had listened to quite a number of romance stories. Towards love, they were not very clear about it, but they still yearned for it. Especially the stories where the little maid was not only the master¡¯s meticulous caretaker, she would also cleverly help the master by suggesting ideas to gain favour, and they had long been itching to try this out.


    Adviser Wu smiled wryly. He did not want to burst the girls¡¯ bubbles directly, but he really did not need any sort of favours! In the end, in front of Guan Shanjin, there was no such thing as pampering or love, but only an extension of their tryst.


    ¡°Little girls should work harder and talk less, don¡¯t end up killing off my cucumbers.¡± Wu Xingzi had no choice but to change the topic, pretending to reproach the two girls.


    Having long understood his temperament, Mint and Osmanthus giggled. They werepletely unafraid of him, but they also stopped talking about this topic.


    In the evening, Wu Xingzi happened to be kneading dough with Mint and Osmanthus. They were preparing to make pies for dinner, when Hei¡¯er again arrived at Shuanghe Yard.


    ¡°Adviser.¡± The sturdy man looked somewhat haggard.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er?¡± They had only not met for a few hours, how did he end up looking like this? Wu Xingzi was shocked. He casually tossed the dough in his hands aside, leaning closer to look at him. ¡°What happened? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Silently, Hei¡¯er took half a step back, hanging his head. ¡°Thank you Adviser for your concern, I¡¯m very well. The general has asked me to pass his words. At noon tomorrow, you¡¯ll have lunch together, and anything can be spoken face to face.¡±


    ¡°At noon tomorrow?¡± Wu Xingzi nodded and remembered it, finally breathing a sigh of relief. He knew that it was very likely that Guan Shanjin had already forgotten about him. If he left without saying anything, it also would not cause any trouble. However, he felt that after living in the other person¡¯s home for a month, he ought to at least express his gratitude, and furthermore, he also needed to borrow a horse. ¡°Thank you very much, Hei¡¯er. Would you like to have dinner with us tonight? The girls are mouring for pies, and it¡¯s no trouble at all to make a few more.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your consideration, Adviser.¡± Cupping his hands, Hei¡¯er took threerge steps back, looking a little panicked. ¡°I still have duties to attend to, so I¡¯ll make my farewells first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Wu Xingzi was befuddled watching those three steps. These few days, he had gotten quite close to Hei¡¯er, but why was there this distance between them again?


    He wanted to ask, but he could not bring himself to ask so directly. As such, he could only cup his hands back at Hei¡¯er, bidding him farewell. Returning back to the girls a little glumly, he kneaded the dough with even more vigour.


    Detecting that Wu Xingzi was not in a good mood, the girls did not disturb him. Consciously, they left the dough to him and went to the side to prepare the meat filling.


    Still, Adviser Wu was not the sort to hold himself down to memories. As he kneaded the dough, his mood improved, and while waiting for the dough to proof, he even taught the girls to recite poems.


    ¡°The cooked meat from the pig, the fragrance wafting through the vige. The hungry crows gather around the trees, and the old people stand by the temple gates. Although there were not many offerings, the ancient customs still remain. Drunk, they thought about the meat, leaving it for their young ones.¡±3


    The girls did not know how to read, and listened to Wu Xingzi exin as he recited it. Mint covered her mouth andughed, ¡°It¡¯s already winter, and the year ising to an end. All the meat is already gone.¡±


    ¡°Although there¡¯s no meat, but since the porkes from the pig, it¡¯s also good to try gaining some luck.¡± Wu Xingzi had started reciting poetry on impulse. Now, he was chatting happily with Mint and Osmanthus, and had forgotten about that tiny unhappy matter with regards to Hei¡¯er.


    Naturally, he also did not know that outside the yard, a pair of eyes were glued to his reddened, smiling face. Those eyes were on a quite gloomy face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going in?¡± Man Yue was holding onto a court bulletin that he had only read halfway, and he nced over at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet tomorrow at noon anyway.¡± Guan Shanjin was still dressed in ck like usual. With his half-lidded eyes, he looked somewhat indolent, but it was to conceal the glumness in his eyes.


    ¡°Then you could have just waited! Why did you have to drag me here to peep at him?¡± Man Yue was so busy that he desperately wished he could grow another pair of hands and four more pairs of eyes. He did not have the time to stroll about with the general!


    ¡°I wanted toe and see why he suddenly wanted to look for me.¡±


    Man Yue could not help but look at him disdainfully, and he replied, annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re really very simple minded! What if Adviser Wu were to ask why you¡¯re ignoring him in front of Mr. Lu tomorrow, what do you n to do then?¡±


    ¡°Would he ask?¡± Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth. He had deliberately ignored Wu Xingzi for so many days, but he did not expect that this old thing would still live so happily. There was no trace of haggardness on him at all, and he even got so close with Hei¡¯er! Guan Shanjin snorted. He had seen Hei¡¯er¡¯s pengornis before, how could itpare to the Southern Garrison General¡¯s ¨¦p¨¦e?


    ¡°What sort of dirty things are you thinking about again?¡± Man Yue really knew Guan Shanjin too well. Only with a nce, he frowned, scorning him.


    ¡°Pengornis.¡± Guan Shanjin snorted coldly in reply. Man Yue¡¯s hand shook, and he nearly dropped the bulletin in his hand, coughing a few times unnaturally.


    ¡°The night is still young. If you¡¯re really capable, just ask Mr. Lu to pull his out and let you admire it.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying!¡± Spitting, General Guan¡¯s brows creased. His eyes were again drawn to that thin figure in the yard.


    Wu Xingzi really had a strange body. Despite eating more and eating better, he seemed to lose even more weight. Guan Shanjin kept looking at him for quite some time. Until Wu Xingzi carried arge tray of pie into the kitchen, only then did Guan Shanjin look away.


    ¡°So did you manage to find any gold?¡± Finally done with the bulletin, Man Yue looked up, the mockery evident in his words.


    ¡°I found an old quail.¡± Guan Shanjin was slightly speechless. He too did not understand why he dragged Man Yue over to peep into the yard. In the end, Wu Xingzi was only a shadow of Mr. Lu, but recently, they seemed more and more different.


    At first, with Mr. Lu next to him, and with how Mr. Lu¡¯s traces were vanishing in Wu Xingzi, he should have long since thrown him back to Qingcheng County. However, why was he so resistant in doing so? Unless, it was because of Mr. Lu¡¯s impending marriage? Was he looking for someone to fill his ce?


    It probably was like this! Barely managing to convince himself, Guan Shanjin left, dragging Man Yue with him.


    Mr. Lu had yet to fully recover. Whenever he swallowed his food, his chest would always hurt. Guan Shanjin felt worried about leaving Hua Shu to take care of him, so he had to go back and feed Mr. Lu his meal. Any dys were not good for his body.


    ¡°Hah, I bet Mr. Lu must be anxiously waiting for you today.¡± Man Yue allowed Guan Shanjin to drag him along, but he threw this sentence out.


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying.¡± Pinching Man Yue¡¯s fleshy chin, Guan Shanjin secretly wished that Mr. Lu would feel anxious. However, he was very aware of how indifferent Mr. Lu¡¯s character was. Mr. Lu had always been very tactful in handling matters and people, so much so that Guan Shanjin hated it, so how could he ever feel anxious about him being a few minuteste?


    Man Yue snorted and flung off Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, urging him on in vexation. ¡°Go, go, go, go feed that darling of yours with the broken leg. I¡¯m hungry as well, I won¡¯t apany you anymore!¡± With a nimbleness that no one could imagine, Man Yue vanished into the night.

 Chapter 27 - Will o’ Wisp Lu Finally Appears!

    Chapter 27 ¨C Will o¡¯ Wisp Lu Finally Appears!


    Wu Xingzi woke upte. It was already past 9am when he was awaken. Someone, either Mint or Osmanthus, was knocking on his door, calling him.


    ¡°Mister! Mister! Are you up yet?¡± Opening his eyes blearily, Wu Xingzi zoned out for quite some time. Hearing the girls outside the door discussing anxiously whether they should break the door down, he answered in a fluster, ¡°I¡¯m up! I¡¯m up!¡±


    ¡°Mister is up!¡± This voice sounded like it belonged to Osmanthus. She delightedly exhaled in relief. ¡°Mister, the general has sent someone to invite you over.¡±


    ¡°The general?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s brain had yet to fully awaken. Pulling an outer robe on, he stumbled to open the door. Probably because he had slept for too long, his bones ached a little.


    ¡°Yes, the general is inviting you over.¡± Mint could see that Wu Xingzi was still in a daze. He was staring nkly at them, and she could not help but burst outughing as she shook her head. ¡°Mister, you should quickly go and wash up. Today, you must fully capture the general!¡±


    ¡°Fully capture the general?¡± No, he could not do that! He still had to go back home and pay respects to his ancestors.


    Atst, he woke uppletely. Wu Xingzi smiled awkwardly at the two girls, keeping quiet. He took the water basin from Mint and turned to head back into his room.


    Long used to how Wu Xingzi handled everything by himself, the girls freely opened the wardrobe and took out a dark green silky robe, and picked out a peony-red belt that was woven with glinting threads. With light blue inner clothes, and its cor embroidered with a bird pattern, his clothes looked simple, yet exquisite.


    Osmanthus found a few essories, and both of thempared those essories on Wu Xingzi¡¯s belt, looking doubtful.


    Done with washing up, Wu Xingzi was about tob and tie up his hair in a bun. However, Mint quickly came over and took hisb away from him. Pushing him towards the dressing table and sitting him down, she deftly applied a hair oil with the scent of osmanthus on his hair, skilfullybing his hair for him.


    Uhh¡­ Wu Xingzi was shocked silly. The smell of the osmanthus hair oil was a little thick, and he could not help but sneeze a few times. A slightly wry expression appeared on his face when he made a vague guess about the reason behind the girls¡¯ actions.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not¡­¡± seeking any affections, I just want to go home to spend the New Year, that¡¯s all¡­ Wu Xingzi was unable to say that aloud, and it was highly likely that the two girls would not listen as well. Wu Xingzi sighed, resignedly letting them do whatever they wanted. He only hoped that Guan Shanjin would not misunderstand anything.


    ¡°It had been arranged that you would be having lunch together, but the general now has invited you over so early. There must be something going on.¡± Osmanthus was scenting the clothes next to them. The fragrance was very nice, a refreshing green scent that made Wu Xingzi feel at ease.


    ¡°Maybe he has some military matters to deal with.¡± The two girls snorted heavily hearing this.


    ¡°More like he¡¯s worried about dying Mr. Lu¡¯s meal time.¡± Mint cleverly twisted his hair into a bun, inserting a warm, jade-coloured hair sp. The style was neat and simple, and there was no extraneous ornamentation.


    ¡°That definitely is the case.¡± Osmanthus pouted, feeling unreconciled. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Lu fall and break his leg? His hands are not broken as well, why does he need the general to feed him every meal?!¡±


    ¡°I heard Physician Tu say that Mr. Lu has some internal injuries. The general is probably even more worried due to this.¡± Mint red at her younger sister in warning. There were some things that they should not specte as servants.


    Osmanthus stuck her tongue out. She obediently carried the clothes that had been scented over, and dressed the entirely stiff Wu Xingzi properly.


    ¡°Mister, you too look like an outstanding talent, and a delicate beauty.¡± Mint looked at Wu Xingzi in satisfaction. After some dressing up, the originally gentle but ordinary looking middle-aged man now vaguely had a sort of aura that was simr to the Banished Immortal, Li Bo. He had lost a touch of his friendliness, but there were additional traces of elegance.


    Wu Xingzi could only give a wry smile.


    This had far exceeded resignation alone. No matter how sincere and straightforward he was, he could guess that he was in for some trouble this time.


    The person Guan Shanjin had sent over was waiting in the parlour outside. He was very patient, and never hurried or urged them at all. By the time the two girls dragged Wu Xingzi out, nearly one hour had passed.


    ¡°Ah, Fang He, it¡¯s Commander Fang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi recognised him immediately. He was one of the four people who had escorted him to Bastion City, and that huge beard was still extremely conspicuous.


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡± Fang He cupped his hands at him, ¡°The general has invited you over. Please follow me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve troubled you, troubled you.¡± Wu Xingzi quickly walked forward. ¡°I¡¯ve made Commander Fang wait for too long.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Fang He waved him off politely, before turning and leading the way.


    Walking this path, Wu Xingzi stumbled quite a few times. Fang He¡¯s footsteps were quick, and the path to the general¡¯s manor was full of twists and turns. With a bit of carelessness, he could easily lose track of Fang He. Wu Xingzi truly had to expend all his efforts before he was able to keep up, four steps behind Fang He. There were a few times where he nearly tripped and fell. When they finally reached the garden where Guan Shanjin was, Wu Xingzi was gasping in exertion and looking a little haggard.


    ¡°General, Adviser Wu is here.¡±


    ¡°G-general¡­ this servant greets the general¡­¡± Panting and feeling a stitch, Wu Xingzi¡¯s legs were a little weak. In the middle of winter, his body was sweating heavily.


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was cold. He was standing several steps away, and looking up at the peach tree covered with buds. ¡°Leave us now. Without mymand, no one is allowed to enter.¡± This was directed at Fang He.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Fang He obeyed and left. When he walked past Wu Xingzi, he nced at him expressionlessly.


    Wu Xingzi happened to be wiping his sweat with his sleeve, and was still trying his best to calm his breathing. As such, hepletely failed to notice that meaningful look.


    In an instant, there was no sound from anyone else in the garden. There was only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the nts and trees, mixed with the gradually steadying breaths of Adviser Wu.


    ¡°You have something that you want to tell me?¡± The one who could not wait any longer was still Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Hmm? Ah! Yes yes yes, I have something that I would like to tell you.¡± Without any outsiders around, Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice too rxed. Despite having not seen Guan Shanjin for a month, the previous warmth did not fade away so easily.


    ¡°Go on.¡± Guan Shanjin nced over at him. When he noticed his clothes, there was a vague joy in his expression.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Uhh, umm¡­¡± Somehow Wu Xingzi found it difficult to say what he wanted, and he rubbed at his nose cautiously.


    ¡°Just speak your mind, there¡¯s no need to hem and haw.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s attention had long been drawn away from the peach tree. His hands, hidden inside his sleeves, tightened slightly, and for some reason, they were a little sweaty.


    He waited for Wu Xingzi¡¯s words. Maybe he would say that he missed him, maybe it would be aint, or maybe he would whine¡­ Guan Shanjin had spent the entire night guessing what this person in front of him would say. He had been unable to sleep, and while having breakfast in the morning with Mr. Lu, he was somewhat distracted. If he had to wait till noon before he could see Wu Xingzi, he definitely could not endure for so long.


    And so, he anxiously pushed forward their meeting time.


    ¡°I-it¡¯ll be the New Year in a few more days. I was thinking, maybe¡­¡± Before Wu Xingzi could finish, Guan Shanjin suddenly raised his hand, implying for him to stop talking. Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows were creased slightly, and he looked a little unhappy.


    Uhh¡­ But he had yet to even say anything!


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Fang He sped over, looking anxious. With his head bowed, he cupped his hands towards Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°General, Mr. Lu wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Why is Mr. Lu here? Quick, let him in.¡± Guan Shanjin shot past Wu Xingzi and vanished in the blink of an eye.


    Wu Xingzi remained where he was foolishly, as he and Fang He stared at each other.


    Looking at him, Fang He sighed. ¡°Adviser Wu, please don¡¯t be bothered. The general is only worried about Mr. Lu¡¯s leg.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I understand.¡± Wu Xingzi was not bothered at all by Mr. Lu. Instead, he was bothered by how Fang He was looking at him. Was there some pity in his eyes? Could it be that Fang He too thought that there was some unspeakable secret affection between him and Guan Shanjin?


    Before he could exin, he heard a mess of footstepsing from behind him. Unconsciously, Wu Xingzi turned towards the direction of the sound.


    The sight was too amazing. Adviser Wu who had grown up in Qingcheng County, a barrennd, was fully entranced by what he saw.


    There were about seven or eight people heading towards him, attending to Guan Shanjin as well as a man dressed in white, who was in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. That man must be the famous Mr. Lu!


    Wu Xingzi could not be med for getting captivated by the sight. Other than Guan Shanjin, Mr. Lu was the best-looking person he had ever seen. Even the owner of House of Taotie, Su Yang, would seem somewhat dimmer in front of Mr. Lu.


    If he had to describe Guan Shanjin¡¯s beauty, it was the sort of charming, alluring, seductive look that could be called demonic. Just looking at someone, his coquetry could even melt their bones. As for Mr. Lu, he was like the moonlight, like the river. He had the benign and clean appearance of an immortal, firm and unyielding.


    Mr. Lu too finally saw Wu Xingzi. He struggled slightly in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, only to be held even tighter. It was as though Guan Shanjin was worried that the treasure in his arms would fall and shatter.


    ¡°Put me down.¡± Mr. Lu lowered his eyelids, his elegant voice even more pleasant sounding than that of an orchestra.


    ¡°When they¡¯ve arranged the chairs, I¡¯ll naturally putoshi1 down.¡± Guan Shanjin raised his chin slightly. The servants behind them immediately set up a chaise lounge in the shadow of the peach tree, along with a coffee table and some other items, making the seat warm andfortable.


    Only then did Guan Shanjin gently ce the man down on the lounge, arranging the cushions for him. He, himself, sat down on one corner of the lounge as well, shifting Mr. Lu¡¯s injured leg onto his own leg, warming it up with a hot water bottle.


    ¡°This is?¡± It was only now when the crowd finally shifted their attention onto Wu Xingzi. He had nearly been crowded out of the garden by them. At this moment, he was staring at Mr. Lu. Enchanted by the beauty, there was a slight flush on his face.


    ¡°This is the person Shu¡¯er had mentioned to you a few days ago, Adviser Wu from Qingcheng County.¡± Hua Shu responded with some amusement, standing behind the chaise lounge on the right. He was currently cing some snacks and tea on the coffee table for Mr. Lu.


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡± Mr. Lu smiled gently at Wu Xingzi. ¡°I¡¯ve always heard Haiwang talking about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Adviser Wu blinked, feeling incredulous. ¡°Why would he talk about me?¡± This was not good! He had thought that Guan Shanjin had already forgotten all about him, and he had already decided to head home today after thanking him and borrowing his horse!


    ¡°He definitely must have been thinking of you.¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s tone was very gentle. He seemed to have thought of something interesting, tapping on Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder andughing lightly. ¡°Last night, he told me that he would be seeing you today, and even his eyes were shining brightly, just like a child. This morning, as we were having breakfast, he waspletely distracted, and this is truly my first time seeing him regard someone so importantly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s very meticulous towards Mr. Lu still! Previously, in Goose City, he was thinking about Mr. Lu as well, and wanted to bring you to House of Taotie! When he heard that you were injured, he also rushed back immediately. Right, is your injury better now?¡± The expressions of the crowd were a little strange. Mr. Lu was the only one who did not have a change in his expression, and was still smiling gently.


    ¡°Haiwang is just filial. He sees this teacher of his as an adoptive father, and so, naturally takes care of me more. Adviser Wu, don¡¯t think too much about it, it¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean too. It¡¯s always good to respect your teachers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk so much.¡± Guan Shanjin could not hold himself back, and he reproached Wu Xingzi unhappily. ¡°If you have something to say, quickly say it. Mr. Lu has yet to recover, and he cannot stay out in the wind for long.¡±


    Guan Shanjin was very aware that every word Wu Xingzi spoke was sincere and earnest. Wu Xingzi had no intentions of any hidden insults, but why did Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest feel so tight?


    ¡°It¡¯s my negligence!¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands and apologised. ¡°I actually also only wanted to thank the general, and borrow a horse to go back home.¡±


    ¡°Go home?¡± The temperature of Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice cooled. He red at Wu Xingzi, and asked dangerously, ¡°You said that you¡¯re going back home?¡±


    ¡°Yes yes yes. I¡¯ve alreadyzed about in the general¡¯s estate for a month. The year is about to end, and I¡¯m the only one left in my family. I have to go home and pay respects to my ancestors!¡±


    ¡°Wu Xingzi!¡± General Guan could no longer care that Mr. Lu was right by his side. Gritting his teeth, he was about to spew mes! ¡°Damn you, Wu Xingzi! You¡¯ve lived here for a month, and the first thing you say is that you want to leave? Good, very good!¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s vision darkened, as his blood rushed through his body, and his chest hurt. His mind was buzzing, and he tasted iron at the back of his throat. Someone next to him shouted in rm, and everyone was now in chaos.


    ¡°Haiwang!¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s worried call sobered him up a little.


    Dizzily, Guan Shanjin opened his eyes. He discovered something trickling out from the corner of his lips. Standing a distance away, Wu Xingzi looked as though he had been shocked silly, and was staring at him in a panic.


    Guan Shanjin wiped away the fluid from his mouth, and calmed down. Pulling a handkerchief out from his chest, he cleaned the blood from his fingers. He spoke in a low voice to Mr. Lu, ¡°Laoshi, I have something to say to Adviser Wu. Today, I won¡¯t apany you for now. I¡¯ll let the servants bring you back.¡±


    ¡°Are you fine?¡± Mr. Lu reached out and caught his hand. He took that bloodstained handkerchief, gently wiping away the traces of blood from the corner of his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Laoshi, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Guan Shanjin moved Mr. Lu¡¯s injured leg away, then gave his instructions. ¡°You all must be careful, don¡¯t cause any pain to Mr. Lu.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Guan Shanjin then walked over to Wu Xingzi, gritting his teeth. ¡°You, follow me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi dared not refuse, obediently following Guan Shanjin.


    Only when the two people had gone far away, did Hua Shu lean over, and he whispered into Mr. Lu¡¯s ear. ¡°Mr. Lu, what sort of background do you think this Adviser Wu has? He actually made the general¡­¡±


    ¡°Even a toy can be frustrating when it isn¡¯t obedient.¡± Mr. Lu calmly nced at Hua Shu.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Hua Shu¡¯s face paled. He looked down, his voice a little glum. ¡°Mr. Lu, let¡¯s head back!¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Mr. Lu ced a hand on Hua Shu¡¯s shoulder and slowly stood up. A servant pushed a wheelchair over and helped him take a seat. ¡°Thirty minutester, go tell Haiwang that my chest is ufortable and I can¡¯t drink my medicine. Let him know that you came secretly, and that I didn¡¯t allow you to tell him.¡±


    ¡°Shu¡¯er understands.¡±

 Chapter 28 - Adviser Wu Rides a Horse (NSFW)

    <strong>Chapter 28 ¡ª Adviser Wu Rides a Horse (NSFW)</strong>


    Without saying a word, Guan Shanjin walked ahead. Wu Xingzi was worried, but he did not dare to speak. He kept sneaking peeks at the back that was so straight that it looked very stiff, still thinking about the trace of red at the corner of the man¡¯s lips just now.


    How did he end up vomiting blood? Was his body feeling weak? Or was there too much heat raging in his body? Or had he been too tired recently? Could it be a rpse of an old injury?


    As he kepting up with all sorts of scenarios, Wu Xingzi¡¯s footsteps slowed down. Despite how furious Guan Shanjin was, he could not help but pay attention to the old man behind him. Hearing his shaky footsteps drifting further and further away, Guan Shanjin suppressed the conflict within him, stopping and turning to re at Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to walk?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi hurried over, smiling catingly. ¡°I was distracted momentarily, sorry about that.¡±


    This seemed to be the first time that this pair of cid and clear eyes had reflected Guan Shanjin within them. Inexplicably, Guan Shanjin¡¯s gloom dissipated by quite a bit, and the corners of his lips curved up indistinctly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Bastion City?¡± Now that his mood had somewhat calmed down, Guan Shanjin no longer glumly walked ahead by himself. Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, he casually sat down on a bench, tilting his head and looking at him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say if I like it or not¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek, carefully ncing at Guan Shanjin¡¯s aloof expression. He could not help but feel a little helpless. ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t we say that it¡¯s also good to just remain in contact by exchanging letters through the pigeon express? The pigeons in the magistrate¡¯s office are all personally trained by me. They¡¯re obedient and smart, they won¡¯t lose any letters.¡±


    ¡°Why are you always thinking about leaving me?¡± Guan Shanjin was very bitter. He really did not understand why. Although in his heart, Wu Xingzi was still only a shadow of Mr. Lu. Especially so with the way he was dressed today, that schrly, elegant disposition was just as if he was an immortal, and he was so extremely simr to Mr. Lu. When he saw him for the first time today, his palms became sweaty, and he felt a joy as though he finally had Mr. Lu in his arms.


    Even so, he admitted to himself that he had been more conscientious towards Wu Xingzi than any of his previous lovers. During that month in Qingcheng County, there had been almost no limits to his pampering of this old fellow. Even Mr. Lu had not been able to make him take care of him so considerately. Even after this, Wu Xingzi still behaved as though he was an outsider, and his heart had never been moved¡­ Could it be due to his past with Yan Wenxin?


    Thinking about Yan Wenxin, his mood that had finally improved darkened again, and his expression turned ugly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Your chest hurts again?¡± Wu Xingzi expressed his worry, asking hesitatingly, ¡°Shall I rub your chest for you?¡±


    ¡°Why must you rub it for me? Wu Xingzi, exactly what position do I hold in your heart?¡± Rather than being a question, it was more like a troubled plea. In his life, Guan Shanjin had never been so lost and bewildered. This person in front of him made him feel as though he was only punching at cotton, as though all his actions were like pebbles thrown into ake. It seemed as though there was a reaction on the surface, but in the blink of an eye, the ripples would all disappear.


    If Wu Xingzi absolutely had no intentions towards him, that was not too bad, as there would always be a weakness for him to exploit. The same logic was also applied in battle. What they were afraid of was not the strength of the enemy, but that the enemy would be passively reacting to your attacks, circling about. This meant that they were now trapped in a bog, unable to disy their prowess and unable to free themselves. In the end, they would instead be dragged to their deaths.


    Never expecting that Guan Shanjin would ask such a question, Wu Xingzi froze, not knowing how to answer.


    ¡°Do you like me, are you tired of me, or¡­¡± His question ceased abruptly. Guan Shanjin lowered his eyelids, his long eyshes casting a shadow on his cheeks, fluttering with his breaths.


    Or, do you just see me as nothing?


    Since he was a child, Guan Shanjin had always gotten his way. Talented and gifted, even if he was met with setbacks, he would always find a way to get out of it. The brilliant and meritorious Guan Shanjin, who always had the favour of everyone, now suddenly discovered that he was not even in the eye of some small county¡¯s adviser. He could not decide if he was unwilling or disappointed. This was the first time that he was examining his own feelings after meeting Wu Xingzi.


    In the end, what exactly did he hope to get from Wu Xingzi?


    AThat shadow of Mr. Lu? Was he bothered by how he was even unable to grasp onto Mr. Lu¡¯s shadow? Or was it simply just because of Wu Xingzi, this old fellow?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was half-open, as though he had been muddled by his question. Staring at Guan Shanjin, even his breathing seemed a little cautious.


    ¡°You want to return to Qingcheng County?¡± ncing at him, Guan Shanjin forced himself to wave away all the turbulent thoughts in his head. He did not n on forcing Wu Xingzi to answer the question, and instead changed the topic.


    ¡°Ah, yes yes yes.¡± Wu Xingzi still looked absent-minded, and casually shook his head, answering him.


    ¡°To pay respects to your ancestors for the New Year?¡± Guan Shanjin asked again.


    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing.¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, seeming as though he had snapped out of his daze. On his face, there was once again a cating smile, and worry could be seen in his eyes.


    Snorting, Guan Shanjin pinched his nose. He watched in satisfaction as Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears turned red.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one left in the Wu family?¡± His hand itched, and he could not help but pull Wu Xingzi into his arms, caressing him.


    This courtyard was remote, and it was a ce where only he and Man Yue could enter. Up ahead was his study, and inside was various confidential military intelligence. If anyone were to trespass here, they would be flogged to death.


    As such, Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions became more audacious. In a twinkling, he stripped Wu Xingzi, only leaving him in his inner clothes.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re out here in broad daylight¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was very shy. Twisting about, he wanted to struggle free, but was naturally unable to do so. He then buried his face into the crook of Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, as though by not seeing anything, nothing would happen, allowing Guan Shanjin to do as he wished.


    He had to admit that after a month of not seeing him, he did miss Guan Shanjin a little. Especially when he smelled that scent of white sandalwood and orange blossom, his brain nked out. With weak limbs, he clung onto the strong, muscr man, and the lower part of his body felt as though something was simmering there.


    ¡°Broad daylight is good for looking at you properly.¡± Guan Shanjinughed as he kissed his hair. His nimble, slender fingers, through the thin material, slid down Wu Xingzi¡¯s back.


    The material had been chosen carefully. It was thin andfortable, and it felt like flowing silk. The tailor was someone Guan Shanjin had specifically brought back from the capital. He had always made clothes only for him, Man Yue and Mr. Lu, and his skills were matchless. After Wu Xingzi arrived, all his clothes had been carefully tailored for him. Although he was still thin and weak, his waist seeming so slender that there was barely anything to hold, he no longer had an image of a hollow, poor being. Now, he looked like an elegant, literary schr.


    Despite ignoring him over the month, Guan Shanjin had actually gone to Shuangye Yard many times to secretly watch Wu Xingzi. He was very satisfied to see this old thing looking decent and proper, but naturally disliked how this person had heartlessly went on with his merry, daily life.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to look at?¡± Being caressed and stroked, Wu Xingzi was trembling slightly. The big hand on his back was like a me, and every touch seemed to light him aze. He could not feel the cold of winter, and he felt so warm that he was about to sweat. This heat imprinted deeply into his skin, pushing his temperature up even higher. It felt as though there were insects nibbling at his bones, and he panted in desire.


    ¡°I just like to look.¡± Laughing quietly, Guan Shanjin slid his hand into his clothes, directly contacting that reddened, sensitive skin. He felt as though he could even feel Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pounding away.


    The snow whiteyer fell to the ground. Wu Xingzi¡¯s bare body was flushed a light pink, and tiny goosebumps appeared where the wind blew. However, Wu Xingzi only felt warm. He wanted to push Guan Shanjin away to catch his breath, but after being intoxicated with his pleasant scent, he was unwilling to free himself. He did not even realise that he was panting and kissing Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, moaning and groaning away.


    ¡°Your body is always so honest.¡± Guan Shanjin tilted his head, nibbling and licking at Wu Xingzi. His teeth bit into that sensitive skin, and the man groaned unrestrainedly. With that numb, tingling feeling, it was bound to have left a mark. The position where he bit could easily be seen by others, but Guan Shanjin did not mind at all.


    The two of them twined together, and Guan Shanjin? deftly removed his clothes,ying it on the ground to cushion them. He let Wu Xingziy upon him, so as to prevent him from getting chilled by the frozen earth. At the same time, he wrapped his coat around Wu Xingzi, blocking the wind from him.


    Out in the open, the two people kissed, unable to part from each other. Their tongues wound against each other. Guan Shanjin seemed to have the intentions on slowing down the umtion of their desire, but Wu Xingzi immediately deepened their kiss unhappily. It was a rare moment where he actually forcefully licked his way into Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth, tangling their tongues together. Holding onto that lovely face, he deepened the kiss, almost as if he was swallowing him down.


    Wu Xingzi himself did not know why he would do this. Probably because he had really missed Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis too much?


    His pants had long been stripped away from him, and his bare, slender legs were hooked onto the man¡¯s strong waist. His buttocks ground against Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch, and soon he felt something heated and hard pressing onto his butt cheeks through the clothes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Finally managing to remove his tongue away from Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth, a thin, delicate thread of saliva hung between their lips. In a daze, he stared at the beauty under him who was smiling at him seductively and licking at that embarrassing trace with a red tongue.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve started the fire, you now have to put it out yourself.¡± A smack fell on his buttocks, and Wu Xingzi lowered his eyes, his body twisting away uneasily. He had thought that Guan Shanjin would catch him and pull him back. After all, ording to experience, this man had always been savage and rough in bed. How would he ever let him reject him? However, this time, Guan Shanjin had no ns on moving. He only grinned as he looked at Wu Xingzi, his eyes clouded with desire.


    It seemed like it would be hard for Wu Xingzi to back down this time. With a red face, he shifted about awkwardly, and slid away slightly from Guan Shanjin¡¯s waist.


    Now, he should do something, right??Who would have thought, Guan Shanjin would still refuse to move, as he continued to stare at him. If not for the few drops of sweat beading up on Guan Shanjin¡¯s forehead, Wu Xingzi would have thought that Beauty Guan had been reced by someone else. Since there was no recement, it most definitely meant that he was just as wicked as before.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Swallowing, Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat felt especially dry. Although shy and easily embarrassed, he however was very lewd and daring in bed, and desire was slowly welling up in his heart. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to ride a horse¡­¡±


    Guan Shanjin nearly exploded. He was so enchanted by this lewd darling in front of him that he wanted to eat him up and absorb him into his blood, so as to prevent this old fellow from always thinking about running away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this horse is very obedient.¡± He caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, moving it to his lower part of the body, rubbing at it. ¡°Look, what a handsome horse.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s handsome, very handsome¡­¡± Wu Xingzi stroked and stroked, unable to pull his hand away from it. Guan Shanjin¡¯s body was very well built. Since he was young, he had been either in the army or the battlefield, waging wars for many years. There was not a single day where he skipped training, and each and every one of his muscles were firm and hard. Well defined and concealing his strength within, his muscles were not overly bulging and exaggerated, but were smooth and extremely suited to his frame.


    His breathing turning flustered, Wu Xingzi slowly shifted his buttocks back to his original position. Grinding and grinding, that rming pengornis under him leaked copiously. There was arge, wet stain on his trousers, and the material looked as if it was about to burst open.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to harness this horse?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s husky voice was bewitching. Wu Xingzi¡¯s gaze looked lost, and his hand shook as he undid Guan Shanjin¡¯s trousers.?p!?A thick length smacked across his round buttocks. That tingling pain made Wu Xingzi shudder. His mouth fell open, gasping for air, his saliva flowing down from the corner of his mouth. His appearance looked extremely scious.


    Sprawled across Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, that heated pengornis was trapped between his fleshy buttocks. Wu Xingzi twisted his hips, grinding himself against it. Sometimes, his actions were a little too wild, and the hard, wet tip would jab at his perineum, brushing across it with some force. Wu Xingzi would then release a lewd and long moan, and his grinding would speed up.


    In no time, his buttocks were dripping wet with the fluids from the tip of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock. There were a few times it nced past his hole, and it would ce some pressure on that tight little cavern, almost pushing in. Unfortunately, there was no lube. Wu Xingzi was unable to get it where he wanted it to be, instead, it always missed its mark. That part of his body was slowly swelling up, and tingling with desire.


    Once it happened too many times, Wu Xingzi felt that he was about to be immted by his lust. Lying on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, he moaned, ¡°I can¡¯t harness it¡­ This horse is too naughty¡­¡±


    ¡°The harness is to be med, not the horse.¡± Guan Shanjin was about to be teased to death by this lewd darling in his arms. There were a few times where he almost could not control himself, nearly reaching out to press the old quail down and thrusting himself inside.


    ¡°Help me¡­¡± Wu Xingzi raised his hips, shifting it about. The tip of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock brushed past his hole again and again, and it itched so much that he was about to cry. Feeling extremely anxious, he urged, ¡°Help me! I can¡¯t harness the horse, how am I going to ride it?!¡±


    ¡°You lewd little darling!¡± Guan Shanjin could no longer hold himself back anymore, groaning asnd he grasped Wu Xingzi¡¯s buttocks and kneaded at them a few times. He used his fingers, plunging them into the hole that had been long soaked with his lewdness. Although it was a little tight due to them not having sex for a month, when his finger nudged at that little sensitive spot within, Wu Xingzi immediately copsed on him, wailing and shuddering. His juices even gushed out, dripping onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, drenching his member, and it felt extremely slippery.


    Gritting his teeth, Guan Shanjin pulled his fingers out. He gripped the trembling buttocks, spreading them apart, and the hole in the middle gaped open.


    Next, he thrusted his cock, which was so hard that it hurt, inside.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi shrieked. Twisting about, he wanted to escape. After all, it had been too long since he had such an exchange with the pengornis, and this sudden imption made his tight hole burn in pain. Now, he really did not dare to ride this handsome horse anymore.


    However, now that the horse had been harnessed, he definitely was not going to get the opportunity to regret it! Guan Shanjin tightened his hands around his narrow waist, not allowing him to escape, consoling him sweetly, ¡°Be good.¡±


    ¡°It hurts¡­ Softer, softer¡­¡± Wu Xingzi choked up as he bit Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder. His waist was pinched gently, and somehow, it no longer hurt as much. Instead, a burning itch came over him, and he started twisting his hips again, trying to get the cock in even deeper.


    As expected, this fellow was really lewd inside.


    Guan Shanjinughed lightly, cooperatively jerking himself up. Soon, he reached Wu Xingzi¡¯s core. If he were to press on further, he would be pushing into his stomach. There was still a section of his cock still outside, but Wu Xingzi groaned, refusing to take in anymore. Writhing about, he started riding this handsome horse.


    Wu Xingzi would lift his buttocks, leaving only the tip inside, then with a breath, he would sitsat back down, swallowing the cock in until it reached his core. He would sometimes support himself on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, twisting his buttocks, using the pengornis to grind against that sensitive spot in him.


    Back and forth, Wu Xingzi was enjoying himself greatly. Although there was no frequent orgasms that happened when Guan Shanjin would catch hold of him and fuck him, this was better in the sense that he could control the speed. The pleasure made him raise his head, moaning, and his insides clenched, sucking on that thick, heated length. His juices gushed out, and his ordinary face was so alluring that it could enchant a person¡¯s soul.


    This gentle approach and retreat naturally was not enough to satisfy Guan Shanjin. However, the astonishing coquetry in front of him, bewitched him. He felt as though something sweet and cloying had exploded within him, diffusing across his body through his blood. His mind turned nk, and he was filled with apletely different kind of satisfaction.


    As Wu Xingzi¡¯s stamina was not great, after riding for not too long, he was soon gasping and trembling. Gritting his teeth, he thrust himself back a few more times, and a white, sticky substance shot out from his pink member. Weakly, he fell into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. As for the cock in him, due to the intense wringing of the muscles caused by Wu Xingzi¡¯s orgasm, it too could not help but ejacte into Wu Xingzi¡¯s insides. The fluids were so hot that Wu Xingzi cried out, and an extraordinary amount of juices once again leaked out from Wu Xingzi¡¯s little dick. Hey there, convulsing.


    Hugging each other and panting for quite some time, Guan Shanjin finally pulled himself out. A mixture of juices and semen flowed out, staining both their lower parts.


    Wu Xingzi too regained his wits. He was so embarrassed by his obscene actions that he did not want to see anyone, and he just copsed on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, pretending that he was dead.


    Laughing secretly, Guan Shanjin did not expose him. An unprecedented satisfaction put him in a very good mood, and he forgot about how Wu Xingzi had just recently enraged him. Gently, he patted the person in his arms.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll return with you to Qingcheng County! It¡¯s too lonely to spend New Year alone.¡±


    Wu Xingzi felt a joy he could not exin, which was then followed by despair.


    Oh no, how was he going to change the sachet for his pengornis drawings?

 Chapter 29 - For Whom Are You Getting Angry About?

    Chapter 29 ¡ª For Whom Are You Getting Angry About?


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    However, this was not the time to worry about his pengornis drawings. The adviser had had enough of riding the horse, but the general had not! One had to know, as the Great Southern Garrison General, Guan Shanjin had spent half his life on horseback, and his horse riding skills were iparable.


    When the person in his arms had sufficient rest, Guan Shanjin spread his slender, fair legs apart. It was now his turn to ride this old horse. Wu Xingzi was clinging onto him so gently, and every moment of his ride was extremely enjoyable.


    He rode this old horse till he spurted both at the front and in the back, and filled him up with hise. With the thrusting motions, Wu Xingzi could not stop orgasming, and he cried until his voice turned hoarse. Only then did Guan Shanjin carry him into the bedroom next to his study, still pounding into him, and this bout of fucking only ended when Wu Xingzi had pissed himself.


    After a month of abstinence, Guan Shanjin finally ended his diet. The general devoured Wu Xingzi to his utmost satisfaction, licking his lips, enjoying the aftertaste. The adviser had been put through the wringer, and he was nearly half-dead. Copsing pitifully on the bed, he fell into a deep sleep.


    Just like before, Guan Shanjin meticulously cleaned Wu Xingzi up. Wrapping him up in his own outer robe, he pulled the nket over him, preventing him from catching a chill. Only after doing all these did he finally go to clean himself up.


    Walking out of the room with wet hair, he saw Man Yue¡¯s plump, chubby figure in the study reading through the reports. Only when Man Yue heard his footsteps did he lift his eyelids to look at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°You¡¯re worse than a beast.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for thatpliment.¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow,ughing lightly. He walked over and took the report that was in Man Yue¡¯s hand. ¡°Why are you waiting here? Is there someone outside looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± If not, you think I¡¯ll have the time to wait for you toplete your business?


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Guan Shanjin pretended that he did not see those using eyes. In actual fact, Man Yue was also taking advantage of this opportunity to rest. There were too many people outside looking for him, and running about the entire day, he barely had time to even drink water.


    ¡°Hua Shu.¡± Man Yue looked at Guan Shanjin expressionlessly, then he calmly passed his message. ¡°He said, ¡®Mr. Lu¡¯s chest feels heavy, and he is unable to drink his medicine. Because he¡¯s worried that the general would be worried, he refused to let me inform the general. However, with Mr. Lu¡¯s current condition, how can he not take his medicine? I had no choice but to secretlye and tell the general. Please let the general persuade Mr. Lu.¡¯ I didn¡¯t change a single word, nor add a single one. He¡¯s been kneeling outside for four hours already.¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s expression changed. He did not bother with his untied hair and stood up, heading outside.


    ¡°Hold on hold on hold on, how can your Mr. Lu not drink his medicine for four hours? I¡¯ve already asked Physician Tu to go and take a look. The problem isn¡¯t serious, it¡¯s just that the blood flow in his chest is sluggish. He only needed a few acupuncture needles, and his blood flow is now extremely fluid. He has already drank his medicine and is now asleep.¡± Man Yu reached out and grabbed onto him, mischievously winking at him.


    ¡°As your vice general, how could I let such a small matter rm the general! I heard that you¡¯ll be going back with Mr. Wu tomorrow to honour his ancestors? Ah, this is very important, have you prepared your luggage yet?¡±


    ¡°You were eavesdropping again?¡± Guan Shanjin spat out. He suddenly thought about something, the thought quickly shing through his mind. Instantly, his face darkened. ¡°Did you¡­ see the old fellow¡¯s nude body?¡± Just as he finished speaking, Chenyuan Sword whistled out, and the cold, sharp point of the sword was pointed right at Man Yue¡¯s short neck.


    ¡°Fuck you! Can you be a bit nicer and give a warning before you wave that sword of yours around? Give me a chance to exin!¡±


    Breaking out in cold sweat, Man Yue seemed to have turned into a deted balloon. He stared at that ck, cold de, not daring to look away, and it was as though he had shrunk in size.


    ¡°Your exnation?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curved into a striking smile. His sword inched forward, and Man Yue¡¯s skin could feel the sharpness of Chenyuan Sword. The cold de brushed past his throat, leaving a trail of pain behind it.


    ¡°Just wait a minute, I¡¯ll exin right now¡­¡± Man Yue was very cautious. He did not even dare to speak loudly, and was almost mumbling. ¡°After you left with Mr. Wu, Hua Shu came looking for you in less than half an hour. Because you had entered your study, there was nothing he could do about it, and he came looking for me. I only came here to look for you, as I didn¡¯t want anything to happen to your precious sweetheart. It was a coincidence that I heard Adviser Wu nning to ride a horse! Please have mercy!¡±


    A sh of dark metal, and Man Yue fell backwards, bumping into a pir. Narrowly avoiding the de of Chenyuan Sword, he waved his hand pathetically, bellowing, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear nor see anything that had to do with Mr. Wu and sex! Didn¡¯t I just turn and immediately leave to go look for Physician Tu?! How else do you think your precious Mr. Lu could have drank his medicine? How else would he be able to sleep right now?¡± By then, Man Yue had already tumbled out of the study. His face was dripping with sweat, and he red resentfully at Beauty Guan who was standing at the door of his study with his sword. Man Yue did not dare to even blink, afraid that Chenyuan Sword woulde seeking to draw a hole in his body.


    ¡°What a great timing, you even knew to return only when Adviser Wu was done riding the horse?¡± Guan Shanjin, himself too, did not understand why he was angry. He was unwilling to allow anyone to hear the moans of the old quail and see his coquetry.


    ¡°You think I wanted it? Hua Shu is kneeling out there, I have toe in and deliver his message! It¡¯s not my fault that my hearing is good, why didn¡¯t you go indoors?¡± The indistinct moanings from the courtyard had finally stopped before Man Yue dared to sneak over, nning on delivering the message. Who would have thought that he would end up eavesdropping on their sweet nothings? He had beenpletely wronged!


    ¡°Once I heard you tell the adviser that you wanted to ride the horse as well, I fled immediately. I didn¡¯t hear a single word of what happened next.¡± Still on his throat, there was the mark left behind by Chenyuan Sword. Man Yue took a fewrge steps backwards, his face that looked like the Smiling Buddha was all twisted up, and he was extremely distressed.


    He had really suffered unfairly. Mr. Lu had not caused a disaster this time, but a catastrophe.


    ¡°Mr. Lu has already fallen asleep, why is Hua Shu still kneeling outside?¡± Although Guan Shanjin was inwardly unhappy, he did not really want Man Yue to bleed. Since he had already cowed him into submission, and achieved his objective, with a twist of his hand, he returned Chenyuan Sword back to its scabbard, and hooked his finger at Man Yue, motioning him toe over.


    Man Yue patted his chest a few times to calm his breathing before returning to the study, the frightening memory still lingering in his mind. The cold wind blew past his sweaty body, and he shivered. Quickly making his way to the brazier, he stood next to it, warming himself. Only after pouring himself a cup of hot tea and drinking from it, was he then satisfied.


    ¡°Hua Shu says he¡¯d like to see you, and if he can¡¯t see you, he¡¯ll continue kneeling there. I don¡¯t know what intentions he has, but it¡¯s probably still because of Mr. Lu.¡± Man Yue smacked his lips. Guan Shanjin¡¯s tea was made from good tea leaves brought from the capital, and he even had a few kilograms of high quality tea. Since he had this rare opportunity, he would help himself to them as much as possible.


    ¡°Because of Mr. Lu?¡± Guan Shanjin frowned. He could not remember much about Hua Shu, and he also did not know when this person had started following Mr. Lu. Having seen him so many times, he did remember what he looked like, and he also knew that Mr. Lu trusted him and relied on him heavily.


    ¡°Do you still remember that a while ago, you wanted me to get rid of Hua Shu?¡± Man Yue asked casually. He had no expectations that Guan Shanjin would still remember a small matter like this.


    As expected, General Guan poured himself a cup of tea before sipping on it and shrugging at Man Yue.


    ¡°Anyway, a while ago, you wanted me to get rid of Hua Shu. Who would have known that after he left for less than two days, Mr. Lu had gotten him back again, saying that he was used to him, and did not want others to serve him. He wanted me to tell you that he would apologise on Hua Shu¡¯s behalf.¡±


    ¡°He would apologise on Hua Shu¡¯s behalf?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s unhappiness was evident, and he snorted. ¡°Fine, since Mr. Lu is used to him, we don¡¯t have to bother about this small little thing. If he still does not know how to remain obedient, then we¡¯ll sell him to the southern barbarians.¡±


    ¡°So would you like to see this small little thing?¡±


    ¡°He likes to kneel, so we¡¯ll just let him continue kneeling. This would prevent him from going back and disturbing Mr. Lu¡¯s rest.¡± Guan Shanjin never liked anyone who was too close to Mr. Lu. All the people he had assigned to Mr. Lu understood this, and so, they naturally did not interact often with Mr. Lu. Hua Shu was the only exception.


    ¡°Are you really bringing Mr. Wu back to Qingcheng County tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Why?¡± The end of the year was approaching, and the affairs of the border were a lot more rxed. Even Man Yue was able to get a reprieve, and naturally, Guan Shanjin was even more at ease.


    ¡°What ns do you have for Mr. Lu? He hasn¡¯t fully recovered from his leg and internal injuries. The third young miss of the Yue family has beening over everyday out of concern. If it wasn¡¯t because of you, she might have just brought him back home to take care of him. You¡¯re fine with seeing this happen?¡± This was not how Guan Shanjin normally handled things. In the past, anyone who dared to get close to Mr. Lu, or tried to make overtures to Mr. Lu, would all meet some sort of hardship. After so long, everyone knew that Mr. Lu was General Guan¡¯s soft spot, and no one dared to touch him.


    Only this third young miss of the Yue family, childish, pampered and wilful, took no notice of Guan Shanjin. Only she dared to pursue Mr. Lu so daringly and publicly, and she really did seed.


    It was also thanks to Guan Shanjin for not doing anything, seemingly permitting the progress of this matter. Up till now, he had no intentions of making a move against the Yue family. The head of the Yue family too knew how to take advantage of this opportunity. He encouraged his daughter¡¯s constant attention to Mr. Lu, nning on using this rtionship to tie himself to Guan Shanjin, and in this process, he might even be able to be connected with other nobles from the capital.


    ¡°Mr. Lu has always wanted to marry and settle down, to find a wife and have a child¡­¡± Guan Shanjinughed bitterly, his hand tightening around his cup. Just like this, the high quality cdon cup turned into dust. Patting his hands to get rid of the powder, he looked up and smiled at Man Yue. ¡°You won¡¯t tell me this sort of things without any reason. This time, your attitude has made me suspicious. Normally, you would never care about Mr. Lu, but you¡¯ve helped him out a lot recently. Man Yue, what are you nning?¡±


    Guan Shanjin had already said it so clearly, but Man Yue still shrugged, smiling shamelessly. ¡°I¡¯m not nning anything. I¡¯m just afraid that you would explode in anger over our dear Mr. Lu. There¡¯s no need for me to remind you who¡¯s behind the Yue family, right? Only Yue Dade, this idiot, can¡¯t read the situation. Because of his good son, he¡¯s about to be eradicated, and yet, he¡¯s still foolishly giggling away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Guan Shanjin revealed a peerlessly gorgeous smile. Leaning over, he pinched Man Yue¡¯s full and fleshy chin.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote?¡± Man Yue was inexplicably rmed. He pulled Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand away, asking severely, ¡°Why would you say that? Why is it toote?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to deal with that person behind the Yue family.¡± Guan Shanjin spoke calmly. ¡°There are some people who make me unhappy just by looking at them. I¡¯ll just casually deal with them and improve my mood.¡±


    ¡°What did he do to you? Is it because of Mr. Lu?¡± Man Yue waspletely lost, and he leapt up from his chair, pacing the room. ¡°Haiwang, it¡¯s been five years since you left the capital. In these five years, you know as well how much moreplicated and treacherous the situation there has be. When you stopped the southern barbarians, the Protector General did not say a word, and even the Emperor has never urged you to return. You should know the reason even more clearly than me! If you¡¯re to make a move, you¡¯ll definitely be stirring the ho¡¯s nest, why give yourself this trouble over Mr. Lu? If you really dislike the Yue family, I¡¯ll juste up with a n for you to get that third young miss married off.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the third young miss. Since Mr. Lu is willing to marry her, then he must marry her. I don¡¯t want Mr. Lu to resent me.¡± Thinking about this marriage, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart was filled with bitterness. However, if he did not endure this, he might not even get a chance to see Mr. Lu in the future. By the time the third young miss of the Yue family had given birth to a child, he would definitely have his ways of keeping Mr. Lu by his side.


    ¡°Then why do you still want to make a move against that person?¡± Man Yue was greatly puzzled. To be honest, that person behind the Yue family was not some hard nut to crack. With Guan Shanjin¡¯s and the Protector General¡¯s might, all they had to do was move a finger and he could be dealt with. Still, the power amongst the officials in the capital was an intricate web. Pulling a thread might cause an effect to ripple throughout the entire situation. For generations, the position of the Protector General had been shining brightly in this sewage, and everyone wanted to find a crack. Even if they could not take over this position, they would still try their best to destroy the person there.


    If they were to make a move against this person, the ws of the Protector General were bound to be exposed, and they might even incite some trouble. Although Guan Shanjin was arrogant and impertinent, he was not the type of person who could not see the whole picture, doing as he pleased. Why else would he have obediently stayed in the south, as the local tyrant?


    ¡°I must deal with him, as well as those people behind him.¡± Guan Shanjin bared his teeth in a grin, a bloodthirsty gleam appearing in his eyes. He looked like a demon considering who to eat next, and chills ran down Man Yue¡¯s spine when he looked at him.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to.¡± Guan Shanjin nced into the bedroom. Thinking about that person sleeping inside, he gave a gentle smile. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be apanying the old fellow back to Qingcheng County tomorrow. If that third young miss wants to bring Mr. Lu away, just let her do so! Mr. Lu would also be happy.¡±


    ¡°Guan Shanjin, are you possessed?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying?¡± Rolling his eyes at Man Yue, Guan Shanjin waved him off, chasing him away with no trace of politeness. ¡°Now, scram! Since you now know who I¡¯ll be targeting, why are you still standing there? Do you still need me to tell you how many things we can do during the New Year¡¯s banquet?¡±


    ¡°Guan Shanjin, you¡¯re a fucking scumbag!¡± Man Yue left huffily. Despite how uneasy he felt, Guan Shanjin had already made his decision. As the vice general, he had to follow his lead.


    However, he did not understand. How did that power behind the Yue family antagonise this god of death? Counting the names, there was only the Minister of Revenue, Yan Wenxin, who had once tried to gain a connection with the Protector General by marrying his daughter off. Before the discussion of this matter could even finish, Guan Shanjin had released a statement saying that he would only marry a male wife.


    If there was a past, it was only Yan Wenxin who would have a grudge against Guan Shanjin¡¯s despicableness.


    Later on, Miss Yan did marry quite well. Her spouse was the Assistant Minister of War. In private, he had gathered the battalions in charge of the capital¡¯s defense, and he pretty much had a noose tied halfway around the capital. As for Yan Wenxin, he was extremely favoured by the emperor. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire capital was in the hands of the Yan family.


    Why would Guan Shanjin poke this ho¡¯s nest? Mr. Lu was truly the root cause of all disasters!

 Chapter 30 - The General’s EQ is Touching

    Chapter 30 ¡ª The General¡¯s EQ is Touching


    Edited By DancingDolphinsYo


    Aftering to a consensus, Guan Shanjin packed both their luggage. He did not n on staying in Qingcheng County for too long, as he had to immediately return to Bastion City after the New Year to help Mr. Lu prepare for his wedding. As such, he only packed a few sets of clothes as well as taels, and sending a letter to Su Yang in Goose City to ask him to prepare the New Year goods.


    Wu Xingzi was woken up by the smell of food. Rubbing his tummy, hezily opened his eyes. With his nose twitching, he urately followed the scent to the table. He did not even notice that he was dressed only in thin, inner clothes, and by the time he realised, he did not even have time to pull on a robe.


    While he was deeply asleep, Guan Shanjin had brought him back to his own wing. The furnishings were simr to that of Shuangye yard, and the structure was also about the same. Wu Xingzi was still bleary, and he had yet to notice anything amiss.


    He only vaguely registered that he seemed to be taking a longer time than usual to reach the side hall. Only when he arrived did he snap out of it, and realised that there were two people sitting by the round table full of delicacies. One was Guan Shanjin, and the other was Mr. Lu whom he had just seen not too long ago.


    Between the two of them, one was dressed in ck, and the other white, so harmonious that it felt as natural as breathing. Wu Xingzi was dazed with the sight. If not for the hunger in his stomach, he was more than willing to continue looking at the both of them.


    ¡°Mr. Lu.¡± If Guan Shanjin was the only one around, Wu Xingzi would have just took his seat. They were used to each other, and so, they were not too particr with each other. However, with the presence of Mr. Lu, Wu Xingzi was a little more awkward. He kept feeling that in front of these two people, he was the extraneous outsider, and he was at a loss of how to behave.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± Mr. Lu smiled faintly, calling out to him gently. ¡°Quick, take a seat. Haiwang guessed that you¡¯d wake up around this time due to hunger, and has specially asked the kitchen staff to prepare your favourite dishes. Come, eat! Don¡¯t let them turn cold.¡±


    Guan Shanjin sure made a really urate guess. Wu Xingzi nced at Guan Shanjin, feeling pleased. Most of the dishes on the table were truly what he liked. They were simple and in, and not too borate, but they still looked extremely appetising.


    Wu Xingzi sat down very naturally at the lowliest seat1. He did not notice the crease of Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows, and despite it not being obvious, Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes were very cold. He stared straight at Adviser Wu who was only concerned with the food, watching that extremely greedy person unconsciously revealing the tip of his tongue to lick his lips.


    ¡°Why is Mr. Wu still so distant?¡± Mr. Lu did not fail to notice Guan Shanjin¡¯s expression. With a refined smile, he spoke to Wu Xingzi. ¡°I¡¯m very aware of the rtionship between you and Haiwang, there¡¯s no need to deliberately stay apart.¡±


    Hmm? Wu Xingzi basically did not even pay close attention to what Mr. Lu was saying. He was very hungry, and all he could think about was, that braised trotters look very delicious! So fatty and tender, when I bite into it, the oil will definitely seep out. Later on, should I daringly take one and chew on it? Or should I just reservedly pick some meat off the bone and nibble on it?


    Having some understanding of Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin was gloomy, but he was unable to throw a tantrum in front of Mr. Lu. Also, Wu Xingzi was purposely avoiding anything that would arouse suspicions, right?! When there was only the two of them around, they would always eat together side by side. With Mr. Lu present, the old fellow was truly quite shy.


    Thinking like this, Guan Shanjin¡¯s mood improved. He noticed that Wu Xingzi was staring at the braised trotters with shining eyes, and so, he picked up one piece and ced it in his bowl. ¡°Have some, you must be hungry.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi was at first still troubled about how he would start eating, but the braised trotter in his bowl hadpletely wiped out his reservations. Delightedly, he picked up the trotter with his chopsticks and bit into it.


    As expected, the meat had been braised till soft and tender, but it did not lose its shape. Biting into it, the vourful juices of the meat burst in his mouth, and some of it spilled out from the corners of his lips. The meat basically melted in his mouth, but there was no loss of the texture that pork should have. The taste was also very well developed,bining into a wonder of vour.


    It paired very well with rice, but just chewing on it was also a type of pleasure. The way Wu Xingzi looked as he enjoyed it made Guan Shanjin¡¯s stomach grumble in hunger. He held up his rice bowl, picking up some stir-fried lily bulb, vegetables, and other lighter-tasting dishes for Mr. Lu before starting to eat some of it himself.


    Mr. Lu nced at Wu Xingzi. Seeing how his mouth and hand were stained with oil, he felt that it looked boorish and ugly. However, when he nced at Guan Shanjin, he discovered that this student, who had always been elegant and ced a heavy importance on etiquette, did not find anything strange with Wu Xingzi. Not only was he quietly eating, he was also continuously cing food in Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl.


    Inexplicably flustered, Mr. Lu picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the vegetables. While swallowing, he felt a pressure in his chest. He could not help but put his chopsticks down as he frowned, before rubbing at his chest.


    ¡°Teacher, are you still feeling a pain in your chest?¡± Guan Shanjin had naturally noticed it. His face was full of concern and worry, and he no longer paid attention to the happily eating Wu Xingzi, instead turning to help Mr. Lu rub his chest.


    Guan Shanjin had a pair ofrge hands. They were elegant and good looking, broad and warm. When held against his chest, it felt like a small me, and it soothed the pent-up pain by a fair bit. Mr. Lu looked relieved from pain, and he gave his thanks with a low voice. He then pushed Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand away, instead of letting him soothe him for a while longer like usual.


    Registering his rejection, Guan Shanjin¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. He looked a little helpless and quietly persuaded Mr. Lu. ¡°Teacher, your chest still hurts. Please let your student help you with your blood cirction. Wu Xingzi is not the type to gossip, nor would he think too much of it, please do not worry.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Mr. Lu still rejected him, as he picked up his bowl and chopsticks while deflecting Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand. ¡°After all, your rtionship with Mr. Wu is not ordinary, and anyone would mind, unlike you, you careless little fellow. Although you¡¯re doing the right thing, a person¡¯s heart would still be biased.¡±


    These enigmatic words made Guan Shanjin hesitate. Towards Mr. Lu, he had a love that was like his life, and he did not want him to suffer even a little. Even though Mr. Lu was about to get married in spring, he was also willing to suppress his reluctance and sadness, only hoping that Mr. Lu would live happily and unrestrained.


    Although Wu Xingzi was only a shadow of Mr. Lu, it was not possible for him to not appease this shadow. Furthermore, this old fellow had yet to cultivate enough feelings for him even now. Fortunately, Wu Xingzi had yet to realise his original intentions, if not, he would have ran even faster.


    Also, a person¡¯s heart was truly biased, and this old fellow¡¯s heart was biased towards The Pengornisseur!


    Guan Shanjin could not help ncing at Wu Xingzi over and over again. He made that person who was munching away feel wholly ufortable, and Wu Xingzi bit his chopsticks as he gazed foolishly back at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°What happened?¡± When it came to meal times, Wu Xingzi would only focus on eating single-mindedly. It probably was because he was used to living alone for too long, and hepletely had not heard the quiet conversation between the two people. Thus, he waspletely unaware of the intimate actions between the two.


    If not for Guan Shanjin¡¯s scorching gaze, he might not even have noticed anything at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Guan Shanjin gave a superficial smile. Now, he himself was also not very clear of exactly what he wanted. If Wu Xingzi were to ask about Mr. Lu, he would definitely loath it. However, Wu Xingzi¡¯splete disinterest also did not make him feel good. Instead, he was left restless and fretful, and he could not help but probe. ¡°Mr. Lu has yet to recover from his injury. With the pain in his chest, he can¡¯t eat nor sleep well. I¡¯m only helping him improve his blood cirction, don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the student, after all! Mr. Lu has also said before, that you respect him like an adopted father. This is part of your obligations.¡± Wu Xingzi did not understand what Guan Shanjin was rambling about, but seeing that this was human nature, it was not difficult to respond to him.


    Compared to his indifference, Mr. Lu¡¯s pale face flushed. He objected, ¡°There¡¯s not need. Haiwang is just too cautious. It¡¯s only a small injury. I only have to take some medication, and it¡¯ll gradually recover.¡±


    ¡°But I heard the girls say that you fell off a horse, and you suffered some internal injuries.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. I can only me myself for my poor riding skills. Thank you, Mr. Wu, for thinking about me.¡± Mr. Lu lowered his eyes, concealing his shame and resentment. He firmly believed that Wu Xingzi had an underlying meaning in his words. In his heart, he thought that this old thing looked so honest, but who would have thought that he would have such a sharp tongue?


    He did not want to make himself look as though he was fighting for favour. Mr. Lu was well aware with whom Guan Shanjin¡¯s hearty. After several years of interactions, Mr. Lu was more cognizant than anyone about Guan Shanjin¡¯s feelings for him. He knew what Guan Shanjin wanted from him, but relying on Guan Shanjin¡¯s esteem for him, he was very miserly in giving him what he wanted.


    They were both men. How could they not understand how a wife would lose to a concubine, how a concubine would lose to an affair, and how an affair would lose to someone whom they would never be able to get? Guan Shanjin was never a sentimental person. Even towards his own parents, he was very respectful, but he was never concerned about them. What more could others around him expect? Mr. Lu had seen all these clearly since long ago.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Having been rebuffed, Wu Xingzi was no longer in his own world. With embarrassment and befuddlement, he nced at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Just eat, why are you talking so much?¡± Guan Shanjin shoved a quail egg into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, preventing the old fellow from saying something else that would upset him even more.


    Feeling falsely used, Wu Xingzi munched on the quail egg as he thought, wasn¡¯t I originally quietly eating?! Ah, the yoke of this quail egg is so smooth and tender, and not dry at all. It¡¯s delicious!


    He took another two eggs and ced them in his bowl.


    Since Mr. Lu and Guan Shanjin disliked him speaking, he was more than happy to bury his head in his food. He sampled every dish, not leaving a single one out.


    As for the other two people, their moods were not as good as his.


    Mr. Lu was already feeling a pain in his chest, and was unable to eat. Now, he felt as though his chest was congested, with stale air stuck in his throat. He was neither able to swallow it down, nor release it, and as if being suffocated, his entire body felt ufortable, while his internal injuries seemed to have worsened. All hisments seemed to have made no impact. There was no need to mention any ripples, they did not even cause a tiny ssh.


    Guan Shanjin had long been used to Wu Xingzi¡¯s character, but he did not feel any better. He had long lost his appetite, and so, he just let the servant clear his bowl and chopsticks.


    Why did he deliberately gather Mr. Lu and Wu Xingzi to have a meal together? In the end, only the old fellow benefited as he ate the entire table of delicacies by himself.


    ¡°Teacher, you should still have a bit more. Taking medication on an empty stomach is bad for your body.¡± Looking at how Mr. Lu also did not have an appetite, sitting there with an ashen face, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached, and he persuaded him gently.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Mr. Lu gloomily had a few more bites of vegetables before putting his chopsticks down and refusing to eat anymore.


    Guan Shanjin had no choice. He summoned a servant over, asking him to instruct the kitchen to prepare some porridge, and to send the medication a littleter. He then helped Mr. Lu up, wanting to send him back.


    ¡°Ah, both of you are done eating?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly swallowed the food in his mouth, standing up in a panic.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be concerned, Mr. Wu. My body is weak, and I have to be rude and leave first.¡± Mr. Lu pushed at Guan Shanjin, a faint smile on his pale face. ¡°You too should stop concerning yourself with me. Don¡¯t you have to apany him tomorrow to return to his vige and make offerings to his ancestors? You must treasure him more, I have Hua Shu to serve me.¡±


    ¡°Sending Teacher back wouldn¡¯t cost me any dys.¡± Guan Shanjin thought about how after he would return to Qingcheng County with Wu Xingzi, the third young miss of the Yue family woulde and bring Mr. Lu back with her. For a very long period of time after that, he would not be able to be as intimate with Mr. Lu as he was now. Guan Shanjin could not help but feel a bitterness in his heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made Mr. Wuugh.¡± Mr. Lu stopped declining. He had yet to recover from the injury on his leg, which affected his ability to walk. Now, he leaned heavily in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, allowing him to half-carry himself. ¡°Mr. Wu, please continue with your meal. There¡¯s no need to send me off.¡±


    Guan Shanjin too turned his head, speaking with a cold expression. ¡°Wait here obediently and don¡¯t run around. You didn¡¯t even wear a robe, are you nning on making me worship your ancestors on your behalf when you catch a cold?¡±


    Wu Xingzi blushed. He obediently sat back down, continuing his mission of defeating the dishes on the table.


    Upon stepping out of the hall, Guan Shanjin lifted Mr. Lu up in his arms, so as to prevent him from aggravating his injuries.


    In this position, Mr. Lu¡¯s head happened to be pillowed right onto the crook of Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck. In his line of sight, there was a fair and beautiful neck. Above the cor, there were many red marks, extending into his clothes, as though Guan Shanjin had been bitten by insects. There were some marks all by themselves, as well as some clustered together, and there was even a faint bite mark.


    Now, Mr. Lu was truly anxious. It was impossible for him not to realise what sort of marks these were. What made him even more upset was that Guan Shanjin had never allowed anyone to leave such marks in such an eye-catching area. He reached out to touch them, and Guan Shanjin paused slightly. His emotional, captivating eyes lowered, meeting his gaze.


    ¡°Teacher?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu has taken a bite right over here.¡± Aposed look on his face, he scratched at the patch of skin with his finger. ¡°Since you like him, then you have to be good to him. I¡¯ve always wished for your happiness.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, you do know who¡¯s in my heart.¡± Guan Shanjin avoided his finger lightly, averting his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve got them to prepare some porridge for you. Take your medication after having some porridge. I¡¯ll be back after the New Year¡¯s. Teacher, when you¡¯re at the Yue manor, do recuperate well.¡±


    Guan Shanjin gently ced Mr. Lu down on the wheelchair that a servant was pushing outside. He covered him with a feathered cloak tightly, preventing him from getting chilled by the wind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about me. Tossing you away to get married to the third young mistress of the Yue family, I¡¯m the one who has done you wrong. Don¡¯t be so good to me anymore. Mr. Wu is a very honest person, don¡¯t let him down.¡± Mr. Lu held Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, patting it softly. Despite having finished speaking, he still did not let go.


    Who would have thought that Guan Shanjin would be the first to pull his hand away? Guan Shanjin spoke gently, ¡°Teacher, you should head back quickly. Spending too long out in the evening wind is not good for your body.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Mr. Lu looked at his empty hand, and a wry smile appeared on his face. ¡°I¡¯m the one who has done you wrong. You¡¯re a good child, so stop thinking about me anymore.¡±


    He did not wait for Guan Shanjin¡¯s response and got the servant to push him away.


    Only when the slender figure in the wheelchair vanished from sight, did Guan Shanjin return back indoors.


    In the side hall, Wu Xingzi had eaten to his heart¡¯s delight. Joyfully, he rubbed at his bulging stomach.


    The tes on the table were nearly empty. Guan Shanjin was satisfied looking at them, but was also vaguely unreconciled. He walked up and rubbed at the belly of the stuffed person, causing him to cry out in fright, as he nearly fell off his chair. Guan Shanjin then ordingly pulled Wu Xingzi into his arms.


    ¡°You only know how to eat, but why aren¡¯t you putting on any weight?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s body frame was not big, and his muscles were soft and tender. It felt extremely good to caress and touch him, but sometimes, Wu Xingzi¡¯s bones would dig into him and it would feel a little ufortable.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you apany Mr. Lu?¡± Wu Xingzi had thought that Guan Shanjin would need at least two hours, and he could take the opportunity to digest his food. As such, he was sprawled ungainly across his chair, rubbing his belly. Who would have thought that he would be caught doing so? Wu Xingzi did not know where to hide his embarrassment.


    ¡°Mr. Lu wants me to treasure you more.¡± Guan Shanjin lowered his head to bite at Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose. His teeth itched. Feeling unsatisfied, he went down further, biting at those lips which still had remnants of the taste from the braised trotters. Oily and plump, they were even more delicious than the actual trotters.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wu Xingzi felt stifled. Even Mr. Lu had such a big misunderstanding of their rtionship.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head out tomorrow early morning. Since you¡¯re not good at riding, you¡¯ll just share a horse with me.¡± Guan Shanjin did not continue mentioning Mr. Lu anymore, but earnestly instructed Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to return with me to worship my ancestors?¡± Wu Xingzi kept feeling that it was a little improper, and something did not feel quite right. However, he also did not n on seriously objecting to this decision. The confused feeling in his heart was also not too great, but he was unable to exin what was not great about it.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already agreed on it?¡± Guan Shanjin pulled Wu Xingzi¡¯s lip between his teeth. The intensity of the me in his heart grew, and he wanted to just push him down and enjoy him to his satisfaction.


    ¡°So are you going to eat? Let me tell you, this braised trotter is really delicious. I¡¯ve left two for you, don¡¯t waste them.¡± Wu Xingzi was a little bashful about Guan Shanjin¡¯s reply. He evaded his question, and picked up one. ¡°I¡¯ll help you tear the meat off, so that it¡¯s more convenient to eat. You¡¯re already so big, you can¡¯t go hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to feed me?¡± Wrapping an arm around his slender waist, Guan Shanjin rested his chin on the narrow shoulder. His eyes were full of amusement, watching Wu Xingzi, as he carefully tore the meat from the bone. That pile of streaky, shiny meat in his bowl looked truly appetising.


    Turning his head to look at him, Wu Xingzi was a little helpless. He did not know what was going on with Guan Shanjin, only vaguely feeling that his attitude towards him was a little different from before.


    ¡°Here, open your mouth.¡± Fine, I¡¯ll just feed him! Guan Shanjin had even washed his private areas for him before. Feeding him was nothing.


    As they said, when one was fed and warmed, their sexual desires would be aroused. Once he was fully fed, the lower part of Guan Shanjin¡¯s body too had pitched a tent. After all, the person in his arms was only dressed in his inner clothes, and he was all soft and fragrant.


    As such, when a servant from Mr. Lu¡¯s courtyard came rushing over with a message that Mr. Lu was vomiting bile after taking his medication, he was heartlessly left to stand outside in the wind. He had no luck in viewing the advent of spring within.

 Chapter 31 - Rumours

    Chapter 31 ¡ª Rumours


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Travelworn, it was two days till the New Year when they reached Qingcheng County. Adviser Wu truly had no skills at riding, and Guan Shanjin was also afraid of tiring him out. As such, they did not go very fast.


    Having been away from home for over a month, Wu Xingzi felt a sort of relieved ease when he pushed his door open. The tables and chairs were covered with a thinyer of dust. Fortunately, the house had been repaired rather meticulously before winter. No matter how much rain fell during winter, there had been no leakage in the roof.


    Unable to be concerned with how weak his legs felt after riding a horse for a long period of time, Wu Xingzi rolled up his sleeves to start tidying his house.


    After feeding the horse and tying it up in the stable of the magistrate¡¯s office, Guan Shanjin arrived at Wu Xingzi¡¯s house to see him having already collected a basin of water, and wiping his furniture down.


    Naturally, Guan Shanjin could not watch Wu Xingzi being all sweaty and exhausted during a cold winter day. What if he caught a chill because of the wind? Guan Shanjin walked forward and took over what Wu Xingzi was doing. Then, as if afraid of him being unable to sit quietly by the side, he sent Wu Xingzi out to buy some groceries for cooking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Su Yang to prepare the New Year goods for us. He¡¯ll send them over tomorrow, before noon, so there¡¯s no need to buy too many things.¡± After briefing Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin pushed him out of the house, not even giving him a chance to struggle.


    nkly, Wu Xingzi looked at the door that had shut behind him. He scratched his nose, feeling a little secretly delighted.


    Humans were not made of stone. Having travelled together by themselves for the past dozen or so days, Wu Xingzi could see that Guan Shanjin¡¯s care towards him was extremely meticulous. He was always worried that he would be cold, would be hungry, would be ufortable, and always managed to arrive at a vige just before sunset. Before they left, Mint and Osmanthus had secretly told Wu Xingzi that the general had never allowed anyone to ride his horse, Zhuxing. Even Mr. Lu had never had the fortune to take a ride on Zhuxing¡¯s back, not even once.


    ¡°I believe that the general must really like you.¡± Mint covered her smile with her hand.


    Osmanthus chimed in, ¡°Exactly! The general is even going back home with you for the New Year! He¡¯s never returned to the capital for Mr. Lu before.¡±


    Wu Xingzi could only smile wryly. Hepletely did not wish to bring the Great Southern Garrison General back home with him to pray to his ancestors! How was he going to ount to his ancestors about him?


    Father, Mother, my ancestors, This is the¡­ pengornis I¡¯ve been thinking about. I¡¯ll be living with him temporarily for a period of time. Please bless this pengornis with the best wishes possible, that it can reach its utmost potential, garner great achievements, and let it be forever unyielding and filled with perseverance.


    Wu Xingzi was afraid that his parents and his ancestors would immediately enter his dream that night and teach this unfilial son a lesson!


    As such, he remained conflicted throughout the entire journey home, but Wu Xingzi still did not manage toe up with a good suggestion that could strike a happy bnce.


    Gripping his little money pouch, Wu Xingzi strolled over to Auntie Liu¡¯s house. By this time, most of the stalls along the street had already packed up, and he could only purchase the groceries that he needed directly from the farmers.


    Auntie Liu had two sons, and so, she had sufficient food at home. She should have no problems selling him a little.


    On his way there, he happened to walk past a few vigers. Wu Xingzi greeted them, smiling brightly, but their expressions were all very entertaining. First, they came to an abrupt stop, staring at him, then they revealed a face full of either schadenfreude or pity. Finally, they would give him aplicated, twisted smile. No matter how sedate and cid Wu Xingzi was, after walking past a few people, he too registered that something was not quite right.


    Finally, almost as though he was hiding from everyone, he arrived at Auntie Liu¡¯s ce. Knocking on the door, he heard Auntie Liu shout her acknowledgement from within. The wooden door opened, and after seeing that it was Wu Xingzi, Auntie Liu¡¯s eyes rounded. She did not speak, but just held his hand and started crying.


    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Auntie Liu¡¯s eldest daughter-inw, Ah Xiu, ran out in a panic. After seeing Wu Xingzi who had an awkward expression on his face, she too started wiping her tears.


    ¡°Sister, Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The second daughter-inw, Ah Bao, too came over.


    For the next fifteen minutes, the door to the Liu¡¯s home was full of sobs. Helplessly, Adviser Wu looked at the three women. His mouth was wide open, yet he did not know what he should say.


    In the end, it was still Old Mister Liu who came and called everyone to enter the house. Gently, he patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good boy, it¡¯s fine that you¡¯re back.¡±


    Huh? Wu Xingzi was baffled. He could guess that this definitely had something to do with the viger¡¯s strange behaviour along the way. However, the men of the Liu family were all born taciturn. The two sons of Old Mister Liu had yet to return, and Old Mister Liu was already sitting by the side, smoking. To persuade the three women to stop crying, Wu Xingzi alone was powerless to do so.


    With no other choice, he could only pat Auntie Liu¡¯s hand, repeating wanly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, don¡¯t cry. Crying too much is not good for the eyes.¡±


    Women were truly made of water! Wu Xingzi coaxed them till his mouth was dry, his throat nearly ame. Only then did the three people gradually stop crying, giving him water and dried fruit in a fluster.


    Drinking arge bowl of water in one gulp, Wu Xingzi sighed in satisfaction, but he could not bear to touch the dried fruit. Just as he was about to buy some vegetables from Auntie Liu, Auntie Liu spoke first. ¡°Xingzi, you pitiful child. Have you lost weight again? That young lord looked like he was born from wealth, yet he¡¯s so heartless; did he not even give you a good meal?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi did not understand, looking even more lost. In Auntie Liu¡¯s eyes, it seemed as though he was enduring his sorrow, hiding his injured heart, looking like a pitiful victim.


    ¡°Ah, Xingzi! It¡¯s all my fault. I should have stopped you from leaving with that heartless son of a bitch!¡± Seeing how Auntie Liu was filled with righteous indignation, as well as how Ah Xiu and Ah Bao were staring at him with pity and heartache in their tear-filled eyes, Wu Xingzi finally reacted.


    He sighed, waving his hands in a fluster. ¡°No no no, Auntie, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Haiwang is extremely good to me. He did not let me go hungry for even a day, and I could even nt cucumbers in the yard I was staying at!¡±


    ¡°nting cucumbers during this season? It¡¯s no good, they won¡¯t grow well!¡± Upon mentioning crops, Auntie Liu immediately got distracted. ¡°In such cold weather, you should nt carrots.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I didn¡¯t think of it at that time. I only felt that the people there had a more explosive temper, and so, I nted some cucumbers to eat. They would be able to calm their temperament, remove heatiness in the body and help to detoxify the body. They¡¯ll be nice as gifts.¡± Of course, they had another use as well. Wu Xingzi was shy and easily embarrassed, and he would never let Auntie Liu know about it. After all, that was something he had seen in the erotic drawings Manager Rancui had given him.


    They all said cucumbers were good for eating, and any ¡°mouth¡± could eat them.


    ¡°Mother, at this time, nting cucumbers or carrots is not the key point.¡± Ah Xiu could not carry on listening to this conversation. She took in a deep breath, then looked at Wu Xingzi. ¡°Xingzi-ge, don¡¯t try to conceal this from us! Everyone has been saying that after you were taken away by that young lord, you were cleanly forgotten in only a few days. There are countless beauties in that young lord¡¯s house, and they said that the one in his heart is so beautiful as though he is a fairy. Auntie Li and the rest said that you had definitely been discarded, and that, how could the young lord ever like you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, wicked people with their wicked tongues. Auntie Li and those people are born with nasty mouths, and they just can¡¯t stand to see Xingzi-ge living a happy life.¡± Ah Bao was a lot more direct, pursing her lips and scolding them.


    ¡°However, that is all they¡¯ve been talking about recently. They¡¯ve even said that Xingzi-ge might even be chased home before the New Year.¡± Ah Xiu closed her mouth, ncing at Wu Xingzi cautiously. ¡°If that young lord is good to you, why didn¡¯t he ask you to stay for the New Year?¡±


    ¡°He said¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed a bright red, looking a little awkward. This was after all a matter of praying to his ancestors together!


    ¡°What did he say? Don¡¯t leave me on tenterhooks!¡± Auntie Liu could not bear waiting, urging him on hurriedly.


    ¡°Uh, he said, he woulde home with me for the New Year and make the offerings to my ancestors.¡± By this time, every inch of Wu Xingzi¡¯s exposed skin was reddened. He was extremely shy about it, but he too felt so sweet as though he had been coated with honey.


    He knew that there would not be any future between Guan Shanjin and himself, and he too had always been firm on his direction of life, which was to collect even more pengornis drawings. However, he had still been somewhat moved by Guan Shanjin¡¯s care and concern. There was no need to start thinking about solemn pledges of love, but a few tastes of sweetness here and there could still be rather enjoyable.


    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re really in a rtionship with him?!¡± The corners of Auntie Liu¡¯s eyes were still reddened from crying, and yet in an instant, she started smiling so widely that her eyes could not be seen. ¡°The heavens have blessed you, the heavens have blessed you! You¡¯re a good child, and if that young lord has eyes, he should know how to cherish you. Hah! Early tomorrow morning, I¡¯m going to go to the Li¡¯s ce, and ruthlessly deal with that group of old women to take revenge on your behalf!¡± Making offerings to ancestors was a huge matter, and outsiders naturally had no possibility nor rights to participate. Since the two of them were now at this stage, they would definitely have already dered their intentions to each other. Although bing life partners was not as fussy as getting married, and all they needed to do was to go to the magistrate¡¯s office to register their household, most would still invite their families and friends for a banquet to celebrate.


    ¡°Where will you be holding your banquet? When would it be?¡± Wu Xingzi was overwhelmed by Auntie Liu¡¯s barrage of questions.


    He waved his hands. ¡°Auntie! Auntie! We did not be life partners! He¡¯s only here to apany me for the New Year and make the offerings to my ancestors. He has to return to Bastion City before the tenth day of the New Year.¡±


    ¡°What?! He¡¯s already here to make the offerings, bing life partners is only a matter of time.¡± With a wave of her arm, Auntie Liu turned to go into her kitchen. Soon, she came out with a chunk of preserved meat, a few carrots, arge cabbage and four eggs, shoving them all into Wu Xingzi¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Here, this is my gift to you. In the future if you¡¯re bullied in Bastion City, juste back and look for me. I¡¯ll definitely settle it for you.¡±


    Wu Xingzi stared at the food in his arms. That chunk of preserved meat had streaks of fat running through it, looking shiny and tempting. Theyers of meat were delineated clearly, without any blurring or melding. Swallowing his saliva, he pushed the meat back into Auntie Liu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m here today to buy some rice, vegetables and things like that, just enough to make a meal for Haiwang and me. The New Year goods that he had asked his friend to prepare will be here tomorrow, so keep this meat for yourself. I know very well that you¡¯ve always doted on me.¡±


    ¡°That young lord is truly meticulous.¡± Listening to Wu Xingzi, Auntie Liu was delighted. She did not refuse to take the preserved meat back, but no matter what, she did not ept any payment for the rest.


    With no other choice, Wu Xingzi could only ept Auntie Liu¡¯s goodwill. He left with the vegetables, eggs, and some rice, bumping into Guan Shanjin along the way. Guan Shanjin took the items over, havinge out in search of Wu Xingzi, as he had yet to return after Guan Shanjin was done with the cleaning of the house.


    ¡°Are these enough for you?¡± Teasingly, he looked at Wu Xingzi¡¯s tummy. Wu Xingzi blushed faintly, lowering his head. This image lit a me within Guan Shanjin. If not for the fact that they were on the street, with the odd people around them, he really wanted to pull him into his arms and kiss him to his heart¡¯s delight.


    ¡°There¡¯s only some salt left at home, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll feel unwell after eating it.¡± Recently Wu Xingzi seemed to have been getting used to his situation. When walking next to Guan Shanjin, he would unconsciously hold on to his arm. Their postures were fairly intimate, and people who saw them started muttering amongst themselves.


    After all, earlier on, Auntie Li had sounded very convincing. She talked about how that Adviser Wu would be discarded, how tragic his life would be, how celestially beautiful the sweetheart of the god-like man was, and apparently, that sweetheart was even a sessful schr in the imperial examinations! Apparently, they all said that the god-like man had been unable to woo that sweetheart of his, and so, he took Wu Xingzi as a substitute and kept him by his side. However, the two of them had recently epted each other¡¯s feelings, and Wu Xingzi was naturally now an eyesore. If not for the kindness of that sweetheart, he would have long been abandoned in that city.


    ¡°Hah! If Wu Xingzi has a sense of shame, he¡¯ll run back home soon!¡± This was Auntie Li¡¯s conclusion, and many old women chimed in with their agreement. This was probably one of the most hotly discussed topics in Qingcheng County over the past two weeks.


    But what they saw now was not the disheveled appearance of the main character in that topic, walking all alone. Instead, with him was that elegant, graceful young lord who looked like an immortal. The two of them were even exchanging whispers intimately on the street.


    Look at that Wu Xingzi. Shouldn¡¯t he take a look at how old he already is? How shameless!


    Forget it, Auntie Li must have gotten a huge bite of sour groups, and so, she created such rumours.


    Hah! Did this god-like man really get enchanted?! With Wu Xingzi¡¯s appearance, you¡¯ll only despise him even more when you take an extra look at him, how did the god-like man start liking him?


    Yo! Someone is clearly thinking that he¡¯s not attracting enough attention, someone needs to teach him a lesson!


    Everyone had something to say. But their voices were all very soft, as they did not dare to let the parties hear what they were saying. However, Guan Shanjin had a very strong inner force. Without paying any attention, he ended up hearing all the rumours going around, and a cold unhappiness rose in his eyes.


    There was too much ovep between the rumour and the truth, and Mr. Lu¡¯s existence was almost shining visibly in front of everyone. He would definitely not believe that no one was deliberately working behind the scenes of this incidence.


    Who could it be? And what was the objective of these rumours? If Wu Xingzi was to hear of them, would he¡­ have any opinions? Thest point made him inexplicably shudder. Looking down, he nced over to the chattering Wu Xingzi next to him. That ordinary face was tinted a slight red, and there was not a single trace of Mr. Lu¡¯s stunning beauty. However, no matter how he looked at it, it was still pleasing to the eyes.


    He even could no longer remember, at the start, exactly which feature of Wu Xingzi was a shadow of Mr. Lu?


    If he were to discover that Guan Shanjin¡¯s intimacy and care all started because he had treated him like Mr. Lu¡¯s substitute, would he still be able to smile at him like how he was doing now? Would he still blush upon seeing him? Would he¡­pletely not be bothered, instead sighing in relief, and return to the Peng Society, continuing to make friends through the pigeon express?


    Guan Shanjin started feeling inexplicably upset. He held everything safely with just one hand, then wrapped his other arm tightly around the thin person next to him. He ignored the eyes of the crowd, lowering his head and cing a deep kiss on that pair of sweet, honeyed lips. Curling his tongue and using the tip of his tongue, he continued licking at the pooling saliva in his mouth. Only when the other party was weak-limbed and panting did Guan Shanjin then release him.


    That pair of eyes were sparkling, looking at him foolishly, and only he existed in those eyes.


    ¡°Are you hungry yet?¡± Guan Shanjin asked gently. His voice was tender, and there seemed to be little hooks in them, clinging onto Wu Xingzi and making his heart pound.


    Gulping his saliva down, he realized that there were still traces of Guan Shanjin¡¯s vour in his mouth. Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind was still flustered, and he answered nkly. ¡°I¡¯m hungry already, can I have you?¡±


    An intoxicating smile bloomed in front of him, and a kiss fell onto his ear. ¡°It¡¯s all up to you.¡±

 Chapter 32 - You Like Fanning The Flames, Yet You Can’t Take The Heat (NSFW)

    Chapter 32 ¡ª You Like Fanning The mes, Yet You Can¡¯t Take The Heat (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The two people returned home. They did not even store the things they brought home away, just casually tossing them aside and entwining together, kissing passionately.


    Wu Xingzi seemed a little impatient, and the kisses made him weak-limbed. Despite trying a few times, he was unable to undo Guan Shanjin¡¯s belt, and he could not help butin, ¡°Take it off!¡± Guan Shanjin was very amused, and kissed him in constion. The old man nibbled on the tip of his tongue, licking and sucking. It was as though he was enjoying some fine delicacy, unwilling to even part from it a little bit.


    Allowing Wu Xingzi to clumsily yet feverishly kiss him, Guan Shanjin deftly stripped the two of all their clothes. Although the brazier in the house was lit, it was not warm enough. Worried that Wu Xingzi would be chilled, Guan Shanjin wrapped him tightly in his arms.


    Wu Xingzi whimpered, grinding against Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin¡¯s body was fit and sturdy, and he had abundant inner force. His skin was soft and warm, and he felt just like a heater. stered against him, Wu Xingzi was sofortable that he could not stop moaning.


    His buttocks were kneaded at by the man¡¯srge hands, and his moans rose higher in pitch, bing even sweeter. Automatically, his limbs curled themselves around Guan Shanjin¡¯s muscr body, his lips shifting to Guan Shanjin¡¯s perfectly formed ear, and hepped at it like a puppy.


    ¡°Bing so lewd so quickly?¡± Guan Shanjinughed as he grabbed a handful of buttcheek.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi groaned, arching in Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace. His legs tightened around Guan Shanjin¡¯s narrow waist, and it seemed like he did not have a single bit of fear of falling.


    Naturally, Guan Shanjin would not disappoint him. He steadily supported his buttocks, pressing Wu Xingzi against the door. His long-hardened dick ground against Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft belly as well as his half-hard little thing. When he thrust with a little bit more force, the two people panted heavily with delight.


    Having never been restrained in the matters of sex, Wu Xingzi soon was unsatisfied with this sort of clingy friction. Inmed, he urged Guan Shanjin on. ¡°Quick,e in. I-It itches¡­¡±


    He truly was itching for something. Guan Shanjin pinched that plump and fleshy bottom savagely. He clearly had not teased him for too long, but that hole was already soaking wet. Right at that moment, it was dripping with fluids, coating Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers, as the area he was gripping onto was already all slick and wet as hell.


    This lewd darling was born to conquer him!


    Guan Shanjin panted, his finger randomly sliding down to the drenched cleft, pressing into it. With just that slight movement, lewd fluids gushed out, flowing down his jade-like, slender finger. The fluids slicked his hand, down to his wrist, and kept on dripping. In a few moments, a small pool had collected on the ground. As for the old man, his hips were twisting, and he gave off continuous thrilled cries. His entire body was flushed pink.


    ¡°More¡­ Give me more¡­¡± Compared to a thick and bulging pengornis, Guan Shanjin¡¯s finger was a little too slender. Although it wasparatively more agile and gentle, Wu Xingzi who was used to wild, passionate fucks was soon unsatisfied. Ingratiatingly, he licked Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, pleading, while his hips did not stop moving.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Guan Shanjin bit his shoulder, pushing Wu Xingzi even more firmly against the door. The thick head of his cock brushed past Wu Xingzi¡¯s cleft, his balls smacking against Wu Xingzi¡¯s perineum. The little pink cock trapped between the two people trembled, and arge volume of pre leaked from it.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s finger thrust in, deeper and harder. The tip of his finger nced past that slightly protruding sensitive spot within. Before waiting for Wu Xingzi to even catch his breath, Guan Shanjin ced pressure on that spot, rubbing and scratching at it. While doing so, he would sometimes impale his finger even deeper into the hole. In no time, with a trembling voice, Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire body was twitching, and both their bellies were covered with his ejaction.


    ¡°You can¡¯t take the heat, and yet you always like to fan the mes. Say, aren¡¯t you slutty?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s amused words were a little husky, and his breaths too were a little out of control. The words squirrelled into Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears, and his scalp tingled, his body turning weak.


    ¡°I¡¯m not slutty¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Listening to him mewling, Guan Shanjin was also pushed almost to his limit. He yanked his finger out from the hole, and shoved his cock right into him.


    Despite having been teased until his bottom half was soaked and dripping, Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole was still a little too small for Guan Shanjin¡¯s dick. It was soft and slick enough, but some pain was still felt each time he was entered. His buttocks were spread wide open, the tender wrinkles around the hole had disappeared, and his hole was stretched pale. His previous sweet moans were now a little shaky, and he gasped pitifully.


    ¡°Gently, a little more gently¡­¡± It could not be described as being extremely painful. However, the old man still bit into Guan Shanjin¡¯s firm and muscr shoulder, whimpering unintelligibly.


    ¡°Be good.¡± Only a third of Guan Shanjin had entered Wu Xingzi. Guan Shanjin kneaded at his buttocksfortingly, kissing his cheek. Trying to hold himself back, his forehead was covered with sweat. Still, he did not immediately thrust in with abandon. If he ended up injuring Wu Xingzi by doing so, he himself would also feel pained too.


    Wu Xingzi was truly a born siren. No matter how his lips were pale with pain, looking extremely pitiful, as though he was about to be pierced right through, his channel within was still clenching and flexing on him. Without any inhibition, it was wringing and spanking down on therge head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, with an attitude as though it desperately wanted to take in even more of him.


    As expected, it was only a short matter of time when Wu Xingzi himself yearned for more. Whining, he urged Guan Shanjin to thrust in harder, and his limbs wrapped around Guan Shanjin even tighter.


    ¡°My lewd darling, you asked for it.¡± Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth. No longer was he going to hold himself back, and his sturdy chest pressed Wu Xingzi firmly against the door. His two hands gripped those fleshy buttocks tightly, and with a savage thrust, he impaled himself right into Wu Xingzi¡¯s core. That ram caused the old man in his arms to kick and shriek, yet Guan Shanjin did not stop, pushing himself all the way inside.


    In a moment, he was so very deep within. Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly protruded outwards, revealing the shape of a man¡¯s cock.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to break¡­ Ahh, gently, a little more gently¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was fucked to the point where his body was shuddering. Drool hung off his lips, his gaze ck. Feebly, his fingers scratched at the man¡¯s well-defined back, only leaving a few light pink tracks.


    Guan Shanjin retreated, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole still clung onto him. The lewd fluids within Wu Xingzi too flowed out along with Guan Shanjin¡¯s movement, and an obscene scent filled the entire house.


    Feeling the thin body in his arms trembling, Guan Shanjin harshly mmed himself in again, forcing both a yell and tears out of Wu Xingzi.


    That thick and brutal cock started pistoning, while Wu Xingzi¡¯s redden hole clung onto that rod. As it really was very thick, even without deliberately aiming for that sensitive nub inside, the wild, passionate motions were still enough to grind against that spot, causing it to tingle madly, and the spot felt as though it was swelling up.


    There was no need to even mention Wu Xingzi¡¯s core. It had long turned swollen and was dripping from the fucking, as each thrust was apanied by a slick, wet sound. Wu Xingzi¡¯s brains had been fucked out, his gaze unfocused, and his face was covered with tears and drool. He looked wrecked, and he could only moan brokenly.


    At first, Wu Xingzi could still twist his hips, following the rhythm. However, Guan Shanjin¡¯s fucks were truly too fierce, and Wu Xingzi could barely even catch his breath. His toes curled tight, before rxing again, and soon, he was trembling non-stop as though he was cramping up. Again, weak spurts of semen were forced out from his delicate little cock, and it seemed like he would soon be unable toe again.


    After an unknown period of time, Guan Shanjin ced Wu Xingzi onto the table. Pulling his fair, slender leg onto his shoulder, he gripped one side of his hips, pushing himself even further into Wu Xingzi. His balls pped against his buttocks, turning the flesh red. With an empty hand, he covered Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft,id little cock, teasing it with his calloused palm.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands were very nice looking, his skin fair and delicate. Despite looking as though they were carved from jade, they were hands that had gone through hard work. After all, Guan Shanjin was a military man. He had many calluses formed from training, and the skin on his palms was rough. Brushing against his palms would bring about an itching sensation.


    When this hand was ying with the sensitive and delicate Xingzi Jr., that feeling was not somethingmonce. With only a few strokes, Wu Xingzi could not help but cry out sharply, and he pushed at Guan Shanjin, wanting to rescue his little thing. That sort of itch was basically unbearable. Especially when Guan Shanjin deliberately rubbed the tender flesh of the tip of his cock with his thumb, Wu Xingzi¡¯s high-pitched moan cracked, and he could not make a sound.


    Of course, there was no way he was able to push Guan Shanjin away. Gradually, he only ended even deeper in the pleasure, and he was nearly about toe again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t do this¡­¡± Wu Xingzi mewled, shifting and adjusting his body, trying to evade Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock that was deep within him as well as that inhumane hand. However, General Guan was very fast, catching his hips and shoving Wu Xingzi further onto his cock. Again, he reached deep inside him, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s pale belly bulged outwards.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Tilting his head back, Wu Xingzi howled. Shivering, he reached out and touched his own stomach.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Guan Shanjin lowered his head, pressing kisses onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyelids. Due to the pleasure, Guan Shanjin looked even more entrancing, with the slight crease between his brows and his amorous, alluring eyes. Looking at him, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart beat faster, his mouth turning dry. Even if he were to die from getting fucked, he would be more than willing to walk down this path.


    What a good pengornis! Not only is this pengornis like the Prince of Lanling, even Guan Shanjin himself is like the Prince of Lanling! Wu Xingzi had never seen him dressed in armour before, nor the imposing, handsome figure of him on the battlefield. However, it would definitely be extremely good looking.


    ¡°I like it¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s small voice faltered. Intoxicated, he stared at Guan Shanjin.


    This gaze left zing trails within Guan Shanjin. He grabbed onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, fucking even more savagely into him. That egg-sized head of his cock was shoved into Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly again and again, causing Wu Xingzi¡¯s senses to fall ck, and his body to convulse. Wu Xingzi¡¯s channel spasmed and contracted, and it was once again brutally stretched open.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t anymore¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes rolled back slightly, drool trickling down the corner of his mouth, and he felt as though he was about to go crazy. His orgasm took over him viciously, carrying him away like waves. It crashed over him unceasingly, and Wu Xingzi thought that he definitely had been fucked into a wreck. There seemed to be no end to his orgasm, and his mouth gaped open, yet nothing coulde out.


    Suddenly, Guan Shanjin kissed him on the lips, and his thrusts were even more forceful. With eyes rolling to the back of his head, Wu Xingzi convulsed in pain, and his cries were stuck in his throat. Guan Shanjin¡¯s strong hips pistoned several more times, and finally, Wu Xingzi could feel spurts of warmth inside him. Unable to catch his breath, he fainted dead away.


    This time, Guan Shanjin had ejacted long and hard. After all, during their hurried journey to Qingcheng County, he had not dared to touch Wu Xingzi. Other than that one time before they left, he had repressed himself for a month.


    Adviser Wu, who had copsed on the table, was still shuddering slightly. His eyes, cheeks and nose were red from crying. Looking surprisingly enticing, the image caused Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart to wrench tightly. With a fondness that he himself was not aware of, Guan Shanjin leant down and kissed those plump lips.


    Unable to control himself, he hardened again.


    Since there was nothing on his agenda, he might as well enjoy himself to the utmost.


    Thinking like this, Guan Shanjin gave up on his self-control. With their bodies still joined, he pulled Wu Xingzi up and into his arms. While fucking him, he walked into the bedroom.

 Chapter 33 - He’s Like A Wisp of Moonlight

    Chapter 33 ¡ª He¡¯s Like A Wisp of Moonlight


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    When Su Yang delivered the New Year goodies, Wu Xingzi was still unable to get out of bed. Last night, he had indulged a little too much, and on top of that, he was still exhausted from their hurried journey. Even other advisers who were a lot more sturdy looking would not have been able to endure this, and so, Wu Xingzi was sleeping as though he was dead.


    As such, this was the first time in Su Yang¡¯s life where he saw the strange sight of Guan Shanjin underdressed in a shuhe1, solemnly unloading the items from the carriage along with the servants he had brought along.


    Even though Guan Shanjin was able to carry off the simple shuhe with an elegant ir, it was not enough to abate Su Yang¡¯s anger.


    He leapt down from the carriage, shaking with anger as he tugged at the hand of his childhood friend. ¡°Guan Haiwang, how did you end up desecrating yourself like this? You¡¯re the Great Southern Garrison General! How can you do this sort of menial jobs? Where¡¯s that old man?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still asleep, as he¡¯s extremely tired.¡±


    Su Yang had used a lot of force, and he managed to stop Guan Shanjin from moving. Guan Shanjin did not struggle, only giving the servants some instructions on how to pack away the items before allowing his friend to pull him into the carriage.


    ¡°Look at you all sweaty and smelly, dirtying my nket made from the fur of the Chinese Golden Monkey.¡± Su Yang grumbled away, pouring a cup of tea and handing it to Guan Shanjin. He then asked disdainfully, ¡°What sort of madness are youing up with this time? Why did youe to such a horrid ce for the New Year?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m happy to do so.¡± Sipping the tea, a smile could be seen in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes, and he unconsciously nced at that little house outside. The person within should be sleeping very well, seeing how he waspletely not disturbed by all this noise.


    Su Yang snorted. ¡°Then, have you ever thought about whether Mr. Lu is happy about it or not?¡± He crossed his legs, cing his elbow on his knee, as he rested his chin on his hand. Looking refined and distinguished, that image of him made Guan Shanjinugh.


    ¡°Why would Mr. Lu be unhappy? He knows about this too. I had informed him once I decided. Laoshi told me to have a good New Year, and to rx.¡± When he had mentioned this to Mr. Lu, Guan Shanjin was somewhat testing his reaction as well. He knew that Mr. Lu would be getting married after the New Year. Although he could understand Mr. Lu¡¯s thoughts, there was still bitterness in his heart, and he could not help but want to trigger him a little.


    ¡°Rx?¡± Su Yang pursed his lips disapprovingly. ¡°Man Yue has been so busy that he is even fatter than before, right?¡±


    When talking about this round and plump fellow viger, Su Yang¡¯s foxy eyes glimmered with some malice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something you should be concerned about.¡± Guan Shanjin replied with a light smile. He had never liked Su Yang¡¯s antagonism towards Man Yue. After all, there were differences between rtives and friends, and for him, Man Yue was someone extremely close to him.


    Left speechless, Su Yang was fine with not challenging Guan Shanjin with regards to Man Yue. After all, he was not here for him.


    A silence fell between the both of them, and Su Yang finally spoke up again. ¡°Say, what sort of ns do you have towards Mr. Lu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going back before the 10th day of the New Year. I need to help him manage his wedding affairs properly.¡± Guan Shanjin did not look at Su Yang, only drinking his tea with his eyes lowered.


    ¡°You actually can bear to do that? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what sort of thoughts that old Yue Dade is keeping inside him?¡± Su Yang really could not endure watching this go on any longer. He had always liked beauty, and no matter how much he did not like Mr. Lu, he still preferred him to that old quail inside that shabby hut. When they were together, Guan Shanjin was just like an idiot pecked away by the old quail.


    Faced with this interrogation, Guan Shanjin did not have any reaction. He even picked up a rose and pine nuts pastry, eating it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force me to curse the elders!¡± Guan Shanjinposedly nced at his friend who was gnashing his teeth, andughed. ¡°If you want to scold your mother, I can¡¯t stop you too. At most, I¡¯ll just cover up for you and won¡¯t mention to Auntie Su about her unfilial child.¡±


    Su Yang spat silently. What nonsense was Guan Shanjin saying? He ground his teeth in anger, but he was unable to do anything about Guan Shanjin. Who would want to test their own neck against Chenyuan Sword?


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something that I want to ask you.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone had changed, and Su Yang nced up at him.


    ¡°Just ask, but I may not answer.¡±


    ¡°Were you the one spreading the rumours amongst Qingcheng County?¡± Guan Shanjin did not beat around the bush, just asking him directly.


    ¡°So what if I was?¡± Su Yang too did not deny it, looking just like a fox with his curled lips. ¡°You want to refute the rumours on behalf of the old man? I¡¯ll justy everything on the ground right now. Those rumours consist of nothing but the truth, and there¡¯s not a single bit of exaggeration to them. Is Mr. Lu not the one in your heart?¡±


    As for the exaggeration that urred after the rumours spread amongst the vigers, that was not something the source of the rumours had to be responsible for, right?


    Having gained the answer, Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows knitted slightly. His fingers, looking like they were carved from jade, toyed with the teacup on the table. The teacup rolled about the table, and Su Yang was frustrated looking at it.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Who asked you to spread such gossip?¡± Guan Shanjin shot his friend an icy look. Even though Su Yang was well aware of his character, he could not help but shudder. The only thing he could do was to control the expression on his face, but he could not help but avert his eyes.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like that old fellow, why? You¡¯re not even going to let me feel sick about him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the only thing you¡¯re feeling sick about?¡± Guan Shanjinughed.


    The teacup Guan Shanjin was ying with shattered, almost turning into dust. Su Yang¡¯s brows creased, and he swore lowly.


    ¡°Su Yang, we¡¯ve already known each other for twenty years. Would I not know what sort of person you are? At the same time, you should also know very well what sort of person I am.¡± Lightly patting away the dust on his hand, Guan Shanjin looked gentle and elegant, even carrying a trace of warmth simr to that of a spring breeze. Smiling, he looked at his friend. ¡°I can understand that you don¡¯t like Wu Xingzi, but it¡¯s out of the ordinary for you to be so preupied with this ugly fellow that you don¡¯t like. ording to how you normally conduct yourself, Wu Xingzi is only a grain of dust to you. With the amount of time you take to blow him off your fingers, you¡¯d have forgotten all about it. How would you have the extra time to feel sick about him?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to ask? Just ask it directly.¡± Su Yang, too, was an intelligent person. The best method for facing Guan Shanjin was to avoid being confuddled. When this person decided to be heartless, he could be very inhumane, and he was only a fool for Mr. Lu.


    ¡°Was it Man Yue who wanted you to spread the rumours, or was it¡­ Hua Shu?¡±


    ¡°You already know the answer.¡± Su Yangughed when he heard Hua Shu¡¯s name. Patting his knee, heughed uproariously. ¡°You actually said this name out loud.¡±


    Compared to Su Yang¡¯s guffaws, Guan Shanjin was expressionless. He naturally had his own guesses. The rumours he heard yesterday were too close to the truth, too pointed and specific, and he kept worrying that if Wu Xingzi heard them, he would discover his selfish motives. He would not be bothered if the old fellow would be sad and upset, but he felt that this old thing would most likely be delighted instead, only using his pengornis with relief and waiting for the day when he would lose favour.


    He was unable to vent the sulky feeling he had within him, and so, he could not stop himself from questioning Su Yang about the rumours.


    After gaining an answer, he did not feel any better. Instead, he felt even more frustrated. He knew that if the rumours had been instigated by Man Yue, they would not have been so crude. Su Yang would also not have done such things for Man Yue, no matter how much he wanted to disgust him. However, if it was Hua Shu, Su Yang might have done it to relieve his boredom.


    Still, Hua Shu was only Mr. Lu¡¯s servant. Despite his frequent little sneaky petty tricks, this was a matter that had to do with leaking the private matters of the General¡¯s household. The punishment for this, if severe, would be death by caning. Did he have the guts to do something like this? Guan Shanjin naturally did not believe so.


    Which also meant that this entire situation¡­ He rubbed his temples, decisively resolving not to think about it anymore. He knew how noble and unsullied a person Mr. Lu was.


    That year when he had returned to the capital from the northwest, he kept feeling like an outsider, and waspletely out of sync with the prosperity and the luxury of the capital. After all, ever since he was 12 years old, for full eight years, he had been living in the northwest, that cold and deste ce that seemed as though it was stained by blood. The line between life and death had been blurred for him. During their most terrible times, they even brought the bodies of their enemies back as food.


    The world in his eyes was no longer that pure and beautiful like how it was when he left. He used to be like a treasured bird in a golden cage, free from worries, arrogant and willful. The peaceful days now left him in a state of anxiety. Although it could not be seen from his face, it was actually as though he had never left the northwest, and his soul had long been trapped in that smoke-filled, disgusting ce.


    As such, he had lived his days unrestrained for a period of time. Not only was he absorbed in drinking and making merry, he even caused many troubles in the capital. Many courtiers and imperial officials of the court hadined bitterly.


    During that year¡¯s Spring Lantern Festival, Guan Shanjin brought along a servant with him, meandering down the riverside to admire thenterns. Unexpectedly, an elegant figure in white captured his attention. Ignoring the rmed shouts of his guards, he chased after that shadow. Finally, under a plum tree, he found Mr. Lu quietly admiring a revolvingntern2 with a raised head.


    With a nce, it felt as though all the colours in the world had faded away.


    The only thing left was that white colour of the snow lotus, and like the clear morning dew, drop by drop, his recent reckless and frustrated heart was nourished.


    Probably having sensed his gaze, Mr. Lu turned around, seeming to recognise him very quickly. The corner of his mouth curved up, and he softly called out, ¡°Haiwang.¡±


    It was only that moment when Guan Shanjin finally felt like he had returned home. He was no longer an outsider, no longer in that environment where he would have to kill once he opened his eyes. The atmosphere was gentle and warm, and not a bit of the stench of blood and dust could be smelled. He was the son of the Protector General, and not a sharp de slicing through people.


    Towards his military life, Guan Shanjin had no dissatisfaction about it. He was aware that with his character, he took to the circumstances like a duck to water. Still, no matter how resolute and ruthless he was, he too needed a breather.


    Mr. Lu had barely changed from his memory of the first time that they met when he was seven. He was still gentle and elegant, benign and open-hearted. Just like a ray of pure moonlight, it quietly shone upon his heart. Although it was not as bright and scorching as sunlight, it still lit a way through the darkness, extremely gentle, and extremelyforting.


    Out of all the suspects, Guan Shanjin would never suspect Mr. Lu.


    Su Yang again poured him another cup of tea. Not bringing alcohol along with him was truly a blunder.


    Silently finishing the entire cup in a mouthful, Guan Shanjin¡¯s expression too returned to normal. With a hint of a smile, he looked at Su Yang. ¡°Next time, if I were to find out again that you tried such underhanded methods towards Wu Xingzi, don¡¯t me me for greeting you with Chenyuan Sword.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really treating this old man so preciously?¡± Su Yang felt as thought the world was about to copse. Was Guan Shanjin¡¯s concern towards a ything not going a little too overboard?


    ¡°To treat him preciously or not, that¡¯s something for me to handle. But you know that I hate it when people try to overreach, touching things that they aren¡¯t supposed to. They deserve to get that hand loped away.¡± Guan Shanjin patted Su Yang¡¯s shoulder. Although he did it gently, Su Yang¡¯s hair still stood on end. Chills ran through his body, and his face paled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve basically gone blind!¡± Indignantly, Su Yang cursed at him, but he did not dare to really go against him. In the end, even though he did not like this ugly little Adviser Wu, why would he concern himself with the advancement of an ant? He was still well aware of what was more important.


    It was just that he had never expected Guan Shanjin to really like him.


    ¡°When I started treating you like a good friend, I had already gone blind. Be good, don¡¯t be jealous over something small like this.¡± Guan Shanjin patted Su Yang¡¯s shoulder again, then jumped off the carriage. He had heard some movement in the bedroom, and naturally he no longer had the heart to continue chatting with his friend any longer.


    The New Year goodies had already been fully unloaded, and had all been stored away neatly inside the house. Only the items that were supposed to be stored in the bedroom were still left outside, and they could only carry them inside when Wu Xingzi was awake.


    Guan Shanjin pushed open the door to the bedroom, and happened across Wu Xingzi who looked nk and bleary, still yet to be fully awake. His fair and slender legs were exposed, and he was sitting by the bed, staring outside at the carriage that was by chance just outside his window.


    This soft and cuddly image made Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart melt, and he walked forward to pull Wu Xingzi into his arms, kissing him.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, his cheeks flushing red. Nodding with a little embarrassment, it was evident that he was recalling the unbridled things that they had done the night before.


    His body was still aching, and his hole felt a little overused. It felt as though something was still inside him, and he could vaguely feel it dripping. This made him a little ufortable, but he did not dare to reach out and feel it.


    ¡°Su Yang has delivered the New Year goodies. There¡¯s a new set of bedclothes, would you like to use it now? Or do you want to change itter just before we sleep?¡± Pulling Wu Xingzi onto hisp, Guan Shanjin wrapped his arms around him and rested his chin on his shoulder, smiling.


    Warm breath hit his sensitive ear. Wu Xingzi unconsciously hunched over, and his ears suffused with red.


    ¡°W-we¡¯ll change itter¡­¡± Wu Xingzi covered his ears, stammering. ¡°Don¡¯t hug me. We¡¯re in broad daylight, and there are still people outside.¡±


    Adviser Wu had always been thin-skinned. When he was alone with Guan Shanjin, there were many things that he dared to do. However, as long as there was even one outsider, he would be very timid.


    ¡°Su Yang will be leaving soon, don¡¯t be bothered about him.¡± How could Guan Shanjin be willing to let him go so easily? He deliberately tightened his arms, and even nibbled on that glowing red earlobe. Seeing the man in his arms almost hunching into a ball, he could not help butugh lowly.


    ¡°Come, just ignore Su Yang. Let¡¯s talk about what we¡¯ll be doing this New Year. Tomorrow will be New Year¡¯s Eve, will you be pasting any spring couplets on the windows? How many dumplings should we make? Do you prefer the ones with the pork and cabbage filling, or those with eggs and radish? The ones with bamboo shoots and mutton sound good too.¡±


    ¡°Dumplings? Why are we eating dumplings?¡± Wu Xingzi looked confused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you eat dumplings during the New Year?¡± Although Guan Shanjin had lived in Bastion City for around five years, his close soldiers and guards near him were all northern people, and so, they all still had dumplings for the New Year.


    ¡°Do you eat dumplings for the New Year?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. ¡°I eat tangyuan for the New Year, together with prosperity cake.¡± He licked his lips as he spoke, revealing a greedy look.


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll go along with you this year. You can teach me how to prepare the New Year dishes, and we¡¯ll do them together.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart tightened upon seeing that pink and delicate little tongue. Unable to stop himself, he lowered his head and captured it with his lips. Kissing for quite some time without a pause, he only stopped when the man in his arms struggled slightly for air.


    Giving him an aggrieved re, Wu Xingzi counted the New Year dishes on his hand. To be honest, time was a little too rushed. Fortunately, he also did not require a long, extensive list. With arge pot of tangyuan, a few prosperity cakes, fried fish, braised chicken and some stir-fried mustard leaves, there seemed to be enough.


    It was just that making offerings for his ancestors would be more hurried, and they would need to go to the cemetery today.


    Luckily, Guan Shanjin was very reliable. He had already gotten Su Yang to prepare some simple offerings, and the candles, joss sticks and joss papers were all there.


    With their heads together, they discussed their schedule so as to prevent wasting any time.


    Fifteen minutester, they finally arranged everything. Guan Shanjin patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s plump buttocks,ughing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to quickly wash up and get dressed? If you end up getting me hard again, it¡¯ll be nice to spend this New Year in bed too.¡±


    Wu Xingzi gulped upon hearing that. With a reddened face, he got off Guan Shanjin¡¯sp, shooting him a resentful look, but did not dare to say anything.

 Chapter 34 - Ancestor Worship

    Chapter 34 ¡ª Ancestor Worship


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After getting the offerings, candles and joss sticks ready, Guan Shanjin wrapped Wu Xingzi up in a big coat. With one hand holding the offerings and the other holding Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, he spoke assuredly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Wu Xingzi kept feeling that something did not seem quite right, but he still led Guan Shanjin towards the mountain.


    After walking for about an hour, they reached a valley. In the midst of winter, the valley was warmer than the exposed surroundings. The ground was covered with chinese silvergrass, and little small mounds were faintly discernible through the silvergrass. Most of them had been cleared regrly, and so they were not buried within the silvergrass.


    Not far away from the Wu family¡¯s ancestral grave, there stood an enormous old tree. On the left of the old tree was an empty space that was not too big nor small, and it was rather special. What grew on it was not silvergrass, but a patch of vivid, green grass. Guan Shanjin nced at it, then took out a sickle from the basket and started cutting the silvergrass.


    ¡°Do you see that patch of ground?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice was somewhat exultant, and it made Guan Shanjin curious.


    ¡°I see it. Is there something special about it?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were swift and deft. As they conversed, he had already cleared arge patch of silvergrass, revealing half the grave.


    ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯ll beid to rest in the future.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice wasden heavily with his yearning.


    Guan Shanjin always knew that Wu Xingzi had already purchased his own gravesite. He straightened up, ncing towards that spot. It was in a sunny area, and was paired with a good view.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice spot.¡± Although that was what he said, he still felt a little bitter, and a little upset. He could not exin why, only thinking that this spot belonging to Wu Xingzi was perfect for one person, but it would be a rather tight fit for two.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Wu Xingzi was delighted. He spoke as he cleared the silvergrass off the grave, ¡°Many people were after this spot!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then how did you manage to buy it?¡±


    The tombstone in front of the mound was now visible as well. The words on the wooden tablet had long turned indistinct. Short and covered with moss, it somehow gave off a bleak feeling, simr to that of Qingcheng County.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose,ughing a little sheepishly. ¡°So, I¡¯m the adviser, right? Qingcheng County is a very small ce, and all the documents pertaining to the sale ofnd will go through me. At that time, after I found out about this ce, I¡­ cough, took part in a little jobbery.¡±


    Laying it out in the open, it was actually no big deal. In a small little ce like Qingcheng County, even such sales of governmentalnd were very innocent.


    In conclusion, all people had to do was fill in the contract of sale at the magistrate¡¯s office. The magistrate would usually also not waste manpower and time to investigate in all sorts of matters, and just settle things as simply as possible. If too many people were eyeing the same plot ofnd, it would then be up to the magistrate¡¯s decision. Wu Xingzi had worked ceaselessly and earnestly for so many years, and he had gained the trust of each sessive magistrate. Since he wanted to buy that plot ofnd, the magistrate approved of it immediately.


    ¡°This backdoor deal was really worth it.¡± This was the only time in his life that Adviser Wu had sought his personal gain. He felt a little uneasy about it, but also a little gleeful. Now, while mentioning this matter, his face still reddened.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t imagine that Adviser Wu was someone like this,¡± Guan Shanjin spoke teasingly. Although the old fellow looked very ordinary, no matter how he looked at him, he found him very pleasing to the eye. If not for the inappropriate location, Guan Shanjin really wanted to drag Wu Xingzi into his arms and caress him all over.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s blush travelled from his ears to his neck. Lowering his head, he started arranging the candles and the offerings, feeling a little flustered.


    In the end, Guan Shanjin still could not help but lean over and nuzzle his cheek. Wu Xingzi hunched over in fright and shyness, and he was on the edge.


    After that, Wu Xingzi kept avoiding Guan Shanjin, always keeping a distance of a person away from him. Only after they had finished burning the joss papers and tidied up the offerings and candles, was Wu Xingzi willing toe a little closer to Guan Shanjin. However, he still refused to let Guan Shanjin hold his hand.


    Walking out of the valley, Wu Xingzi finally shifted closer to Guan Shanjin. His tone was a little wronged, ¡°How could you be soscivious in front of my parents and ancestors?¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Guan Shanjin stretched out his long arm, pulling Wu Xingzi into his embrace. ¡°That¡¯s beingscivious? Then what wasst night?¡±


    Who will have the cheek to answer this question?! Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red, hurriedly covering Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth. After looking around and confirming that there was no one nearby, he sighed in relief.


    ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t mention private matters out in public!¡± Although there was no one around, the ancestors were still behind them! If they happened to be present, would they not have heard it? How was he going to still hold his head up in the future?! Would he be punished by having to kneel on the abacus at night? Just thinking about it made his flesh creep!


    Knowing how thin-skinned Wu Xingzi was, Guan Shanjin did not tease him any further. With an arm around his shoulders, he started walking back home.


    ¡°Right, so how did you exin about me?¡± When praying to his ancestors, Wu Xingzi looked very sincere, spending a long time muttering at the wooden tablet. If Guan Shanjin wanted to listen to him, he naturally would have been able to do so. However, it was already out of the norm for him to participate in the worship of someone else¡¯s ancestors, and if he were to also eavesdrop on Wu Xingzi¡¯s prayers, he would really have gone overboard.


    Still, despite not listening in, Guan Shanjin could not help but be curious. He had a pressing desire to know what position did he exactly hold in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart.


    Guan Shanjin noticed the man in his arms giving a small shudder. It was evident that he was a little uneasy, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s face had paled. Wu Xingzi looked up, grinning catingly at him.


    There was no way he could tell him about it! Wu Xingzi¡¯s palms turned mmy.


    He normally only took a short while toplete his prayers to his ancestors. After all, what was left in the grave were actually only clothes and some wooden puppets meant as substitutes. His parents had been washed away in the huge flood that year and vanished. The graves had all beenpletely destroyed, and when the waters receded, the bones of everyone¡¯s family members were all jumbled up together. Many of them were even now left iplete. At that time, Wu Xingzi was still young. Only with the Liu family¡¯s help did he manage to get some wooden puppets and clothes as substitutes, and cleaned up the grave.


    Wu Xingzi wondered, after his death, if another big flood urred again, what would happen to his ancestors and him?


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face looked somewhat awful, as though he had recalled something sorrowful, and even his lips were pale. Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached a little. He reached out and rubbed at Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, consoling him. ¡°I have no intention of forcing you to say anything. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to say it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. After understanding what Guan Shanjin meant, he heaved a breath of relief.


    He had told his ancestors: Dear forefathers. Your unfilial descendent has brought along the pengornis that I¡¯m currently having a tryst with. Please don¡¯t take any offense. In thising year, if there is an even better pengornis, please do let me have the chance to meet them. Please bless the pengornis with the best wishes possible, and let it be forever unyielding.


    When he was making his prayers, he had been distracted by Guan Shanjin to the point of confusion, and so spoke nonsense. Thinking about it now, he was a little apprehensive. Would his ancestors make him kneel on an abacus after hearing such a prayer?


    Ah, what a headache.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s ancestors were probably incensed by his prayer. Just as the two people arrived home, they saw Auntie Li and Auntie Liu, each with their own group of friends, tearing into each other.


    Wu Xingzi could not put into words how astonished he was. Standing there nkly, he watched as Auntie Liu waved her broom around, and Auntie Li blocking her blows with a winnowing basket. Da Niu¡¯s mother was holding onto a spat, and on Auntie Liu¡¯s side, there was someone holding tworge carrots as though she was holding onto a pair of knives.


    What exactly was going on? The New Year was soon to arrive, how did they end up fighting?


    Without thinking, Wu Xingzi wanted to go up and persuade them to stop fighting. However, Guan Shanjin stopped him from doing so. Instead they stood far in the distance, watching the show under a tree.


    ¡°Quick, let me go. The vigers have already started fighting, what happens if someone gets injured?¡± Wu Xingzi was anxious. He tried shrugging Guan Shanjin away with force a few times, but Guan Shanjin held him tighter instead. He was almost embedded within his embrace.


    ¡°If they want to fight, just let them fight. You¡¯re no longer the adviser of Qingcheng County, and you¡¯ll be returning to Bastion City after the New Year. There¡¯s no need for you to get yourself involved in such bloody matters.¡± Guan Shanjin had long heard clearly what the dispute between the two groups was about. He sneered at Auntie Li¡¯s group.


    Although he was very disgusted by the gossiping of these ignorant women, as the dignified Southern Garrison General, it was impossible for Guan Shanjin to argue with women. He knew who the source of the rumours were, and he would naturally resolve the matter after going back to Bastion City. As for the vulgar vige women, there would be Auntie Liu to seek justice on behalf of Wu Xingzi. He could not let this old quail with a one-track mind to go spoil this from happening.


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer the adviser of Qingcheng County?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s breath caught. Only then did he recall that he had been absent from work for nearly two months without any official reason. Knowing that he had probably caused quite a lot of trouble for the magistrate¡¯s office, his heart jolted. He was a little nervous, and he felt as though he was in a freefall.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re with me in Bastion City, of course you would not be able to fulfill the obligations of being an adviser. Li Jian has already found a recement, and you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±


    How could he not worry? Wu Xingzi¡¯s anxiety increased the more he thought about it. He had always thought that he would be that happy frog in the well, but who would have thought that he would be scooped out of the well in the blink of an eye? Now, the well had even turned dry, and he was unable to return to it even if he wanted to do so.


    ¡°But¡­ How could I stay in Bastion City forever? My gravesite is still here¡­¡± When his tryst with Guan Shanjin was over, what should he do after returning to Qingcheng County? He still wanted to continue collecting pengornises! It seemed like he would need to start nting crops.


    Although it would be tiring, he still had a bucket stash of slightly over nine taels. He might not be able to buy a fir coffin in the future, but he could still select a cedar coffin worth about four or five taels. Calcting that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mood improved again. Now, with pengornises, he was satisfied with life. After all, things would always happen in life, and a pengornis might always be there around the corner!


    Over here, Wu Xingzi was thinking about his pengornises, while over there, Auntie Liu and Auntie Li had already tossed away the broom and the basket in their hands. Rolling up their sleeves, they had begun fighting.


    Guan Shanjin was very entertained. Auntie Liu was evidently much better at fighting than Auntie Li. Although she was thin and small, her strength was tremendous. With one p from her, Auntie Li¡¯s left cheek swelled up, and she fell onto the ground in a sorry state.


    ¡°Hah! Continue spreading nonsense, just spread your nonsense!¡± Auntie Liu¡¯s anger had yet to be vented out. Lunging onto Auntie Li, she gave her another three loud ps. Now, Auntie Li¡¯s face was like a turtle bun1, looking red, swollen and giving off a burning sensation.


    ¡°You bitch!¡± Da Niu¡¯s mother saw that her friend was now at a disadvantage. Shrieking, she lunged over.


    Great. It was New Year¡¯s Eve tomorrow, and the atmosphere was supposed to be bustling and joyful. Now, everything was in a mess, and seven or eight women had their sleeves rolled up, tussling about. Those two carrots had been swung several times in the face of Auntie Fang, and it finally broke into two. The victim too was disoriented from the beating, and she fell onto the ground, crying shrilly.


    ¡°Auntie Liu is truly impressive.¡± From the basket of offerings, Guan Shanjin took out some dried fruit and fed Wu Xingzi, while he nibbled on some melon seeds.


    Evidently! Auntie Liu and Auntie Li both had brought three people each with them. Now, from Auntie Li¡¯s side, other than Da Niu¡¯s mother who was still resisting stubbornly, the other two had turned into turtle buns. Just as it seemed like the chaos was about to end with Auntie Liu¡¯splete victory, Auntie Li suddenly screamed. ¡°Wu Xingzi!¡±


    ¡°Ack!¡± Wu Xingzi was biting into the dried fruit at that very moment. He choked, and coughed fiercely.


    Auntie Li was reinvigorated out of nowhere. She scrambled towards Wu Xingzi, and even Auntie Liu was unable to stop her. Grabbing at hispels, she screeched, ¡°Say it! Say it! What sort of demonic charms did you use to enchant the god-like man? How can a bald chicken think of itself as a phoenix? On what grounds can you do that?! On what grounds?!¡±


    The fruit was now stuck in Wu Xingzi¡¯s windpipe. He gave a racking cough, unable to speak, and even his face turned red.


    ¡°Remove your hand.¡± How could Guan Shanjin allow Wu Xingzi to be bullied right before his very eyes? He reached out, directly twisting both of Auntie Li¡¯s wrists.


    Screaming painfully, she stumbled backwards and fell onto her buttocks. Tears and snot covered her face, and she looked towards Guan Shanjing ingratiatingly, as well as in fear, as she started howling.


    ¡°God-like man! You have to wake up! Wu Xingzi has blinded you with a demonic charm! What I¡¯m telling you is the truth!¡±


    ¡°Pah!¡± Auntie Liu had caught up. She swung her broom about, hitting and scolding at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous! Who here doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯ve long looked unfavourably at Wu Xingzi?! Hah! The bald chicken you were talking about is that son of yours, right?! Only knowing how to read a few words, and he wants to rece Xingzi as the adviser? Who gave you the cheek to do so? Huh?! Who gave you the cheek!¡±


    Auntie Li was beaten to the point where she had nowhere to hide. Together with the pain from her twisted wrist, she screamed like a pig getting ughtered. Auntie Fang and Da Niu¡¯s mother both had already stopped. After all, people would always assess the situation and react ordingly. Putting aside the matter of Wu Xingzi employing demonic charms, that hand of the god-like man was in no way easy to deal with!


    What those women were chirping on about, Guan Shanjin took no notice. He only cared if Wu Xingzi was in pain from choking, and he patted his back. Removing the bamboo container from his waist, Guan Shanjin fed Wu Xingzi water, sip by sip. Finally, they managed to remove the dried fruit from his windpipe. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, nose and face were all red, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached looking at him. Hugging him, Guan Shanjin spoke a few words offort.


    ¡°Auntie Liu, Auntie Liu! Don¡¯t fight anymore.¡± However, Wu Xingzi was only concerned about the few aunties. With eyes still wet from choking, he hurriedly waved his arms at Auntie Liu, attempting to stop her.


    ¡°Xingzi, don¡¯t be scared! I know when to stop. The Li family¡¯s skin is thick and coarse, they won¡¯t be injured so easily. If I don¡¯t teach them a proper lesson, she¡¯ll never have any control over her mouth!¡± Auntie Liu was just like a female general. Despite her harried breathing,pared to Auntie Li¡¯s dishevelment, the energy suffused within her was enough to make her glow.


    ¡°Auntie¡­¡± Wu Xingzi wrung his hands and rubbed his nose, not knowing how to persuade her to stop. He was well aware that today¡¯s chaos was definitely caused by the rumours that they heard yesterday, and Auntie Liu was only doing this because of him. He was extremely touched, but also afraid that Auntie Liu would end up getting involved in awsuit. Wu Xingzi was now no longer the adviser anymore, and he had no way of protecting Auntie Liu. What could he do?


    When Wu Xingzi was about to persuade her again, Guan Shanjin covered his mouth. ¡°Let Auntie Liu vent her anger. I¡¯ll deal with Li Jian.¡±


    Uhh¡­ Wu Xingzi smiled brightly at Guan Shanjin, eximing silently that this backdoor of the magistrate¡¯s office was probably as widely open as that of the city¡¯s gate¡­


    Another bout of turmoil, and Auntie Li finally dared not continue crying anymore. Only then did Auntie Liu stop waving the broom in her hand, and heroically wiped the sweat on her forehead. Holding the broom like a spear, she spoke. ¡°If you talk nonsense about Xingzi again, I¡¯ll beat you each time I hear it!¡±


    Resentfully, Auntie Li red at Auntie Liu. She then nced over at Wu Xingzi and Guan Shanjin snuggling together, and her eyes were about to turn bloodshot from anger. However, she now did not have the guts to squabble anymore. Snorting, Auntie Li stood up with the help of Auntie Fang, unwillingly leaving the scene with her friends.


    Confirming that her nemesis had retreated, Auntie Liu gloatingly patted the dust off her skirts, looking arrogantly at Guan Shanjin. ¡°See it for yourself. Although I¡¯m only a humble woman, I can still be someone Xingzi can count on. You two should spend your days well together, but if you were to hurt Xingzi, I will not let you off too!¡±


    Guan Shanjin admired such heroic words, and he nodded, showing his agreement.


    Satisfied, Auntie Liu and her friends gave Wu Xingzi some words of constion, then returned back to their individual homes happily, chests puffed up with pride.


    There were still traces of the fight left in front of his house. Wu Xingzi stared at those marks for a moment, bursting out withughter.


    ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± Guan Shanjin tightened his arms around the person in his embrace. Looking at the reddened fleshy nose, his teeth itched a little, and he lowered his head to bite at it.


    ¡°Hey, no biting.¡± Wu Xingzi shyly ducked away, pulling at Guan Shanjin and heading home. ¡°I just feel that this year doesn¡¯t seem that bad.¡±

 Chapter 35 - The Prince of Lanling of Pengornises

    Chapter 35 ¡ª The Prince of Lanling of Pengornises


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The little interlude of the fight amongst the aunties did not cause a very big wave in the county. The public disys of affection between Wu Xingzi and Guan Shanjin had been witnessed by many people, and the news spread rapidly throughout the county. Only Auntie Li and her gang still insisted that Wu Xingzi knew demonic charms.


    However, Wu Xingzi had never been bothered about rumours. Since Auntie Liu had reacted on his behalf, he naturally glossed over the matter.


    What was most important now was to make dumplings. Previously, there was only him alone. As it was too troublesome, and as well as being afraid of not finishing them, Wu Xingzi often only prepared savoury tangyuan. Now, there was Guan Shanjin around this year, and Wu Xingzi was seized by a sudden whim to prepare sweet tangyuan filled with sesame and pine nuts.


    The meat was top quality pork belly, well marbled with fat. The texture was smooth and tender, and it was first treated with alcohol and ginger slices to get rid of any smell. After that, it was minced finely and seasoned, then mixed with chopped celery and fried red onions to make a filling.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were skillful, and his fingers were deft. One by one, round and plump meat dumplings were formed, and just by looking, one¡¯s saliva would pool.


    Wu Xingzi prepared the sweet tangyuan. To differentiate the sweet and savoury ones, he ced a red dot on the sweet ones, and they looked even more festive.


    With four hands, the two people were soon done. They had made nearly sixty dumplings.


    Wu Xingzi was a little worried. The dumplings he made were not small, and he did not know if they could finish them.


    However, he did not have too much time to ponder over it, as there were still many things to be done. Pasting the paper cutouts, the spring couplets as well as changing the bedclothes and other things, Wu Xingzi did not know why there were so many things to do. Previously, when it was just him alone, his New Year was spent very simply. Even if he did all these things on New Year¡¯s Eve, there was more than enough time!


    Time flew when they were busy. Guan Shanjin took charge of nearly all work to be done in the kitchen. The only thing Wu Xingzi did on New Year¡¯s Eve was to cook the savoury dumplings. It was only because Guan Shanjin did not know how to season the soup, so he had no choice but to let hime into the kitchen.


    When the dishes of the reunion dinner were all ced on the table, the two people cleaned themselves up, changed into new clothes, and got together to share the meal.


    It had to be admitted that Guan Shanjin¡¯s culinary skills were fantastic. He had even prepared a dish of chrysanthemum fish. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the sauce was sweet and sour with a slight tinge of spiciness. It looked like a flower blooming amidst water, so delicious that one was tempted to even swallow their own tongue along with it.


    ¡°Would you like to have a small drink with me?¡± Guan Shanjin knew that Wu Xingzi had poor alcohol tolerance. However, thinking that the New Year only happened annually, a small drink would not be a big deal. As such, he got Su Yang to prepare a light and sweet plum wine. It was a weak wine that had only been fermented for two years, and even children could not get drunk on it.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The wine had only been partially unsealed, but Wu Xingzi could already smell the light fragrance of the wine. He was not good at drinking, but he liked the atmosphere of drinking, and so he promptly nodded his head.


    As expected, the wine was a good one. The vour of the plum was slightly tart, but it tasted dry and sweet on the tongue. Holding onto the cup, Wu Xingzi took one sip after another. Both people did not speak much, but the atmosphere was warm and intimate.


    Guan Shanjin did not eat much. What he liked better was drinking the wine with the apaniment of the image of Wu Xingzi eating with gusto. Eating and drinking, Wu Xingzi finally cleared all the dishes on the table, and his cup was empty too.


    ¡°Another cup?¡± Guan Shanjin asked casually. He thought that Wu Xingzi would refuse him. After all, this old man¡¯s face was already flushed and his eyes were shining brightly, with a foolish grin hanging off his lips.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Who would have thought that Wu Xingzi would happily hold up his cup to Guan Shanjin, waiting for his next cup?


    He truly looked too obedient and harmless. Caught off guard, Guan Shanjin ended up pouring him a second cup. Wu Xingzi downed this cup even faster, emptying it in two or three mouthfuls. After a burp, his drunken smile turned even more dopey.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi?¡± Guan Shanjin realised that the situation was not turning out right and reached out to shake his arm.


    It only aggravated the situation. With Guan Shanjin¡¯s action, Wu Xingzi fell backwards. rmed, Guan Shanjin quickly pulled him into his arms, and the old fellow, tilting all over the ce, squinted his eyes at him. In his gaze, there was a solemness that had never been seen before.


    ¡°So what are you looking at?¡± Sighing, Guan Shanjin wanted to remove the cup in Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand. However, Wu Xingzi refused to let go, even licking the lip of the cup with the tip of his tongue, as though he was reminiscing over the taste of the wine.


    ¡°I¡­ I recognise you.¡± Once these words left Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, Guan Shanjin knew that Wu Xingzi was drunk. He still remembered how chatty a drunk Wu Xingzi was, and he felt particrly resigned.


    ¡°What a coincidence, I recognise you too.¡± Exining things to a drunkard was a waste of time. Wu Xingzi would also not remember anything after he sobered up, and so Guan Shanjin just went along with what he said.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Wu Xingzi leaned his face closer to Guan Shanjin, staring at him for quite some time before praising him with a blush. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really good looking.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way.¡± Guan Shanjinughed lightly. Thest time they were drinking in Restaurant of Songs, Wu Xingzi had also repeatedly mentioned how good looking he was. This old thing had an ordinary appearance, but he did like looking at beauties.


    ¡°Mn¡­ Who are you?¡± The actions of the drunk, unsteady Wu Xingzi were more daring than usual.


    He reached out, cupping Guan Shanjin¡¯s face in his hands, almost stering his nose right against that handsome profile. Guan Shanjin allowed Wu Xingzi to do so, only supporting him slightly to prevent him from falling.


    ¡°Coming so close, are you able to see clearly?¡±


    ¡°Can¡­ I can¡­¡± Wu Xingzi burped drunkenly, twitching his nose to sniff at Guan Shanjin¡¯s scent. A sudden realisation came over his face. ¡°I know who you are!¡±


    ¡°Oh? So, who am I?¡± Guan Shanjinughed at him. Because of his drunken state, Wu Xingzi looked even more befuddled than usual. His lips were stained crimson, but he looked neither feminine nor effeminate, tempting people to lean in for a taste.


    Staring at those dewy lips, enchanted, Wu Xingzi wriggled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, answering proudly. ¡°You¡¯re the pengornis¡­ burp¡­ spiriting to life! Burp!¡±


    Guan Shanjin did not know if he should feel angry or amused. Kneading at Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks, he spoke resignedly, ¡°You¡¯re drunk. I¡¯ll settle this with you tomorrow!¡±


    He knew it. He should not have let Wu Xingzi touch the wine. All he wanted was a small drink to brighten the festive mood, but who would have known that Wu Xingzi still could notst beyond the second cup? Just look at what he was saying, a pengornis spirit?


    If he was a pengornis spirit, the first thing he would do was to swallow this dizzy old quail down, including his skin and bones! Like this, he would not anger him anymore.


    However, this old fellow was drunk to oblivion. Rolling about in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, nibbling on Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips and neck as he called out how delectable it was, it seemed like Wu Xingzi nned on hugging his head and nibbling until the end of the days.


    Such a fuss, would they still be able to sleep tonight?


    Wu Xingzi suddenly calmed down, obediently nesting in Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace, and stared at him with bright eyes.


    ¡°What are you looking at this time?¡± Guan Shanjin asked resignedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you my darlings.¡± Holding his cup in his mouth, Wu Xingzi smiled blearily, wearing a gleeful and mysterious expression on his face. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone about it, especially that¡­ that¡­ Prince of Lanling.¡±


    Prince of Lanling? Who? Guan Shanjin felt gloomy, but he still nodded and agreed.


    Of course, the drunk Wu Xingzi did not care if Guan Shanjin sincerely wanted to see his darlings. Hazily, he felt that the person in front of him was very close to him, as they had worshipped his ancestors together. So, he could not help but want to show off his darlings to him.


    ¡°Follow me.¡± Wu Xingzi tried getting up a few times, wanting to stand. However, his limbs were weak, and instead he seemed like a turtle flopping about. No matter how much he tried, he was unable to flip over. He sighed, and Guan Shanjin lifted him up in a bridal carry. ¡°Come, lead the way and I¡¯ll bring you there.¡±


    Guan Shanjin never knew his patience and temper could be this good.


    ¡°Sure sure sure. Hey, as a pengornis spirit, you¡¯re really nice. Can I keep you?¡± Obediently leaning his head on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, Wu Xingzi¡¯s tone carried a trace of longing, but he did not look at Guan Shanjin.


    Instead of answering, Guan Shanjin nudged the person in his arms, reminding him not to forget what he was supposed to be doing. Under Wu Xingzi¡¯s direction, Guan Shanjin entered the bedroom, opened the cab, and took out the meticulously kept rattan case, cing it on the bed alongside Wu Xingzi.


    It could be seen that Wu Xingzi treasured this rattan case extremely. He even carefully wiped his hands before opening the case, and a faint scent of herbs to repel insects wafted out. As expected, the first thing taken out was a sachet. Sitting by the bed, Guan Shanjin could see that inside the case there were some drawings.


    An ominous feeling welled up within Guan Shanjin. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask Wu Xingzi to stop. However, Wu Xingzi¡¯s actions were faster. He proudly and cautiously took out the drawings, and waved at Guan Shanjin, showing them off.


    ¡°Comee, take a look. These are all your brothers.¡±


    Brothers? He was an only child, how did he have brothers?


    When Guan Shanjin finally saw what the brothers were, he was so angry that he could onlyugh.


    Damn you, you old thing! I¡¯ve said that your lewdness is all repressed in you, and you¡¯re really so shamelessly lewd!


    ¡°These are your darlings?¡± Each and every one of them was a drawing of a penis. Guan Shanjin had used the friend-making pigeon express before, and he naturally knew how these drawings came about!


    Exactly who was it who had started such a culture? Guan Shanjin gnashed his teeth. He had employed all means, only to prevent Wu Xingzi from mailing a drawing of his own penis, and hadpletely forgotten that such drawings were sent mutually. Wu Xingzi did not mail any out, but it did not mean that others would not mail any to him! Looking at the pile, there were around forty to fifty drawings!


    Guan Shanjin probably had too much to drink. His blood surged within him, a pressure rising up in his throat, and it felt like he was about to vomit blood.


    However, Wu Xingzi did not register that something was wrong with Guan Shanjin. He flipped through each drawing of a penis with much tenderness, introducing them. ¡°I¡¯ve collected a total of fifty-plus pengornis drawings! Look, these ten drawings are the ones I like the most. Do you think they¡¯lle to life as well?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t.¡± How could they? Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth, his alluring eyes almost turning bloodshot, looking just like a huge leopard about to explode into violence.


    Whoever dares toe to life, don¡¯t me me for pulling out Chenyuan Sword!


    ¡°They won¡¯t? ¡­ What a pity.¡± Wu Xingzi looked at Guan Shanjin¡¯s pretty face before sighing lightly, but his eyes still shone brightly. ¡°Can I kiss you? You¡¯re really good looking, and you smell so nice¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Guan Shanjin rejected him with a sneer. Surrounded by drawings of penises, Guan Shanjin was unwilling to let Wu Xingzi get his way.


    ¡°Ah, then can I lick you?¡± Wu Xingzi had no choice but to ask about the next best option. He stared at those sculpted, elegant and beautiful hands of the pengornis spirit, and could not help but lick his lips. He clearly had just filled his tummy, but he now felt hungry again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    You old quail, your mind ispletely filled with only lewd things! What courage you have!


    Guan Shanjin grimaced, pointing at his ¡°brothers¡±. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to introduce my brothers to me? Tell me about them!¡±


    Sooner orter, he would ferret all of them out and destroy them!


    Once the pengornis drawings were mentioned, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes shone brighter. The image of him treating the drawings cautiously made Guan Shanjin so angry that all his internal organs hurt. However, he had to suppress his temper so as to be able to understand the origins of those ¡°darlings¡±, then he would be able to track those people down.


    ¡°Hey, look here, look here. These ten drawings are my favourite ones. When you were inside, did you talk to them?¡± Wu Xingzi held up the drawings that had been carefully wrapped in oiled paper.


    How was he able to talk to them? It was only today that he learnt what Wu Xingzi liked was not The Pengornisseur, but those pengornis drawings mailed to him!


    ¡°It¡¯s stuffy inside the paper, so it¡¯s not conducive for talking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stuffy?¡± Eximing in rm, Wu Xingzi hurriedly undid the paper packaging. He quickly apologised, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve made a mistake and caused you guys to feel stuffy.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Staring at the revealed drawings, Guan Shanjin suddenly felt as though his vision was washed with blood. Great! He now knew why Wu Xingzi was so open about sex. This old fellow had always been partial towards the thick and sturdy penises, right? Looking at those ten pengornis drawings, every single one of them was long and thick, almost filling up the entire paper. All of them looked very weighty, almost as though their heat was wafting up from the paper.


    ¡°This drawing is the first one I saw with bumps on the tip. Say, why do some people grow such marks, and pengornises grow such marks too? When rubbing it, will it also feel ticklish?¡± This was the second drawing. The pengornis was not especiallyrge or thick, just looking extremely savage. The veins stood out, bulging in certain areas. Wu Xingzi lightly caressed the bulging parts, his face blushing red.


    ¡°It¡¯s ugly.¡± Guan Shanjin absolutely disdained it. He preferred the ones that were pale and delicate looking, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s one was very nice.


    ¡°This thing is about as useful as a chocte teapot. Only men who can¡¯t stay hard for long will grow such bumps.¡± Pursing his lips, Guan Shanjin pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Really? Oh, I didn¡¯t even know there¡¯s something like this. I¡¯ll have to ask you, a pengornis spirit, before I¡¯ll know.¡± Wu Xingzi put the bumpy pengornis down with clear dejection. Pointing at the next drawing, he spoke. ¡°Then look at this one, how about this one that tilts to the right? I keep wondering, this is so thick, with a head that is angled, would it feel very good when it enters?¡±


    ¡°It is thick enough, but this angle wouldn¡¯t hit the right spot. As they say, the boat leaves no traces moving through the water. It¡¯s probably referring to this sort of sensation.¡± Guan Shanijn vigorously ndered all the other pengornises, criticising each one that he saw. Wu Xingzi sneaked a few peeks at him, and Guan Shanjin did not know if he was feeling aggrieved, or if he simply liked looking at his face.


    In this manner, they reached the ninth drawing. This time, Guan Shanjin shut his mouth, not saying a word.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude towards this pengornis drawing was different from the previous ones. He even held up the drawing,paring it with Guan Shanjin¡¯s face, thinking that no one noticed it! He definitely was wondering if it was this pengornis that hade to life.


    Damn, this Wu Xingzi really deserves a fucking!


    ¡°So, do we look alike?¡± Guan Shanjin asked with a low voice. His fingers twitched, and he stopped himself from pushing Wu Xingzi down and having his way with him. After all, there was still a pengornis drawing left at the top of the rankings!


    It was unfortunate that due to his temper, he did not notice that thest pengornis drawing was very simr to his own thing.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi squinted,paring the drawing and him earnestly a few times. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t. I remember that he¡¯s a schr, very refined and elegant. I like his face very much, so my first letter was to him. Ah, it really is a nice pengornis! How heated do you think it¡¯ll feel? How would it taste? Would it be able to reach my belly?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Guan Shanjin pinched the corner of the drawing with two fingers, gradually pulling it towards himself. The previous few pengornis drawings did make his chest feel suffocated, but only this drawing felt like a threat to him. It was evident that Wu Xingzi liked this pengornis very much, even remembering the appearance of the pengornis¡¯ owner.


    This old thing! How could he be this lewd?! Every single drawing smelled like incense and insect-repelling herbs, but other than that, there was also a vague scent that Guan Shanjin was very familiar with¡­ the scent of Wu Xingzi¡¯s lewd juices. Guan Shanjin was almost about to explode. Not only did this old fellow look at erotic drawings, he even used these drawings of other men¡¯s penises when masturbating!


    He had to destroy all of them!


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t snatch my pengornis!¡± Wu Xingzi held on to the drawing tightly, and Guan Shanjin naturally refused to let go too. Seeing that the pengornis was about to be torn into two, Wu Xingzi still released the drawing, unwilling to hurt it. He could only watch as his treasured pengornis drawing fell into the hands of the pengornis spirit and was torn into tiny pieces right in front of him. Wu Xingzi was so upset that tears welled up in his eyes.


    ¡°This¡­ this cost a coin¡­¡± ncing at him, Guan Shanjin took a coin out from a pouch hanging on his waist and tossed it at Wu Xingzi. ¡°I¡¯m paying you back.¡±


    Wu Xingzi clumsily caught the coin. Blinking, he stuttered his thanks.


    ¡°What about thest drawing?¡± Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth so hard, they creaked. He had decided, once Wu Xingzi held it up, he would snatch it over and tear it up too, preventing it from bing an eyesore.


    ¡°Thest drawing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi suddenly swallowed his saliva. His face, red from the alcohol, looked rather intoxicated. ¡°Ah, this one is really good looking.¡±


    This drawing was clearly longer than the rest, and the sketched image was so thick and long that it was almost bursting out of the paper. Its slightly gaping tip glistened a little, looking like a real object with heat and heft. Guan Shanjin was fairly certain that Wu Xingzi was thinking about sucking on it.


    Just as he was about to snatch it, Guan Shanjin realised that this shape looked somewhat familiar. He could not help but look closely at it, and was suddenly enlightened. Was this top ranking pengornis not his own penis?


    ¡°At least you have taste.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest still felt suffocated, but it was vaguelyced with pride. He gathered up the other pengornis drawings and shoved them back into the rattan case, immediately undoing his pants. Pulling out his cock that had yet to fully harden, he shook it at Wu Xingzi. ¡°Look, see what sort of pengornis spirit I am.¡±


    With one nce, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes werepletely glued to it. He gulped his saliva down, and his entire body felt as though it heated up a little more, reddening a little more, and he could not resist licking his lips.


    ¡°Yes¡­ So you¡¯re the one that came to life¡­¡± Carefully packing the pengornis drawings in his hand back into the rattan case, Wu Xingzi ced the sachet inside before closing the lid. After keeping it under his bed, his slightly trembling fingers reached out towards that Prince of Lanling, but he dared not touch it so easily. ¡°Ah, now I know. So if there¡¯s a Prince of Lanling amongst pengornises, it would definitely look just like yours.¡±


    So it turned out the Prince of Lanling was referring to him. Guan Shanjinughed out loud. This old thing was always able to aim right at the soft spot within his heart.


    ¡°Come here,¡± Guan Shanjinmanded gently. His voice sent shivers down Wu Xingzi¡¯s body, travelling from his ears to his brain. Giving a start, Wu Xingzi started panting heavily.


    He shifted and shifted, moving closer and closer to the pengornis spirit. The scent of white sandalwood and orange blossom filled his nose, and it made him feel even more intoxicated than the dry and sweet plum wine¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry and faint tonight, alright?¡± That affectionate tone stole all strength from Wu Xingzi¡¯s body. He bonelessly fell into the arms of the pengornis spirit, his thigh pressing right onto that huge pengornis that was now hard. It was so hot that his entire body tingled in excitement.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

 Chapter 36 - Staying Up on New Year’s Eve1 (NSFW)

    Chapter 36 ¡ª Staying Up on New Year¡¯s Eve1 (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Stripping a drunk naked was very easy, especially when this drunk was being all handsy. With no effort, Guan Shanjin took off all of Wu Xingzi¡¯s clothes, then got off the bed to remove his own clothes.


    Captivated, Wu Xingzi stared at Guan Shanjin as he stripped. The candles in the bedroom flickered, casting shadows upon his body. The pale, fair skin wasyered with a gentle glow, entuating his muscles that were firm and sharply defined, bound with hidden strength. This was a body that had been thoroughly tempered, and it could not look any better.


    Just looking at him, Wu Xingzi¡¯s breathing sped up. He could not help but lick his lips, his throat turning dry.


    ¡°You always like doing this, right?¡± Guan Shanjinughed, returning to the bed naked after removing his trousers. His huge pengornis was already prepared for action, and its head glistened wetly.


    A gulp, and Wu Xingzi swallowed his saliva. Enchanted, he threw himself into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, trembling as he touched the pengornis spirit. As expected, it was hot and hard to touch, just like a searing bar of iron. The heat, together with the tingles it caused, pierced right into his nerves, creeping into his brain, and caused his entire body to weaken.


    ¡°Want to lick it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi stroked it over and over again, his face full of yearning. ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Guan Shanjin caressed Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin with his dick, and it caused Wu Xingzi to be unable to control his moaning.


    ¡°You have tost a little longer tonight.¡± Dragging his fingers along Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek, Guan Shanjin brushed past the end of Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyebrow. Finally pressing the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, Guan Shanjin pushed him down towards his cock.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips bumped against the heated head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, and the slightly fishy-tasting semen seeped into his mouth. A little salty and bitter, the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s tongue moved about. He liked the taste very much, and so he opened his mouth wide and took in the head of that huge, hard cock. Suckling on it, his tongue swiped around the slit on the tip, going back and forth.


    His actions were still a little unfamiliar, but there was no sign of hesitance. Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft, tender tongue slid down the shaft, licking around it. Next, unafraid, he stretched his mouth even wider. Inch by inch, he slowly swallowed that child¡¯s arm-sized cock.


    ¡°Mn¡­¡±


    Hearing a low moan, Wu Xingzi only felt even more enchanted by this charming sound. Fawningly, with a little bit of personal motives, he took the cock all the way into his throat. Only when he was choking and coughing non-stop was Wu Xingzi then forced to stop.


    ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry?¡± Guan Shanjin kneaded Wu Xingzi¡¯s bulging cheeks, his alluring eyes looking starry in the candlelight.


    Ah, he¡¯s really very good looking! Although he was a pengornis spirit, he was still a sort of demon, and this demon was truly pleasing to the eye.


    There was no need to mention the effortlessly amorous atmosphere. Wu Xingzi himself had long been hard. Unconsciously, he ground his buttocks against the bed.


    That lewd and slutty image lit a fire in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart. His cock, wrapped within that little mouth, expanded even further, trapping Wu Xingzi¡¯s tongue. The corner of Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips whitened, looking as though they were about to split. Even so, Wu Xingzi was undaunted. He continued swallowing the cock, all the way until a prominent bump could be seen on his throat. Tears were smeared across his face, and he could not stop heaving.


    The man was overly thick, and Wu Xingzi was almost barely able to breath. He faltered, holding onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s thighs as he shifted his backside backwards a little and moved his mouth a little away. The cock shone with saliva, looking even more vehement. Only when the head of the cock was left in his mouth did Wu Xingzi then lower his head again, taking the cock back in. When these actions were repeated a few more times, Guan Shanjin¡¯s movements too turned more savage. He grabbed onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hair, forcing his head down onto his cock harshly, fucking himself into his mouth selfishly.


    With only a few thrusts, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were about to roll to the back of his head. It was as though his throat had turned into a cocksleeve; its only purpose was to wrap around Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock. The shape of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock could be seen in Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat as he pumped himself in. Wu Xingzi¡¯s tongue could not even move, and there was no choice but to allow that egg-sized head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock to have its way with him.


    Wu Xingzi started crying, but he tightened his grip on those strong thighs even further, obligingly moving his head along. Suddenly, his entire body convulsed, and it was clear that he had juste.


    Guan Shanjin hurriedly removed his cock out from Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. Feebly, Wu Xingzi copsed against his legs, pitifully retching away. His face was flushed red, and his saliva, along withe, flowed out of his mouth in a thin stream. Between Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock and Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth stretched a slender thread of saliva.


    ¡°You have to increase your endurance.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s gaze was slightly dark. He patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s blushing cheeks with his cock, speaking seductively. ¡°Want to try something different, hmm?¡±


    On the bed, Wu Xingzi pretty much would never say no, and he had never refused anything yet. Easily, he sold himself out. As Wu Xingzi blinked innocently, he hoarsely responded with an agreement.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Leaning over and kissing Wu Xingzi on the ear, Guan Shanjin undid his own hair ribbon. His silky, soft hair flowed downwards, reducing a trace of his aloofness and increasing the gentleness and seductiveness of his charm by quite a lot. Looking at him, Wu Xingzi was very engrossed. His mouth fell open, and he forgot to breath.


    Guan Shanjin tugged on the ribbon right in front of Wu Xingzi, seemingly very pleased with its durability. He then wound the ribbon around Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft cock that had just ejacted, wrapping around it over and over again. Finally, he tied a knot right at the very base.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The fatigue from the alcohol and the orgasm made Wu Xingzi a little slow to react. He vaguely felt that something was very wrong, but he had lost the chance to refuse.


    ¡°Something fun.¡± Thatughter was half-buried in his long hair. Wu Xingzi instantly had no other questions again.


    Next, Guan Shanjin carried the old quail up, cing him on his own thighs. His fingers prodded into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole. Being used to sex, as well as with the recent orgasm, the little hole took in two fingers with no difficulty at all. When that special spot within was pressed against, Wu Xingzi released a long and sweet moan. His hips tensed up, and his backside swayed in delight. His little cavern greedily mouthed at the two fingers, desperately wanting them to go even further.


    ¡°How lewd.¡± While taking a nibble on Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose, Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers moved about deftly. They would be thrusting in and out of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, then scraping against that sensitive spot with their fingernails, alternating between a soft and hard pressure. Being teased about like that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s lewd juices could not help but spill everywhere. Twitching continuously, Wu Xingzi¡¯s little cock started hardening. Feeling as though he was about toe, he was instead bound tightly by that hair ribbon, and Wu Xingzi was unable to seek relief.


    ¡°U-undo¡­ Undo it¡­¡± Aching, Wu Xingzi reached out, wanting to remove the ribbon. However, he was swiftly obstructed by Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin trapped both of Wu Xingzi¡¯s wrists with his empty hand, pulling them behind his waist.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Bear with it for now. Didn¡¯t you want to try something different?¡± Guan Shanjin heartlessly pushed his fingers right into that sensitive spot.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi cried out, his body jerking about in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. His buttocks were raised up high, but he was still unable toe. That pleasure that could not be satisfied thrummed through Wu Xingzi¡¯s body. Sniffing pathetically, Wu Xingzi pled. ¡°Undo it¡­ Please, please undo it¡­¡±


    However, what came as a reply was Guan Shanjin removing his fingers and nudging his cock against that soft and rxed hole. He impaled himself all the way in, and his entire cock was immediately shoved thoroughly inside, as though he was about to thrust his way into Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach in one go.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi raised his slender neck, with a delicate bobbing of his throat. He looked as though he wanted to plead for mercy, but was unable to say a word. His current position was at a perfect angle for Guan Shanjin to bite his adam¡¯s apple by only lowering his head. The impassioned man naturally opened his mouth and took a bite, leaving a bruise of his teeth on that little bump.


    Next came a bout of wild and passionate fucking. Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands were trapped behind his waist, and he could not keep his bnce. As he was being pounded into, he became very unsteady. Each savage thrust into him caused his buttocks to raise up high, and when the cock retreated, his lewd juices would escape that little hole. Being pierced right through, that huge and thick cock would always graze past his sensitive spot. In no time, Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole turned swollen. The gigantic cock did not restrain itself because of this issue. Instead, it thrusted rapidly into that extremely slutty hole, making Wu Xingzi cry and shout. His bound little cock cycled between hardening and softening dejectedly. Not only was he unable to soothe the overwhelming pleasure within him, it instead built up even further. The pleasure surged within him, all the way until tingles ran through his body, leaving trails of aching. Other than thinking abouting, Wu Xingzi could not think of anything else.


    ¡°Please¡­ I beg you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cried so hard that he started huping. Confusedly, he whispered non-stop about something even he, himself, was unable to hear clearly. Then, came another sharp shriek, and a protrusion could be seen in Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth gaped open, his tongue half hanging out. Saliva flowed down from the corner of his lips, and his body uncontrobly spasmed non-stop. He was unable to put into words what he was feeling exactly, only feeling that if he was still unable toe, he might end up dying.


    Still, Guan Shanjin did not let him off. After releasing his hold on Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, Guan Shanjin gripped Wu Xingzi¡¯s backside, fucking in even more violently. The thrusts made the fluids seep out of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, leaving a huge wet patch on the new bedsheets.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ahhh¡ª¡± The old quail yanked on his own hair, shouting in madness. No one knew what his nk eyes were looking at, and he again started shuddering.


    Wu Xingzi truly felt that he would die on that bed. However, that thought too was soon unable to remain in his head. All he could see was white. It seemed as though after he was pushed up the mountain, he once again had to climb another. Taller and taller mountainsid out again in front of him, and he was urged on to continue climbing.


    Crying, shouting and pleading, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were about to roll into the back of his head. In the end, he reached his orgasm without ejacting. He had been fucked open, fucked well, and fucked to the point where he forgot everything. The actions of the man who was holding onto him turned even more vicious, each thrust going straight into his belly. Finally, when Guan Shanjin shot his heated trails ofe into Wu Xingzi, he yanked the hair ribbon away at the same time.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± A wild pleasure swept through Wu Xingzi, exceeding what he could tolerate. His two eyes rolled back, twitching, and his little cock wetted itself, the liquid pattering on the bed. Even till the end, he did not ejacte.


    Hugging Wu Xingzi and panting for a moment, Guan Shanjin flipped him over on the bed and spooned him from the back. His cock, having only just came, was still very hard. Twisting one round in the writhing channel, it made Wu Xingzi cry, and he pissed himself again. Wrapping his hands around the slender waist covered with marks from his own fingers, Guan Shanjin pushed himself further into Wu Xingzi bit by bit. He grabbed hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, cing both of them on his stomach and felt the gradually bulging belly.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s such a rare asion for a pengornis spirit toe to life, let¡¯s not waste it,¡± Guan Shanjinughed.


    Wu Xingzi was incapable of understanding him. He could only shake his head and cry.


    A few strokes of that little cock, and just as it hardened, it was once again dragged into another stint of impassioned sex. Fucked until he orgasmed over and over again, Wu Xingzi¡¯s two balls were pitifully shrivelled. He could not even piss himself now, but he was still not let off.


    On New Year¡¯s Eve, it was needless to say that one would stay up the entire night.

 Chapter 37 - The Mutual Destruction of The Brothers Is Troubling The Advisor

    Chapter 37 ¡ª The Mutual Destruction of The Brothers Is Troubling The Advisor


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Starting from the first day of the New Year, Wu Xingzi had been unable to get out of bed for five days straight.


    There was no need to even think about visiting friends and walking around the vige. He could not even entertain Auntie Liu, Ansheng and a few closer neighbours who hade by.


    Guan Shanjin had stopped them all at the door, dismissing them with a few sentences. As for Wu Xingzi, he was sleeping in the bedroom next door at that time, not knowing whether it was night or day. When he finally woke up, he was once again pressed against the bed and fucked savagely.


    In Guan Shanjin¡¯s words, this was to help improve his memory. However, Wu Xingzi only felt that his brain was about to be fucked stupid, and it was even worse for his poor hips, seeing how they could barely straighten out.


    He was now truly afraid of the Great Southern Garrison General¡¯s stamina. Wu Xingzi convulsed throughout the fucking as he cried and apologised tearfully, ¡°I was wrong¡­ I was wrong¡­ Please have mercy on me! Please let me off!¡±


    ¡°So tell me, what were you wrong about?¡± Guan Shanjin remained calm andposed, fiddling with Wu Xingzi¡¯s little cock. As it had ejacted too many times, the tip now looked like a little shrunken head, very pitiful. Nearly ayer of skin was about toe off from the friction.


    Sniffling, Wu Xingzi truly did not know what exactly had he done wrong. He only remembered that he had too much to drink on the night of New Year¡¯s Eve, and after the second cup of wine, he remembered nothing.


    By the time he had woken up, his hips were aching, his legs were weak, and his entire body, including his bones hurt. Just like usual, Guan Shanjin had cleaned him up and made himfortable, and was sitting by the bed as he read and waited for him to wake up.


    Noticing that Wu Xingzi was awake, Guan Shanjin spoke gently, ¡°Not too long ago, Auntie Liu and her family hade over to visit for the New Year. I¡¯ve sent them back.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Wu Xingzi was surprised. He wanted to get up from the bed, but found that he could not move even a single finger. ¡°Huh? W-w-what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Did he be disabled?


    ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s nothing much, just thatst night we¡¯ve gone slightly overboard.¡± Putting down the book, Guan Shanjin gently cupped Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ve made some porridge. Have a little?¡±


    ¡°Yes yes yes.¡± As expected, Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach felt unbearably empty. Only then did he realise that the sky outside was turning to dusk, and he had pretty much slept half the first day of the New Year away.


    Alcohol does people harm! Wu Xingzi secretly peeped at Guan Shanjin. He was dressed in a crimson robe, and as he was in the bedroom, he did not have his hair tied up in a bun. His thick, silky hair was instead simply gathered up behind his head, and the lines of his excessively charming face were now gentled. The original fierceness had faded away quite a bit, and now there was an additional touch of gentleness to his face.


    This was the first time Wu Xingzi had seen Guan Shanjin with such a demeanour. He blushed as he stared, and unknowingly, he was fed an entire bowl of porridge.


    Wu Xingzi could not recall the taste of the porridge. After Guan Shanjin fed him threerge bowls, he then removed his robe and got into bed. With narrowed, alluring eyes, Guan Shanjin smiled at Wu Xingzi. ¡°Are you full now? Still feeling weak?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± A chilling wave rose from his feet to his head. Wu Xingzi did not dare answer lightly, instead he catingly smiled back.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re fine now.¡± Guan Shanjin caressed Wu Xingzi, nibbling on his lips. He continued huskily, ¡°Since you like pengornises, I¡¯ll fulfil your wishes.¡±


    Huh? Ah!


    Before Wu Xingzi could understand the meaning of his words, his hips were lifted up, and he was impaled once again. The sky shifted in colours, turning dark, and Wu Xingzi cried out until his throat was about to give up. His stomach waspletely filled with Guan Shanjin¡¯se, looking as though he was pregnant. Guan Shanjin even deliberately rubbed his tummy, making Wu Xingzi spasm on the bed like a fish out of water. It seemed as though his soul had departed his body.


    And this was only the first day! The next few days were pretty much spent like this. Kept warm and sex-satiated, Wu Xingzi did not even have a chance to think about anything.


    Now, it was already the sixth day of the New Year. Wu Xingzi had just been freshly fucked again, and he was drowsily sprawled across the bed. As for Guan Shanjin, he waspletely revitalised. Having prepared a basin of water, he was wiping Wu Xingzi clean.


    After cleaning up the old quail nestling in the bed, Guan Shanjin pped the plump buttocks, that seemed to have grown a littlerger in size from the kneading, in satisfaction. All the gloom within him finally dissipated. No matter how lively his ¡°brothers¡± in that case were, they would never be able topete with him who hade to life.


    Groaning from the ps, Wu Xingzi could barely keep his eyes open, but he still begged for mercy pitifully. ¡°I was wrong¡­ Please let me off¡­¡±


    ¡°I can let you off. We¡¯ll talk once you¡¯re awake.¡± Kissing his cheek, Guan Shanjin cleaned himself up as well and got into bed, hugging Wu Xingzi to sleep.


    It took Wu Xingzi another two days before he was fully conscious. When he woke up in the morning, the person next to him had disappeared. In his bed, there were two hot water bottles to keep him from getting chilled. Guan Shanjin had always been good at taking care of people. He was meticulous and considerate, and never made others feel that he was too clingy.


    The room was filled with the scent of the two of them, and also a vague trace of the aroma of fish soup. As Wu Xingzi sniffed the air, he rubbed his belly. Slowly pulling his clothes on as he got off the bed, he inexplicably felt as though he was separated from the world the moment his feet hadnded on solid ground.


    Probably because he had been lying in bed for too long, Wu Xingzi was unable to hold himself up, and his legs kept feeling weak.


    After trying a few more times, Wu Xingzi could finally stand up, tottering about. The first thing he did was not to wash his face and change his clothes, but to make his way to the cab where he hid his pengornis drawings with faltering steps. Opening the cab, he took out the rattan case. He wanted to take the opportunity to examine the sachet within.


    Maybe there¡¯s still a chance that I can change it?


    ¡°Hmm? It doesn¡¯t seem right?¡± After opening the lid of the rattan case, Wu Xingzi gave a rare frown, his expression turning solemn. Carefully, he took out the sachet. Its positioning was not quite right, as it was lying directly on top of the pengornis drawings. cing it like this, the drawings might be stained with the colour of the sachet, so he had always ced the sachet by the side of the case.


    Could it be that Guan Shanjin had moved it when tidying up the house? As Wu Xingzi spected, he held up his treasured pengornis drawings, feeling sorry for them. Examining them one by one, he checked to see if they were dirtied. Fortunately, the fellows were all undamaged.


    Just as he heaved a sigh of relief, Wu Xingzi now again gasped in shock. With his eyes opened wide, he stared at the oiled paper package within, his face paling by a few shades.


    Inside that package were his ten most beloved pengornis drawings, including Guan Shanjin¡¯s. He was extremely particr about the way the oiled paper was folded.


    First, the paper had to be smoothed out, and not a single bump was allowed, so as to prevent it from choking the pengornises within. Next, the lines of the folds had to be as straight as a ruler, so that the pengornises would not be distressed. Finally, the portion used as the seal had to face up, and slid inwards towards the package. It could not be folded under the pengornis drawings, because if it was ced like this for too long, the drawings would, as well, be crumpled, and the pengornises would no longer be able to stand upright.


    Now however, the oiled paper in front of him was very neat, but the seal was facing down. Before he could think carefully about how this paper packaging had gotten flipped, Wu Xingzi, with a pained heart, hurriedly took it out of the case. Only after he had meticulously repacked the drawings did he then sigh in relief, and then he decided to examine whether there were other mishaps with his top ten pengornises.


    ¡°Not bad, you¡¯re just able to get off the bed, and you¡¯re running straight for your darlings?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was gentle and full of amusement, but Wu Xingzi was so scared that all the hair on his body stood up.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ These¡­ These¡­ These are books left behind by my father.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly put the oiled paper packaging down, pushing the rattan case into the cab. Turning his head around, he smiled catingly at Beauty Guan. ¡°I-I¡¯ve always¡­ had the habit of reading the books my father left me as I stayed up over the New Year¡¯s Eve. This year, I got drunk, so I didn¡¯t read any, and I miss them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin folded his arms, smiling at him with narrowed eyes. ¡°Continue spinning your tale, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    How am I going to continue spinning?! Wu Xingzi withered.


    ¡°How¡­ How did you find out?¡± Wu Xingzi had never been good at telling lies. Now that he had been caught, he could only admit it immediately with an ashen face. In his heart, he knew today bode ill for his box of darlings, and his heart was truly aching!


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, do you want to calm yourself down with a bowl of fish soup first?¡± The thick, aromatic scent entered the room through the open door. As usual, Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach let him down, immediately gurgling away. He was also starving to the point of death, and he could not stop swallowing his saliva. Naturally, Guan Shanjin noticed all of this.


    ¡°Sure sure sure.¡± Nodding his head incessantly, Wu Xingzi closed the doors of the cab and walked over to Guan Shanjin. ¡°Let¡¯s finish the entire pot of soup!¡±


    Any moments of dy is still a dy!


    Amusedly staring at that face that could never hide its expressions, Guan Shanjin could not help but lean down and kiss Wu Xingzi. ¡°Just drink as much as you want. You¡¯ve been exhausted over the past few days, you now need to nourish yourself.¡±


    Upon mentioning the past few days, Wu Xingzi reddened instantly. ¡°Ah, my back is still aching. Today, you¡­ better not¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have to return to Bastion City in a couple of days. I¡¯ll let your back off for the moment.¡± With a swing of his arm, Guan Shanjin directed Wu Xingzi to the dining table. Other than the fish soup, there were also a few light dishes, as well as some white and plump looking mantous.


    Wu Xingzi gulped down his saliva. Without any consideration for Guan Shanjin, he buried his head in the food and started eating. He had had nothing but porridge over the past few days. Although there were variations, and they all tasted good, they still could notpare to proper rice and dishes.


    The fish soup was a milky white. With the adornment of some sliced scallions, it looked extremely mouth-watering.


    The first mouthful was fresh, thick and sweet, feeling as though he was drinking the fish itself. At the bottom of the bowl, there were tender slices of fish, and they melted with the slightest pressure of the tongue. Going down the throat along with the fish soup, Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire body warmed up.


    The meal made Wu Xingzi look very radiant, and he pretty much forgot about the disaster of Guan Shanjin discovering the pengornis drawings.


    Seeing that he was done eating, Guan Shanjin tidied up the table. Cleaning and wiping everything, he then spoke to Wu Xingzi. ¡°Come, let¡¯s talk about your box of darlings. Take them all out.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose. He sat up straight, as though he was a stick in the chair. ¡°It¡¯s actually nothing much. T-they¡¯re just¡­ the replies from the pigeon express.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Guan Shanjin sat across him, his long fingers tapping lightly on the table. ¡°Wu Xingzi, if you¡¯re not going to take them out, I¡¯ll take them out. Think about it, once those thingsnd in my hands, what would happen to them?¡±


    This was an open and undisguised threat!


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face paled, swiftly ncing at Guan Shanjin in despair. With drooping shoulders, he spoke dejectedly. ¡°I-I¡¯ll go take them out right now. D-don¡¯t, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Hurt my darlings!


    ¡°Go.¡± Watching Wu Xingzi¡¯s deste figure, Guan Shanjin repressed hisughter and reminded him. ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide anything secretly. You¡¯ve already let me see every drawing inside. For every missing drawing, I¡¯ll tear one up to apany it, got it?¡±


    That slender figure shuddered violently, he was clearly terrified by those bloodthirsty words, or maybe it was due to his timidness after his thoughts had been read. In any case, the old quail hunched further down, walking unsteadily into his bedroom and fiddling about for a while beforeing out. Hugging his rattan case, Wu Xingzi tried to put on a brave face.


    When he ced the case down on the table, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes vaguely glistened with tears.


    ¡°T-they¡¯re all here.¡± He had thought for a very long time, and finally, he still ended up hiding Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis. How could he have the face to admire that drawing right in front of the pengornis owner? This also naturally meant that there would be an innocent pengornis that would have to suffer in the cruel hands of the Great Southern Garrison General¡­ Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart could not hurt anymore, and he could only console himself. How many pengornises are there in the world? To be able to fall in the hands of the Great Southern Garrison General, it¡¯s also a blessing passed down from his previous life!


    How could Guan Shanjin not be able to read the expressions on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face? Wu Xingzi had definitely hid away Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis drawing.


    ¡°They¡¯re all here?¡± Guan Shanjin deliberately repeated the question, only to see Wu Xingzi tremble violently. Even his lips were pale, and this image made Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ache by just looking at him, so his wicked intentions lessened quite a lot. Reaching out and pulling Wu Xingzi into his arms, he soothed him a little, before patting the old fellow¡¯s hips and flipping through the pengornis drawings one by one.


    It had to be said that the techniques of the Peng Society¡¯s artist were excellent. Every drawing was lifelike. Compared to the hazy dim glow of the candles, thete morning sun threw every detail of the pengornis drawings into light.


    They truly had their own individualities, each attractive in their own way.


    ¡°You like these people?¡± After going through the forty drawings, Guan Shanjin reached out towards the package that were missing two.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s chest tightened, only able to watch as Guan Shanjin¡¯s exquisite hand undid the packaging. It was nk inside his head.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin kneaded his waist. ¡°You like them? Or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think I like them?¡± This was a counter question, and it made Guan Shanjin burst outughing. Like flowers blooming in spring, Wu Xingzi was unable to drag his eyes away.


    ¡°You, yourself, don¡¯t know if you like them or not?¡± Wu Xingzi was really too adorable, and so Guan Shanjin pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. ¡°Then, these few drawings that have been specially wrapped up with oiled paper, you must really like them a lot, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Just like this, the truth was teased out of Wu Xingzi. He quickly covered his mouth, but it was toote. Not knowing that he had long sold himself out on New Year¡¯s Eve, he was now blinking furiously in fear, staring straight at Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand that was flipping through the pengornises.


    Guan Shanjin snorted. He wanted to give Wu Xingzi a fright. If he did not properly deal with this old fellow right now, he would probably continue his bad ways, and not give up on them. As such, he picked up the pengornis covered with pock marks, waving it in front of Wu Xingzi. ¡°So it turns out that you like this sort of ugly things?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯m just curious¡­¡± With lowered eyes, Wu Xingzi replied cautiously. How could he dare say that these ten pengornises were the ones he had fantasised about, using over and over again in the long, countless nights? However, at least he did manage to use the Prince of Lanling one.


    ¡°Curious?¡± Guan Shanjin sneered. He still remembered what Wu Xingzi had said that night! How was this old fellow only curious? If the actual thing was right in front of him, he would definitely have lunged over to it and started using it! What a lewd, slutty thing.


    Feeling annoyed, no matter how Guan Shanjin looked at this pockmarked pengornis he disliked it tremendously. He gave up pretending, and right in front of Wu Xingzi, he tore the pockmarked pengornis into shreds.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­.¡± Shivering, Wu Xingzi gasped. Before he could recover from the shock of having the pengornis being torn into pieces, a coin was shoved into his hand.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He looked nkly towards Guan Shanjin, his brain still muddled.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t each pengornis drawing worth a coin?¡± Seeing Wu Xingzi nod stupidly, Guan Shanjin smiled. ¡°So, can I continue?¡±


    Continue what? What is there to continue?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened as he pressed his palm against his chest. Amidst the chaos, he watched Guan Shanjin take out another pengornis drawing, once again tearing it into bits.


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± He received another coin. Staring at the coin, Wu Xingzi felt dazed. Feeling as though he was about to start crying, he shuddered. ¡°D-don¡¯t tear any more of them!¡±


    ¡°What about two coins?¡± Another drawing was torn.


    ¡°No no no¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head non-stop.


    ¡°Five coins?¡± One more was destroyed.


    ¡°Please¡­ Stop¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart was hurting, and his eyes were red.


    ¡°Ten coins?¡± Seeing that Guan Shanjin was about to tear another one, Wu Xingzi lunged over, and the coins in his hand scattered on the ground.


    His heart hurt so much that his entire body was trembling. Ignoring his fear, Wu Xingzi tightly held onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, pleading repeatedly. ¡°These are only drawings, why are you taking them seriously? There¡¯s no need! Please let them off!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re only drawings, why are you taking this seriously? So what if they¡¯re torn?¡± Guan Shanjin retorted using Wu Xingzi¡¯s words, making him choke and unable to speak. Finally, tears rolled down Wu Xingzi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why are you crying now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± don¡¯t know either. Wu Xingzi was crying very sorrowfully. Sprawled across Guan Shanjin¡¯s arm, tears and snot and saliva were smeared all over his face. Choked sobs wereing from his throat, and he sounded a little hoarse.


    He too knew that these were only drawings, and the key point of making friends through the pigeon express was not these drawings of pengornises. However, for Wu Xingzi, these drawings were iparably important. During the times when he had no one by his side, it was these pengornis drawings that had apanied him. Once Guan Shanjin left, it would still be these pengornis drawings that would apany him. Days and years and thereafter, as long as he kept these drawings well, they would be able to apany him for life.


    Wu Xingzi had originally decided to depart this world at the age of forty. It was these pengornis drawings that saved him from his despair. His nature was to never desire nor demand for anything, but that did not mean that he was able to tolerate the loneliness of the past twenty odd years¡­ He was really, truly, very lonely.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tear any more of them¡­ I¡¯ve gone overboard.¡± Sighing, Guan Shanjin kept the pengornis drawings back into the rattan case and focused on consoling the person in his arms. Each low, thin cry was like a needle stabbing into his heart. He had only heard such cries on the battlefield before. Those despairing soldiers, when they missed their home, their family, they too would cry lowly, like this.


    ¡°I was wrong, don¡¯t cry anymore.¡± Pressing Wu Xingzi¡¯s face into his embrace, it was rare that Guan Shanjin would feel regretful.


    Wu Xingzi still continued crying. He did not scream loudly, nor did he resent him with disenchantment. He only cried quietly, his bitter, acrid tears soaking Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 38 - This New Year is Rough

    Chapter 38 ¡ª This New Year is Rough


    Wu Xingzi was crying very sorrowfully, and Guan Shanjin did not know how to coax him. He had never coaxed anyone before in his life. Mr. Lu was introverted, and he never revealed much of his emotions in front of Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin was good at pampering and taking care of people, and the only moments his past lovers cried were mostly when he was leaving them. At that time, no matter how upset they were, those tears were unable to create even a ripple in his heart.


    However, Wu Xingzi was different. The spot on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, wet with tears, burnt as though it was on fire. The heat left his heart aching, left him feeling guilty, left him feeling depressed. He was angry that a few dead pieces of paper ranked higher in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart than him, a living thing, but he too regretted his rash actions.


    He had thought that the old man had a gentle temperament, and had neither desires nor demands. He thought that Wu Xingzi would probably feel down for a period of time after losing a few of his pengornis drawings, but he would not be too upset. Who would have thought that he had guessed wrongly?


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore¡­ It¡¯s my fault, I¡¯ve gone overboard¡­¡± Guan Shanjin repeated this sentence, consoling Wu Xingzi and apologising. However, Wu Xingzi ignored him. Although the sounds of crying had stopped, tears still flowed down his face.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± A hoarse, tearful voice came muffled from his arms. Guan Shanjin froze, wanting to reject his request. However, due to his little hesitation, he ended up letting go.


    Having gained his freedom, Wu Xingzi immediately avoided him, standing far away. He turned his head around, wiping away the smear of tears on his face with his sleeve. Other than the redness of his nose and eyes, he had a deathlike pallor.


    ¡°On the tenth day of the New Year¡­ I won¡¯t be returning with you to Bastion City anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s face darkened, and his hand, hiddened in his sleeve, clenched tightly. However, worried that he would scare the old man, he tried his best to control his expression, though it still looked as cold and sharp like an ice statue.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going to Bastion City anymore.¡± Wu Xingzi exhaled, his voice still a little hoarse from crying. ¡°I want to stay at home. I¡¯ve seen the world outside already, and it¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    ¡°What about your cucumbers?¡± Out of nowhere, Guan Shanjin asked. Wu Xingzi was stunned momentarily, foolishly looking towards him. While still sniffling, a big snot bubble came out from his nose. Instantly, he blushed red with shame. His will that he had mustered up with great effort vanished in a sh, and flustered, Wu Xingzi lifted up his sleeve to hide his face.


    Guan Shanjin instead stood up and carried a basin of water, wringing out a wet cotton cloth and handed it to Wu Xingzi to wipe his face.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi epted the cotton cloth, reproaching himself internally for not being able to stand his ground. Yet, he was secretly a little delighted, and he thought himself to be too useless.


    Wu Xingzi! Think about your innocent pengornises that lost their lives!


    His eyes fell onto the torn remnants of the drawings on the table, and Wu Xingzi immediately pulled himself together. Sparing no effort to put on a stern face, he carefully wiped his face clean. Only when he was sure that he would not produce another snot bubble did he then stare at the wet patch on Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest left by his tears. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, all I want to be is a frog in the well. Mint and Osmanthus will watch over the cucumbers, and once they are harvested, you can eat some, they¡¯ll be very sweet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to send some over to you?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice had an unprecedented gentleness to it. Wu Xingzi blinked, nearly losing control of his lips. He had to take a few deep breaths before he kept a firm grasp on his emotions.


    ¡°Mn, it would be enough to just send two cucumbers over.¡± Wu Xingzi did worry over those cucumbers. Did any of them get eaten by worms? Were they growing well? They were about to flower, right?


    ¡°Just two?¡±


    ¡°Five is fine too, I won¡¯t be able to eat too many of them.¡± He could even gift two cucumbers to Auntie Liu for her to try.


    Seeing how Wu Xingzi was now distracted by the thought of cucumbers, Guan Shanjin took the opportunity to stride forward, once again pulling the man in front of him into his arms and hugging him tightly. Grazing his chin against the top of Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, Guan Shanjin spoke gently, backing down. ¡°But I want to return to Bastion City with you. I¡¯ve been overbearing with regards to this matter, don¡¯t be angry with me anymore, alright?¡±


    Uh, uh¡­ With Wu Xingzi¡¯s tender-heartedness, he softened.


    Guan Shanjin had backed down like this, and so Wu Xingzi¡¯s temper wilted. Rubbing his nose, he did not know how he should respond.


    ¡°Are you still angry with you?¡± Not getting a response, Guan Shanjin was feeling a little anxious. He reached out and gently lifted Wu Xingzi¡¯s head by the chin, frowning slightly. ¡°Those pengornis drawings are so important to you?¡±


    The guilt within him was now reced by sourness. It felt as though there was a huge boulder pressing onto his chest, and he did not understand why he was feeling so gloomy about it.


    ¡°Are¡­ are you going to continue tearing up the pengornis drawings?¡± Wu Xingzi dared not answer easily. If he were to agree, would his entire case of pengornises be all brutally murdered?


    He really cares too damn much about them! Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes darkened, and he released the man in his arms. Clenching his fists tightly, he had to huff out a few breaths before his temper settled. There was a sort of iron taste at the back of his throat, which he could only forcefully swallow back into his stomach.


    Was this old fellow sent by the heavens to test him? He was THE Great Southern Garrison General, famed demon of the battlefield. His Chenyuan Sword had left rivers of blood in its wake, bodies strewn everywhere. Seeing his figure from afar, his enemies would tremble in their boots, throwing everything down and fleeing in a panic. Even in the imperial court, there was no one who would dare steal his glory, and even that emperor would speak warmly to him.


    But this old fellow had made him so angry till he vomited blood.


    What was going to happen to his dignity?


    With bloodshot eyes, Guan Shanjin stared at those pengornis drawings on the table. He gritted his teeth, and amidst Wu Xingzi¡¯s rmed cries, he shoved them all back into the rattan case, along with the torn shreds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Goose City.¡± He lowered his head halfway to hide the ferocious look on his face. ¡°Go dress more warmly, I¡¯ll bring the horse over.¡± Without turning his head to look at Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin sped away.


    Left behind, Wu Xingzi was confused. He paused for quite some time before walking forward to tidy up his treasures. When he kept the torn shreds of paper in another pouch, his tears nearly fell again. He was now left with less than half of his top ten pengornises. Were the owners of those pengornises still making friends? If he were to send them another letter, they probably would not reply with another pengornis drawing again.


    Wu Xingzi did not know why Guan Shanjin wanted to bring him to Goose City. Was he going to seek trouble with Rancui? Thinking about this, Wu Xingzi became even more nervous. He pulled on his clothes any old how, and he stepped outside his house only to see Guan Shanjin¡¯s upright figure upon his horse, Zhaixing.


    Aspared to how Wu Xingzi was bulkily wrapped up like a dumpling, Guan Shanjin was lightly dressed. His fitting clothes made him look even taller, and his expression was aloof, like an immortal banished to the mortal realm. After seeing Wu Xingzi, his lips curved up slightly, his faint smile carrying a touch of mncholy. Wu Xingzi immediately forgot what he was about to say.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Guan Shanjin held his hand out towards him, and once Wu Xingzi grasped it, he was pulled up onto the horse. Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were very gentle and did not make Wu Xingzi feel an iota of difort.


    ¡°W-why do you suddenly want to go to Goose City?¡± Leaning in the man¡¯s warm and solid embrace, Wu Xingzi finally collected himself a little, and hurriedly asked his question.


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to the Peng Society to look for someone. Now, don¡¯t speak anymore.¡± Guan Shanjin used his cloak to cover Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. Spurring his horse on, they flew ahead, leaving a trail of dust behind them.


    Two hourster, the two people arrived at Goose City. Leading the horse, they headed straight for the antique shop housing the Peng Society. Probably because it was the New Year, the shop was a little quiet, but it was decorated very cheerfully. The antiques meant for admiring in the main hall had been reced, while that salesman whom Wu Xingzi was familiar with was still there. When he saw their arrival, he came forward to wee them with nary a change in his expression.


    ¡°Wee, may I ask if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    ¡°Is Rancui around?¡± Guan Shanjin did not beat around the bush. cing his arm around Wu Xingzi, he headed inside.


    ¡°The manager hasn¡¯t awakened yet. Master Guan, please wait!¡± The salesman hurried after him, but did not know how to stop Guan Shanjin from walking ahead. The previously destroyed courtyard had only just been repaired before the New Year, and if he were to use his body to block him, he probably would just be kicked away.


    ¡°Call him up, tell him that business has knocked on his door.¡± With familiarity, Guan Shanjin headed towards the direction of that pavilion where Rancui had always received Wu Xingzi. Despite his calm tone, the salesman was still scared enough to hunch over. Wringing his hands, he paced around Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Y-you better not do anything to Manager Rancui!¡± Wu Xingzi too was anxious. However, he was trapped in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, and forced to move along with him, so he could only persuade him verbally. ¡°Manager Rancui haspletely nothing to do with the pengornis drawings. I-if you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll throw them all away when we go home, alright? I¡¯ll prepare the cucumbers for you when we return to Bastion City, they¡¯re really very sweet!¡±


    ¡°Would the cucumbers be fully grown when we return?¡± Guan Shanjin snorted. His chest felt so stuffy it ached, and he was not willing to exin anything to Wu Xingzi, almost carrying him forward.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ It¡¯s hard to say. They might need another two months? It¡¯s difficult to grow cucumbers in winter, but once spring sets in, they¡¯ll grow faster.¡±


    Guan Shanjin harrumphed. He was even more annoyed with the mention of spring. Mr. Lu would be getting married then, yet this old fellow waspletely uncaring.


    They soon reached the pavilion. The curtains around it were down, and there was a small lit brazier within. Rancui was already seated inside. However, it was evident that he was not deliberately waiting there for them, but only happened to be drinking tea there coincidentally.


    A lift of the curtain, and Rancui looked up in surprise. After registering who the person was, he stood up, giving a superficial smile as he cupped his hands together and spoke coldly. ¡°So it¡¯s the General. Coming to our little shop, do you have a request of sorts?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll like to take a look at thetest Pengornisseur.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s words were stiff, but his actions were very gently as he cleaned a chair before letting Wu Xingzi sit on it. ¡°If it¡¯s convenient, I¡¯ll like to borrow a brush and paper from you as well.¡±


    He wants to take a look at the Pengornisseur? Rancui frowned. He nced over at the restless Wu Xingzi. Thinking about the bridal cakes he ate about two months ago, Rancui rubbed his stomach unconsciously.


    Guan Shanjin had never been interested in the Pengornisseur. Rancui was very familiar with the temper of such men, and they would definitely never allow the people they liked to look at others. Anything could happen when they explode, yet now, he was taking the initiative to read the Pengornisseur? Who was he nning on torturing with it?


    Rancui ran through all sorts of spection, but still motioned at his employee to collect the Pengornisseur as well as the writing instruments. Recing his cold expression with a warm, smiling face, he exchanged some New Year greetings with Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, you haven¡¯t dropped by in a long time. How have you been recently?¡± Rancui secretly studied his customer. The usually gentle and detached adviser was currently a little panic-stricken. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and it seemed like he had cried.


    Fiercely, Rancui could not help but consider how he should rescue his customer out from the demon ws of the Great Southern Garrison General. When he had a chance, he most definitely had to force his boss to ban Guan Shanjin from harassing anymore of the Peng Society¡¯s members!


    ¡°A troublemaker.¡± Guan Shanjin could see what Rancui was thinking, snorting as he pped a corner of the stone table away. The edges were smooth, as though carved out by a knife, but this was originally a round table.


    ¡°Would the General feel entirely ufortable without destroying a few of my little shop¡¯s items every visit?¡± Rancui red at that corner of the table. However, he was not scared. What storms had he never endured before? Since the general liked to tear things down, if he had the ability, just tear the entire shop down! New Year, new beginnings, Rancui would just take it that he was renovating the ce.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure stubborn.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers twitched, and a subtle snap of air shot towards Rancui¡¯s shoulder. With no time to dodge it, it hit Rancui, and numbness shot through his entire arm and half his body. He almost could not maintain his expression, his face twisting slightly. ¡°Being too stubborn can sometimes hurt oneself.¡±


    ¡°Manager Rancui? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Wu Xingzi naturally did not know what Guan Shanjin had done. He stood up, wanting to help support Rancui who had bent over. However, he was pressed back into his seat, unable to move.


    ¡°What¡­ what did you do?¡± Wu Xingzi was not a fool. He instantly knew that Rancui¡¯s grimace had something to do with Guan Shanjin. Now, he truly was angry, and felt extremely apologetic towards Rancui. Snorting coldly, Wu Xingzi turned his head away, not wanting to look at Guan Shanjin anymore.


    Even a buddha had their limits, and Wu Xingzi was only human! No matter how cid his disposition was, his temper could asionally re up. The thing was, he could not understand why Guan Shanjin was behaving like this. Forget about tearing up his pengornis drawings and making him cry, Manager Rancui was such a good person, but he ended up being dragged down by Wu Xingzi. It was the New Year, yet Manager Rancui had to be faced with such matters, and suffer such pain with no rhyme or reason.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. You saw that, didn¡¯t you? I didn¡¯t go close to Rancui at all.¡± Of course, Guan Shanjin would not allow Wu Xingzi to give him the cold shoulder. He backed down, wrapping his arms around Wu Xingzi and spoke appeasingly, ¡°I brought you to the Peng Society because I wanted topensate you, why would I make you angry again? Hmm? Won¡¯t you look at me?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Wu Xingzi turned his head towards Guan Shanjin doubtfully. ¡°Then why is Manager Rancui in so much pain? And you¡¯re not even letting me help him!¡±


    ¡°He might have snacked on too much oily food this New Year, so his stomach¡¯s feeling ufortable. If you go up and help him, won¡¯t you make his employees feel awkward?¡± These lies came very smoothly, and Rancui nearly burst with angryughter.


    It was clear that Wu Xingzi too did not believe him. But as he could not find a fault with his words, he turned to look at Rancui.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Adviser Wu. I¡¯m well and fine.¡± Half his body still felt numb, and he was so angry that his chest hurt, but what could he do? Circumstances were not on his side. So what if Guan Shanjin was scum? His fist was harder than everyone else¡¯s, and he also had his Chenyuan Sword!


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was still doubtful, and he looked as though he still wanted to continue asking after him. In the end, he shut his mouth, his head still turned away, refusing to look at Guan Shanjin¡¯s enchanting face.


    Fortunately, the salesman was back very quickly. The Pengornisseur was ced in front of them, and to bring out the festive New Year¡¯s spirit, the cover was a cheerful red. The words ¡°The Pengornisseur¡± were even dusted with gold. Such colours that could easily be tackyplimented the book very well, very celebratory, yet still exquisite.


    ¡°Here, see if the owners of those pengornis drawings are still inside.¡± Guan Shanjin shoved The Pengornisseur into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, then started grinding ink in the inkstone.


    Wu Xingzi still did not understand what was happening. He held onto The Pengornisseur in a daze.


    ¡°Hmm? Why aren¡¯t you looking through it?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s foolishly nk stare was too adorable, and Guan Shanjin leant over and kissed him.


    ¡°W-why are you asking me to look for them? Do you want to¡­¡± Wu Xingzi bit his lip, rm and fear flooding his face. ¡°Haiwang, they¡¯re only just some pengornis drawings. Don¡¯t tear the owners up as well! I¡¯ll burn that entire case of drawings when we go back, alright?¡±


    Rancui happened to be drinking tea, and hearing Wu Xingzi¡¯s words, he choked. Did he hear a secret that he should not have heard? From what he knew, Wu Xingzi did mail out many letters, but they would never stop a member from making more friends. ording to what he had just heard, did Adviser Wu ended up keeping all the drawings of penises sent as replies?


    Guan Shanjin red at Rancui with loathing. The inkstone was filled with tea, and Guan Shanjin called the salesman over to exchange it for another one. He snorted, ¡°It seems like your surroundings this New Year has been too damp. Is your chest so stuffy that you¡¯re not able to even drink your tea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it hasn¡¯t been as ufortable as yours. Choking on tea is nothing, as long as I¡¯m not vomiting blood.¡± Rancui had a very sharp tongue. If Wu Xingzi had really kept the pengornis drawings, it was definite that Guan Shanjin had discovered them. Trouble definitely had urred then, and so, despite almost at the verge of vomiting blood, Guan Shanjin would still help Wu Xingzi to once again collect those pengornis drawings.


    This stab came in harshly and urately. Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows creased tighter, and he nearly took Chenyuan Sword out.


    Yet he still held himself back, lowering his head and cating Wu Xingzi. ¡°What nonsense are you saying? Why would I kill them over such small matters? I only thought that since I tore your pengornis drawings, I should return a new set to you. If we use my name to send them letters, we¡¯ll be able to receive the drawings, won¡¯t we? Come, take a look and see if they¡¯re still here.¡±


    This time, Wu Xingzi was extremely moved. With tears in his eyes, he held The Pengornisseur with one hand, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s sleeve with the other. His mouth was shut tightly, and it took him a long while before he said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, I was wrong. However¡­¡± Guan Shanjin held Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, his alluring, charming eyes narrowing slightly, and he looked stern. ¡°You have to return to Bastion City with me. Also, you can¡¯t add anymore pengornis drawings to your collection, understood?¡±


    Wu Xingzi nodded his head non-stop, smiling with a blushing face. ¡°Definitely, definitely.¡±


    Seeing how the two reconciled with just a few sentences, Rancui sat by the side, drinking tea with a dark face.


    Ugh, it was the New Year, but his eyes ached.

 Chapter 39 - Fire Cannot Be Wrapped In Paper, Unless They Were Paper Lanterns

    Chapter 39 ¡ª Fire Cannot Be Wrapped In Paper, Unless They Were Paper Lanterns


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Finally, Wu Xingzi did manage to find the owners of all the pengornises other than the second ce on the list of pengornises. Adviser Wu was too drunk to remember its brutal murder at the hands of the General, and so it was logically passed over.


    With a darkened expression, Guan Shanjin nced at Rancui with a sneer. ¡°They say that the Pengornisseur, even through a thousand miles, can help one seek their beloved. Seems like the rumours are all false.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be med for those people who do not seek their beloved, but sleep around carrying their embroidered pillows1.¡± Rancui deliberately sighed loudly. He looked towards the slightly blushing Wu Xingzi who was in a good mood, his wordsced with meaning, ¡°In my opinion, Adviser Wu is not the type to like embroidered pillows. After all, pillows should be simple andsting. Those are then considered good pillows.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The pillows in Adviser Wu¡¯s home were all made by himself. Every autumn, he would rece the rice husk within. The firmness of the pillows was perfect, there was no worry of dirtying them, and they even smelled good.


    Seeing how easily Wu Xingzi fell into the trap, Guan Shanjin was both unhappy and resigned. He hurriedly finished the letters, and after instructing Rancui to deliver the replies to the branch in Bastion City, he stood up and hauled Wu Xingzi away.


    His actions were so fast that Rancui did not even have the time to say his goodbyes. Pressing his palm against his chest, Rancui grabbed the brush that had not even dried yet and threw it into the brazier.


    This brush was a gift from his boss, and it was made with elder wood and weasel hair by a famous expert. The body was smooth, and the longer it was used, the better it would get. Rancui had been using it for seven years, and its body was so smooth and shiny that it could almost be used as a mirror. Carrying it, it felt weighty andfortable, and it was one of his beloved items.


    However, since Guan Shanjin had used it, with Rancui¡¯s temper, he disdained ever using it again.


    ¡°What a waste of a good brush¡­¡± Rancui stared at the brazier, soothing his own chest. He was unable to distinguish if he felt more angry, or if his heart ached more. Only when the entire brush had been consumed by the fire, the mes licking upwards, did Rancui tighten his fists firmly, and summoned his employee over. ¡°Immediately return to the capital, and help me tell this to Boss.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The salesman was a little confused. If there was something to be reported, wouldn¡¯t sending a letter be better than sending someone over? The one thing their Peng Society had nock of was homing pigeons.


    ¡°Tell him that this is what Manager Rancui has said: ¡®Fuck you! Today, if I¡¯m in the Peng Society, there won¡¯t be Guan Shanjin, and if there¡¯s Guan Shanjin, I won¡¯t be here! You ass, talk for you is cheap, but I now have two members who have fallen in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands! This sort of heartless, unfeeling person, the Peng Society can¡¯t ept. If you can, just do it yourself! You motherfucker, I¡¯m going to go to Bastion City now, there¡¯s no need to send me off.¡¯¡± Rancui¡¯s voice was bright and clear. He was usually mild and tactful, weighing his words before he spoke. Even towards his subordinates, he was gentle and polite. The salesman had worked for Rancui for over seven years already. He had never heard an awful word from Rancui before, not to mention vulgarities. Manager Rancui had a quick tongue, and when he wanted to scold a person, he had never needed to use any curses and swears.


    The vulgarities had spewed out from Rancui as though he was reciting a poem. The salesman froze there for quite some time, before picking his ear stiffly, and he asked with a shaky voice, ¡°M-manager, Ah Heng didn¡¯t manage to hear what you wanted to tell the boss clearly¡­ Did you really say something about a mother¡­?¡±


    ¡°I did say it, you didn¡¯t hear wrongly. Remember, you can¡¯t have one word more or less when passing the message, and you have to say it exactly as it is to the boss, understand?¡± Rancui naturally knew that sending a message through the pigeons would be much faster, but that would not allow him to vent his anger! He could already imagine how his boss, after seeing his letter full of vulgarities, would beughing loudly, unbothered. His boss would then tell his lover, ¡°Look, Rancui this child has grown up already, and he even knows how to swear now.¡±


    Just thinking about it made Rancui so angry that his body hurt. If not for being concerned about Wu Xingzi, he would most definitely have returned to the capital to scold him himself.


    ¡°Get the employees here. Send a letter to the Bastion City branch. Tell them that I¡¯ll go over tomorrow, and tell them to get ready.¡± Did this mean that he was going to abandon the Goose City branch for the Bastion City branch? Ah Heng mopped at his sweat. He was naturally not stupid enough to ask the manager why he was doing this. It was definitely to be a thorn in General Guan¡¯s side, and also to find a suitable opportunity to rescue Adviser Wu if the asion arose!


    Only the manager in the Peng Society would put in such great efforts for its members. It was truly due to Manager Rancui, and that was why the Peng Society had grown to how it was today.


    ¡°Manager, Bastion City is a dangerous ce. Aren¡¯t you afraid that General Guan will use underhanded means towards you?¡± Ah Heng was very worried. Guan Shanjin was the local tyrant of Bastion City, and with just a crook of his finger, he could secretly do away with Manager Rancui. Even if their boss had the ability to save him, he was beyond his reach!


    Fed up, Rancui grumbled, ¡°Just let hime at me with his underhanded means!¡± With Guan Shanjin¡¯s extremely conceited character, Rancui was definitely a thorn in his side. If he really followed them, no matter what his intentions were, Guan Shanjin would definitely beat him up. His only worry was that all General Guan could think about was Mr. Lu who was about to get married, and leave Wu Xingzi aside, ignoring him. In that case, Rancui would definitely have to take Wu Xingzi away.


    All in all, it was all the fault of his boss for giving him so much trouble.


    ¡°Did you remember everything that I¡¯ve said?¡± Rancui drank some tea to calm himself down. Looking at Ah Heng, he gave him another instruction. ¡°Remember, you have to repeat every single word correctly to the boss. He wouldn¡¯t punish you.¡±


    The boss would not, but the boss¡¯s lover might! Ah Heng looked troubled, but he could only nod and agree. A jade pendant was suddenly shoved into his hand, and he looked straight at Rancui, only to see the manager waving him off. ¡°That¡¯s a present that he gave me. When you¡¯re passing the message, just hold this jade pendant up. No one will dare touch you. After delivering the message,e to Bastion City to look for me. Don¡¯t waste a single moment of time.¡±


    ¡°Ah Heng understands.¡± Finally rxing, Ah Heng hurriedly stored the jade pendant on his body. Following his orders, he retreated to start his preparations.


    Once Rancui finished arranging the matters in Goose City, he headed straight for Bastion City.


    As for Guan Shanjin, after dragging Wu Xingzi away from the Peng Society, he did not return straight to Qingcheng County, but brought the old quail to the Restaurant of Songs for a meal.


    Having rolled about in bed for the past few days and eating only a meal in the morning before the trouble happened, ording to Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite, he definitely was both hungry and tired. Since the issue was finally settled, Guan Shanjin was in no hurry to head back, and so he might as well give him a good, proper meal.


    Naturally, it was not topete for favour with those lifeless pengornis drawings.


    Now that the matter of the pengornis drawings had been exposed, Wu Xingzi was a lot less self-conscious. With a bright smile, he had an extra two bowls of rice, and ordered two more dishes and a soup. Only when his stomach was full and bulging, did he put his chopsticks down in satisfaction, thanking Guan Shanjin sincerely.


    Although he was unwilling to specte about the real meaning behind Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions, it was already enough that he could protect his pengornis drawings and even bring them along with him to Bastion City.


    After the meal, the two people strolled about the marketce. Goose City was extremely prosperous, and people were now already making preparations for the Spring Lantern Festival. Thentern market was now bustling as well, and there was arge crowd, with many things that could be eaten, drank, and toys that looked very interesting. Wu Xingzi had never explored thentern market before. As a child, his father was strict, preferring the quiet to the crowd. At the very most, they would just light antern for the asion. When he grew up, he was single and alone. He found this sort of festival, where families gathered to walk through the marketce, awkward. Since he happened to be both poor and shy, his interest in going to the market also waned.


    As it was his first time, Wu Xingzi found everything entertaining. Guan Shanjin naturally was willing to apany him from the first stall to thest. Afraid of Wu Xingzi getting squeezed by the crowd, Guan Shanjin shielded him between his arms with his stature of a general,pletely ignoring the probing eyes of other passersby.


    As they walked down the street, one by one, thenterns were lit.


    Thenterns in Goose City were not asvish and exquisite as the ones in the capital, but they were delicate and adorable. The broad street of thentern market was lined with all sorts ofnterns. There were the pcenterns, the revolvingnterns, and the designs ranged from birds and flowers, to rivers and mountains, to the Eight Immortals, to words of luck and many others, too many to count.


    ¡°Ah, look! It¡¯s a revolvingntern with the Eight Immortals.¡± Wu Xingzi eximed, his eyes filled with delight.


    That revolvingntern was exquisitely made. In a sea ofnterns that lookedparably simple, it stood out prominently, hanging high up on a tree. Where they were standing was also a little away from the crowd, a peace amongst the bustle. The few people walking by were all couples, intimately entwined with each other.


    Guan Shanjin looked at thatntern, as well as the person under it, and his expression contorted slightly.


    Wu Xingzi was coincidentally dressed in white today, and his winter clothes had bulked him up a little. However, due to his originally thin figure, he looked a little more plump now and was even better looking. His face, with a smile upon it, looked ordinary andmonce. He had a fleshy nose and plump lips, his philtrum was too short, and his forehead was too narrow. His eyebrows were sparse, and together with his round little eyes, he looked adorable when his eyes curved in delight, but when he was frozen in thought, he looked just like a foolish quail.


    Such a face like this, there was nothing that resembled Mr. Lu¡¯s luminous, flower-like face.


    Still, when Wu Xingzi was dressed in white, standing under the tree while gazing up at the revolvingntern, Guan Shanjin felt as though he was looking at that Mr. Lu from the Spring Lantern Festival years ago.


    Dressed in light colours, Wu Xingzi looked refined and graceful, tranquil and content. If Mr. Lu was the soft and luminous moonlight, Wu Xingzi would be the brook reflecting the moonlight. Guan Shanjin was unable to obtain the moon in the sky, but he could pick up the reflection in the water. As such, he tightened his arms, embracing the person within tightly.


    ¡°Haiwang?¡± Feeling the arms around him suddenly tightened, Wu Xingzi flushed red, unconsciously lifting his arms to try pushing him away. However, he was sorelycking in strength, and Guan Shanjin had a knack of trapping him. Struggling and panting, yet unable to gain even an inch, Wu Xingzi could only lower his head to hide his face, preventing others from seeing him andughing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re getting shy again?¡± Looking down at Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin smiled. He stroked the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose lovingly, yet was unsatisfied with just that, so he gave him a kiss. The old fellow burned red with embarrassment, and even his eyes filled with tears. ¡°No one will notice us, they¡¯re all admiring thenterns.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Wu Xingzi quietly raised his head, swifting ncing through the crowd. As expected, the couples drifting about were either looking up at thenterns, or they were just like Guan Shanjin and him, hiding in a dark corner, wrapped up intimately in each other¡¯s arms.


    Although Wu Xingzi was still feeling shy, he finally rxed. He allowed Guan Shanjin to continue caressing him, hugging him as they finished viewing the rest of thenterns, before they reluctantly left thentern market.


    It was already past 7 when they were back in Qingcheng County. Wu Xingzi had originally wanted to visit Auntie Liu to wish her and her family a happy new year, and to present them with some gifts that he bought at thentern market. However, looking at the time, it was probably toote. Farmers woke up early, and they were all preparing to go to bed around this timing.


    Wu Xingzi contemted for a moment and decided to go to Ansheng¡¯s ce instead. During the entire New Year period, no one in Qingcheng County would run their business, except for thergest teahouse that would reopen on the tenth day of the New Year. As for the rest of the stalls in the market, they would only open for business after all fifteen days of the festival had passed. During these days, Ansheng was rather free, and the magistrate¡¯s office would also officially reopen after the fifteen days as well. If Wu Xingzi were to visit, he would not be disturbing Constable Zhang¡¯s rest.


    Having made the decision, Wu Xingzi told Guan Shanjin about it, implying that he should go home first so that Ansheng and Constable Zhang would not feel awkward.


    Guan Shanjin naturally refused. He held tightly onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, and after leaving his horse in the stable of the magistrate¡¯s office, he insisted on Wu Xingzi leading the way.


    With no other choice, Wu Xingzi could only bashfully bring Guan Shanjin along for the visit. Now, both Ansheng and Constable Zhang were even more sure of their rtionship.


    There were a few times when Ansheng tried talking to Wu Xingzi privately, but he was continuously blocked by Guan Shanjin.


    Seeing it happen a few times, Constable Zhang too was not very happy about it. With a dark face, he red at Guan Shanjin. If not for Wu Xingzi, he might have even thrown a punch or two.


    As such, Wu Xingzi was unable to stay for a longer visit. He hurriedly delivered his gifts, and promised to go to the stall to have some jellied bean curd the next time he returned, before he was dragged away by Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°When we visit Auntie Liu tomorrow, you can¡¯t be like this.¡± On the way home, Wu Xingzi warned him, getting a little angry. He kept feeling that something was wrong with Guan Shanjin the past few days. Guan Shanjin seemed to be deliberately preventing others froming close to him. Why?


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin acknowledged him casually. With his arms around Wu Xingzi, ignoring everything else, he kissed him. Only when Wu Xingzi was panting and became teary-eyed, did he then lick his lips in satisfaction, before peeling himself away.


    ¡°After seeing Auntie Liu tomorrow, let¡¯s go back to Bastion City.¡± Guan Shanjin gently caressed Wu Xingzi¡¯s kiss-swollen lips.


    ¡°We¡¯re going back so quickly?¡± Wu Xingzi was a little hesitant. He thought that since he was going to be away for quite some time, he would definitely have to bring with him his pengornis drawings as well as his father¡¯s books. Although there would not be too much luggage, toe back in such a hurry and leave in a hurry, he was rather reluctant.


    More than half his life was contained within this little house. Even though there was only him alone, it was still where he lived in peace.


    However, he did not know how he could get Guan Shanjin to stay for a few more days. Mr. Lu would be getting married after the New Year, and there were only so many days left. It was understandable why Guan Shanjin wanted to quickly return to Bastion City to settle the marriage.


    ¡°Is there still something you need to do?¡±


    ¡°No, not really¡­¡± They arrived home as they spoke. Wu Xingzi looked at this little house, inexplicably feeling that it was likely that he would not be returning for quite some time. He shook his head,ughing at himself inwardly for thinking too much. ¡°Haiwang, why are you willing to let Mr. Lu get married and start a family?¡±


    This question came as a surprise. Guan Shanjin was caught off guard, and did not reply for a long while.


    Instead, the person who asked the question was chattering away without thinking too much of it. ¡°I can see that Mr. Lu likes you very much as well. By the way, it¡¯s quite funny that I previously did not realise your rtionship. It¡¯s all thanks to Auntie Li¡¯s words, that allowed me to understand.¡±


    ¡°What did you understand?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was hoarse. He had wanted to light the candle, but now his fingers were stiff, and he hadpletely forgotten what he had wanted to do.


    ¡°Hmm? That Mr. Lu and you aren¡¯t just simply a teacher and a student! He¡¯s your beloved, isn¡¯t he?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. Inside the house, it was very dark, and the moon outside was dim. He could not see clearly, and could only hear Guan Shanjin¡¯s abruptly hoarse voice as well as his harsh breathing.


    Feeling a little flustered, Wu Xingzi groped about, wanting to light the candle. However, his wrist was gripped tightly. The strength used was so great that it was terrifying, and his arm was almost broken. It was so painful that Wu Xingzi cried out, but the pressure did not abate.


    ¡°H-Haiwang, you¡¯re hurting me, please, let go¡­¡±


    ¡°You know about it?¡± Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth so loudly that a grinding sound could be heard. The pressure that his grip was exerting increased further, causing the bones of Wu Xingzi¡¯s wrist to creak, and Wu Xingzi cried out in pain. ¡°Answer me! You know everything?¡±


    ¡°W-what do I know?¡± The agony made tears slip down Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. Hisplexion was pale, and it felt as though his wrist would shatter in the next moment. Trembling, he pleaded. ¡°P-please let go of me¡­ It really hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°You know that¡­¡± I¡¯ve only been treating you as Mr. Lu¡¯s substitute? You know that I like Mr. Lu? You know that¡­


    ¡°So you¡¯ve always been pretending?¡± Not only did Guan Shanjin not release him, he even dragged him closer to himself, inch by inch.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzipletely could not understand what he was saying. This sort of image would make Guan Shanjin soften in the past, but now, it only enraged him further.


    So he had been using this sort of expression to lie to him? So it turned out that he knew everything all along? So he stayed by his side, was it because he had some other intentions behind that? All sorts of thoughts shed through Guan Shanjin¡¯s mind, but for some reason, it finally stopped on a pengornis drawing. Guan Shanjin first froze, and then, as though he was licked by mes, he quickly let go of Wu Xingzi.


    Wu Xingzi was crying softly in pain, his body unsteady, as he fell to the ground. Fortunately, he was pulled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace just before he hit the floor.


    Wu Xingzi gasped, quaking with lingering fear. The pain from his wrist could be felt all over his body, and he did not know if it was actually broken. Currently, he did not even dare to move it.


    ¡°What exactly should I do about you?¡± Guan Shanjin was unsure if this question was directed at himself or Wu Xingzi. Just now, he had been possessed by madness, and actually ended up hurting Wu Xingzi. Now, his heart was pounding in shock. Wu Xingzi was not a fool. Since those rumours by Auntie Li had already reached his ears, together with witnessing the interactions between him and Mr. Lu in Bastion City, he would definitely have been able to guess the situation.


    So what exactly was the thing that made him blow up in rage? Guan Shanjin fell into a rare muddledness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you massage it, don¡¯t be afraid of me.¡± Guan Shanjin lowered his stature, his tone carrying a little pleading in it.


    Wu Xingzi wiped his tears away. Nodding his head, he extended his hand towards him.

 Chapter 40 - The Cucumbers Have Matured

    Chapter 40 ¡ª The Cucumbers Have Matured


    Wu Xingzi was a thin man, and his wrist was naturally thin and slender as well. There was a protrusion on his wrist, and the round bone that was jutting out was very conspicuous. His skin was very fair as well, and his blood vessels appeared greenish, trailing down his arm.


    Now, his entire wrist was bruised, red and swelling. It was nearly twice its original size, and it could be seen how much strength the person who left this mark had used.


    Guan Shanjin found the medicine that he had stored in their bags. There were medications for both application as well as ingestion. After bringing Wu Xingzi to his bedroom and onto his bed to lie down, he carefully applied the medicine on him, massaging the wrist at the same time to help with the blood cirction.


    Fortunately, Wu Xingzi¡¯s bone was not injured, and it no longer hurt as much after the medicine was applied. Wu Xingzi had his eyes closed, as though he was napping, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s movements became even lighter and more cautious.


    The soft breathing steadied his emotions a little, and his actions too gradually stopped as he fell into his thoughts.


    Guan Shanjin dared not say how good a lover he was. He had treated everyone in the past as Mr. Lu¡¯s substitutes, and even in the midst of heightened emotions, he still knew how to take care of others.


    In other words, as he pampered these substitutes, he convinced himself that he was spoiling Mr. Lu. The two of them were so close yet so far, and they were always so courteous and prudent when interacting with each other.


    Since all those people were shadows of Mr. Lu, he naturally could not treat them harshly. He could not give Mr. Lu a fright.


    This was truly the first time¡­ How could he bear to leave such a brutal mark on Wu Xingzi¡¯s arm? At that time, why was he so crazed?


    Guan Shanjin was not stupid. In actual fact, he was too clever. His loss of control was definitely out of the ordinary. Even as he was striking down enemies in the battlefield, there had never been a single time when he had lost his senses like this. When he heard Wu Xingzi personally talk about the rtionship between himself and Mr. Lu, thinking about that iciness he felt then, made him shudder unconsciously now.


    What exactly was he so apprehensive about?


    Something seemed as though it was about to emerge from the cocoon in his brain. That was not a sentiment that he could currently keep control over, and so he gritted his teeth and harshly shoved it back down, unwilling to think further about it.


    Wu Xingzi was of a gentle temperament. Even after being treated roughly, he did notin nor rebuke Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin was caught between feeling assured and dejected. What he most strongly felt was a guilt that he could not speak aloud, but there was nothing, he felt, he could do about it. How could hepensate this old fellow?


    Under the candlelight, Wu Xingzi¡¯s sleeping face appeared contented. It was as though his wrist injury had never urred, and his bone was not nearly broken. On the contrary, it was this instigator who was feeling even more afraid than him.


    Sighing, Guan Shanjin confirmed that the bruise had been massaged thoroughly, then applied a newyer of ointment. He wrapped the wrist up with clean linen, getting into bed, still dressed, and hugged the man on it to sleep.


    The next morning, Wu Xingzi woke up, had his breakfast, and then packed up his bags. He did not mention about what happened the previous night at all. There were a few times when Guan Shanjin wanted to ask him, but upon opening his mouth, he did not know what to say, and could not help but resent Wu Xingzi¡¯s inattentiveness.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Xingzi packed away the pengornis drawings as well as those books his father had left him. Storing them securely under his clothes, he left the room with his bags only to see Guan Shanjin looking annoyed as he sat by the table drinking tea. Only when he heard Wu Xingzi speak, was he then willing to look at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He poured some tea for Wu Xingzi, frowning slightly. ¡°Does your wrist still hurt? Why were you rushing to pack things up?¡±


    He felt that he was unable to tell Wu Xingzi that he could help him pack up. Seeing how Wu Xingzi was fiddling about, he knew that Wu Xingzi was bringing along his treasures with him. Not only was that case of pengornis drawings included, but there were also others that were even more important, things that he could not know about. Thinking about this, Guan Shanjin was even more dejected. Compounded with the guilt left fromst night, his chest felt aching and stifled.


    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi smiled and shook his head as he looked at his own wrist. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt much anymore. Thank you for applying the ointment for mest night, it¡¯s really very effective.¡±


    This fool! He¡¯s already been injured, doesn¡¯t he know how to get angry? Guan Shanjin would rather Wu Xingzi scold him. It would be better than now, where Wu Xingzi was about to forget all about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. After all, I was wrong.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was stiff. He stared at the old fellow happily finishing his tea and eating snacks, looking no different from his usual self¡­ His temper was indescribable. Not only was he angry with himself for his peculiar mood, he was also angry with Wu Xingzi for not knowing how to fight for himself. But what could he do about it? To Wu Xingzi, this matter was already over. Even if he were to be so angry that he vomited blood on the spot, the old thing would only look at him nkly, confused.


    Rubbing his chest, Guan Shanjin had no choice but to force himself to temporarily leave this matter behind. With a hard voice, he spoke. ¡°Since the things are all packed up already, let¡¯s send all the items that we haven¡¯t finished eating or using to Auntie Liu. We¡¯ll depart for Bastion City past noon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The new year goodies that Su Yang had prepared could be said to be tooplete. Even if Wu Xingzi and Guan Shanjin were to continue staying here for another ten days, there would still be enough provisions tost them the entire time. All the food and ingredients were of excellent quality. They would not be able to take them along, so it was fortunate that they could give them to Auntie Liu.


    Having made the decision, the two of them soon finished packing up.


    They took with them arge portion of the snacks that they could bring along, and the rest of them, as well as other food ingredients and daily necessities were all given to Auntie Liu.


    Knowing that they were leaving, Auntie Liu did not refuse the goods. She harped on at Wu Xingzi to take care of himself, that the people of the city were secretly calctive and scheming, and Wu Xingzi had to be more aware of it.


    ¡°We won¡¯t set out to harm others, but we also cannot let others take advantage of us, understand? People like that one from the Li family, you must be more wary of them. They bully the good and fear the evil, so, you should deal with them as and when it¡¯s needed, ok?¡±


    ¡°Xingzi understands.¡± He patted Auntie Liu¡¯s hand that was clutching his as a form of constion. The linen bandage around his wrist was revealed. Auntie Liu¡¯s eyes sharpened, and just as she was about to open her mouth, Wu Xingzi made his move first by waving his hand. ¡°Auntie, this is only a small matter, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Even if she was unhappy to do so, since Wu Xingzi had already said that, Auntie Liu could only suppress her anger. She red savagely at Guan Shanjin, and deliberately raised her voice. ¡°If someone ever does you wrong, just tell Auntie about it! Auntie has always protected you in the past, and Auntie will still be able to protect you in the future.¡±


    It was unclear if Guan Shanjin heard it. He silently remained sitting at the head of the table, with half-lowered eyes as though he was distracted.


    The anger in Auntie Liu¡¯s heart red up! She nearly did not stop herself from rolling up her sleeves to teach that fellow a lesson, but once again, she was obstructed from doing so by Wu Xingzi. Before they even had lunch, Wu Xingzi dragged Guan Shanjin away, saying their farewells.


    He did not know how long he would be staying in Bastion City this time. Before leaving the world of Qingcheng County, reluctantly, Wu Xingzi turned to look back at those familiar grounds, that bleak and deste scenery, that dry and hard earth, and those weeds that could not even grow well.


    ¡°We¡¯re going.¡± Seated on Zhu Xing, Guan Shanjin led the horse, trotting one round around Wu Xingzi. He hesitated for a moment before cing an arm around Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯lle back with you next year to make the offerings to your ancestors again, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to be back for Qingming.¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, answering matter-of-factly.


    Guan Shanjinughed lightly, scraping Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose with his finger gently. ¡°Exactly. We¡¯ll need toe back during Qingming. So, it¡¯s decided.¡±


    They would be returning together again for Qingming? Wu Xingzi¡¯s face turned grim. How was he going to exin it to his ancestors this time? This pengornis tryst was bing a full blown affair!1


    The journey back to Bastion City was a lot faster. Wu Xingzi¡¯s riding ability had improved greatly. Even though Guan Shanjin made it in the nick of time to enter each city before sunset, it took them two less days to return to Bastion City than leaving it.


    Like before, Guan Shanjin sent Wu Xingzi back to Shuanghe Yard and took his leave.


    The New Year festivities were over, and various military decrees came one after another. Man Yue was pale with exhaustion, looking just like a deted balloon. His body structure still remained round and plump, but he gave off the feeling of copsing.


    When Mint and Osmanthus saw Wu Xingzi, they were truly delighted. Surrounding him, they chattered away asking about all sorts of things, and even showed off the maturing cucumbers to him as though they were revealing treasures. Both their delicate faces were full of pride.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, look. My sister and I have given our best, and there¡¯s not a single bug on your cucumbers. When they¡¯re fully grown, they¡¯ll definitely be crisp and sweet.¡± Mint lifted up the little growing cucumber. The attached flower had yet to even wilt, and the fresh and bright blossom was very adorable.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi carefully lifted up a little cucumber as well, fondling it admiringly. It truly was warm in Bastion City. The cucumbers were growing a lot faster than he had calcted, and covered with soft, downy fur, they were really cute.


    ¡°However, there seems to be too many growing.¡± Osmanthus crouched down by the side, checking for insects. ¡°If we don¡¯t pluck some now, I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t taste as good when they¡¯re fully grown.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we harvest half of them and pickle them?¡± The suggestion came from Mint.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a bad idea, it¡¯ll work.¡± Wu Xingzi approved immediately, and started discussing with the two youngdies how they should pickle the cucumbers. Should they make them a little more sour? A little more salty? Or should they be a little more spicy?


    In the days that followed, Wu Xingzi returned to the leisurely life that he led before the New Year. The cucumbers were growing very fast, growing to the size of a palm in a couple of weeks. The pickled little cucumbers were also about ready to be eaten. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart capered about in joy, and he inexplicably thought about Guan Shanjin whom he had yet to see during this half-month.


    The two girls had actually told him many things to do with Guan Shanjin. They said that the general was recently very busy, and he even did not go over to Mr. Lu that much.


    Was he eating properly? Wu Xingzi too understood that his concern was rather pointless. Guan Shanjin was the general, and there would definitely be people around him to take good care of him. It was not his turn to worry over such small matters like his meals and sleep, as Mr. Lu would definitely think about it.


    What they made was cucumbers preserved in soy paste, with some spiciness to it. However, the two youngdies were afraid that they would be too heavy handed with the seasoning, and so left it to Wu Xingzi to do the final seasoning of the dish.


    He still remembered the promise that he had made to Guan Shanjin, telling him that he would make him cucumbers to eat! What a coincidence. Wu Xingzi hesitated, wondering if he should send some over.


    ¡°Let¡¯s send some over. I heard from the kitchen auntie that the general¡¯s appetite hasn¡¯t been very good recently.¡± Mint was able to quickly guess what Wu Xingzi was feeling conflicted over. She hastily prepared a te of pickled cucumbers with her sister, and they urged their master to go. The day they had been waiting for had finally arrived! Wu Xingzi was about to secure the general¡¯s favour! Over the New Year, they had read a few new picture books, and there was finally somewhere for them to release their zeal and zest.


    However, before they could leave Shuanghe Yard, an unexpected guest appeared ¡ª Osmanthus murmured secretly.


    The intruder was Hua Shu. Compared to thest time they saw him, there was ack of haughtiness and arrogance. His servile attitude was very friendly, and he had a small smile on his face as he greeted Wu Xingzi. ¡°Mr. Wu, it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve met. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Very well, very well. How is Master Hua?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands together. He had only met Hua Shu twice, but this exquisite looking man was indelibly carved in his memories. Previously, his attitude had been so high and mighty, and this time, Wu Xingzi felt a little overwhelmed by his warmth.


    The two girls hid behind Wu Xingzi, looking down to hide the roll of their eyes.


    This Hua Shu was such a nuisance. He clearly was only Mr. Lu¡¯s attendant, but relying on Mr. Lu¡¯s favour, he was very impolite towards the younger servants, unabashedly putting on such airs.


    ¡°Thank you Mr. Wu for asking.¡± With eyes lowered, Hua Shu was very respectful, but he still could not hide a trace of conceit in his tone. ¡°Mr. Lu would like to invite Mr. Wu to join him for lunch. Mr. Wu, please follow Hua Shu.¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Naturally, Mint could not wait for her own master to speak. She was well aware of how soft-hearted Wu Xingzi was; he would definitely not refuse, and would follow Hua Shu. Hmph! Could her master be called to heels as though he was a dog?


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Hua Shu nced at the little girl blocking Wu Xingzi, a sneer hanging off his lips. ¡°Where did this servante from, why is she so rude? Who was the one who taught you your manners?¡±


    ¡°My mother did.¡± Mint was a local from Bastion City, and her female rtives were able to support an entire family n by themselves. She could not be bothered at all with Hua Shu¡¯s peculiarities. ¡°May I know who was the one who taught Master Hua his manners then? Are you inviting someone to lunch, or are you calling out for your dog?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Hua Shu frowned, feeling a burn on his cheeks.


    ¡°What about me? Your Mr. Lu wants to invite Mr. Wu for a meal, and Mr. Wu has to go? Was this how Mr. Lu taught you to invite people?¡± Mint stuck an arm on her hip, pursing her lips. ¡°Mr. Wu is not free, he¡¯s going to see the general.¡±


    ¡°The general?¡± Hua Shu¡¯s face paled, but he soon recovered, and his brows knitted slightly. ¡°The general has been busy with the military recently. Did he really say that he was going to see Mr. Wu?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was about to respond, but Osmanthus stepped out, smoothly taking over the conversation.


    ¡°Does this have anything to do with Master Hua? At the end of the day, the general still has no intentions of seeing Master Hua.¡± Osmanthus had a sort of childlike naivety that her sistercked, but she did not want to seem less sharp-tongued than her sister.


    Every word stabbed right into his heart. Hua Shu¡¯splexion turned uglier, and even his lips were pale.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the general does not want to see Hua Shu, but¡­¡± Hua Shu strove to smile at the two girls. ¡°The general has left early in the morning, and he has yet to return. Who are you nning to see?¡±


    ¡°He left?¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, feeling rather regrettable as he looked towards the earthen jar of pickled cucumbers.


    Seeing how they failed to scare Hua Shu, Mint and Osmanthus both pursed their lips. After exchanging a nce, Mint still remained calm. ¡°Even if the general is not seeing Mr. Wu right not, Mr. Lu definitely did not ask you to call a dog over! Shuanghe Yard has no dogs, you can leave now.¡±


    ¡°This youngdy has a very sharp tongue,¡± Hua Shu sneered.


    ¡°How could it be sharper than Master Hua¡¯s? It doesn¡¯t even know how to invite a person over, has it been whetted by a stone?¡± Mint waved her hand, smiling innocently. ¡°Master Hua, please return. Shuangye Yard is too small, so we won¡¯t invite you for tea.¡±


    ¡°Is this the intentions of Mr. Wu?¡± Hua Shu nced over at Wu Xingzi who was blocked by the two girls.


    ¡°No, no.¡± Wu Xingzi waved, tugging at the two girls. ¡°Since Mr. Lu has invited me, I won¡¯t stand on courtesies.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu!¡± Mint shouted unhappily.


    ¡°Hey, we still have to eat.¡± Faced with Hua Shu¡¯s haughty tone, Wu Xingzi waspletely not bothered by it. He had been an adviser for half his life, what sort of person had he never met? Some people would only feel secure if they treated others like this, and so he just let it be.


    ¡°Then, may Mr. Wu please follow Hua Shu.¡± Hua Shu lowered his eyes, hiding a sh of disdain. In his eyes, Wu Xingzi¡¯s submission represented his lowliness, a failure that was carved right into his bones and flowing in his blood. How could the general like someone like this?


    ¡°Many thanks to Master Hua for guiding the way.¡± Wu Xingzi patted the two girls in constion, and hurried after Hua Shu.

 Chapter 41 - Will o’ Wisp Lu’s Tricks Are Rather Stale

    Chapter 41 ¡ª Will o¡¯ Wisp Lu¡¯s Tricks Are Rather Stale


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The ce where Mr. Lu was staying at was named Wangshu Residence. Its location was tranquil, with a forest of plum trees as its backdrop. The buildings were constructed rather tastefully, and were made from green bamboo. There was a remarkable feeling of serenity amongst the bustle.


    The plum trees were right in the midst of flowering, and brilliant red bloomed everywhere. It was as though even the breeze blowing by was stained with rich colours. The view was extremely elegant, yet still very vivid, and Wu Xingzi was entranced.


    This ce was fairly simr to Mr. Lu. He recalled that slim figure dressed in white, beautiful and fair skinned as well as schrly and refined. He was like a clear spring, a ray of moonlight, glimmering in one¡¯s eyes and darting into their heart,pletely unforgettable.


    Seeing that he was Guan Shanjin¡¯s teacher, Mr. Lu was definitely not young anymore. Still, he looked very youthful, just like a young man of twenty.


    Hua Shu registered that Wu Xingzi had stopped and was staring into the forest. He could not disguise the annoyance in his eyes, and so he bowed his head a little as he urged, ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Wu. Mr. Lu¡¯s mealtime cannot be dyed, so please follow me closely.¡±


    ¡°Ah, oh, sorry, sorry.¡± Wu Xingzi jerked back into his senses. He reddened, hurriedly cupping his hands in apology and followed behind Hua Shu properly as they walked into the bamboo house on the left.


    ¡°Mr. Lu, Mr. Wu is here.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± In the bamboo house, there was a dainty round table. On it, there were a few dishes, and two sets of bowls and chopsticks were set across each other. The decor was simple and in, yet was heavilyden with subtle elegance. The window, covered with a bamboo screen, was half-open, and outside was the plum tree forest, the light wind filling the entire ce with the scent of plum blossoms.


    Mr. Lu was reclining on the daybed under the window on the right. Between his almost translucent fingers was a half-read book. After hearing their footsteps, he lifted his lids slightly and looked over. Wu Xingzi quickly cupped his hands together.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Wu. How have you been?¡± Mr. Lu put the book down, standing up rather ungainly to wee him. His leg looked as though it had recovered greatly, but he still needed to keep it rested.


    ¡°Many thanks, I¡¯m very well. How is Mr. Lu¡¯s injury?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no longer a need for Mr. Wu to be concerned. My leg is fine now, the only thing being that I¡¯m still rather clumsy with it, so please don¡¯t mind me.¡± Hua Shu helped Mr. Lu to take a seat by the round table, then retreated a few steps and stood servilely in a corner of the house.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, quick, please take a seat. I apologise for having only vegetarian dishes, as I¡¯ve been a vegetarian for many years. Please forgive my impoliteness.¡± Only after Mr. Lu¡¯s words did Wu Xingzi now take a seat, and he swiftly nced at the dishes on the table.


    It was true that the dishes were all vegetarian, and not a trace of meat could be seen. However, the colours of the dishesplemented each other very well. The serving tes were simple, all dainty and green, the colour deepening towards the center. They looked just like lotus leaves, tender and delicate.


    The rice bowl was also the colour of jade, and so the light brown colour of the bamboo chopsticks became even more conspicuous.


    Wu Xingzi was momentarily feeling rather lost. First, the portions of these dishes were all fairly small. Even if he ate them all, he probably still would not feel full. At most, they could only be considered an appetiser. Next, the cement of the bowl and chopsticks were like a piece of art. They gave off a feeling that they should not be touched, and Wu Xingzi was unable to bring himself to move them. Unconsciously, he wrung his sleeves non-stop.


    ¡°Are these not to Mr. Wu¡¯s liking?¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s brows knitted, looking very self-reproachful. ¡°Seems like I have been impolite. Mr. Wu is here all the way from Qingcheng County as a guest, I should have prepared a more sumptuous meal.¡±


    ¡°No no no, you¡¯re too courteous, too courteous. I¡¯m only an unrefined man, and I¡¯m afraid of offending Mr. Lu, that¡¯s why¡­¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose, looking at Mr. Lu before lowering his head. He really wanted to eat, but seeing how Mr. Lu had no intentions of picking his chopsticks up, he could not disy his greediness. Also, that pair of chopsticks looked very slippery and difficult to manoeuvre.


    ¡°It¡¯s me who has been thoughtless and ended up slighting Mr. Wu.¡± Mr. Lu wrinkled his forehead as he sighed lightly, and summoned Hua Shu. ¡°Please ask the kitchen to prepare a bowl of steamed egg for Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Hua Shu red at Wu Xingzi resentfully, only to discover that Wu Xingzi was currently drooling at the sweet and sour cabbage. With how greedy he appeared, it was highly likely that he did not notice what they were saying. Hua Shu gnashed his teeth. ¡°Mr. Lu, you¡¯ve remained a vegetarian for the General for a dozen years, why¡­1¡±


    ¡°Hush, just go.¡± Mr. Lu cast a sidelong nce at Hua Shu, a faint smile curling around his lips, and there seemed to be a mockery in his eyes. Hua Shu quickly bowed his head to hide his own expression, and hurriedly retreated.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s attention was finally pulled away from that fragrant sweet and sour cabbage that whetted his appetite, only to see Hua Shu leaving rather hastily. He looked at Mr. Lu in confusion, blushing slightly as he secretly reminded himself not to reveal his timidness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve embarrassed myself in front of Mr. Wu. Hua Shu, this child, is not wicked, he¡¯s only overly protective of me.¡± Mr. Lu sighed lightly. Seeing how Wu Xingzi was nodding along very perfunctorily, he could not help but feel angry. Hua Shu¡¯s words had not been within his expectations, but they could not be considered to be very surprising. However, they clearly had not been heard by a certain someone who was supposed to hear them, and it was apletely lost battle.


    ¡°I understand. The two girls at my ce are the same as well, and they¡¯re extremely adorable.¡± Wu Xingzi thought about Mint and Osmanthus. They were clearly two young girls who could be his daughters, yet they were protecting him as though he was their calf, and warmth suffused his heart.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Mr. Luughed shallowly. ¡°It¡¯ll be a pity if the food turns cold. Mr. Wu, have some first. Hua Shu wille backter with the steamed egg to add on to the dishes.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for all this trouble, you¡¯re too polite.¡± Wu Xingzi waved his hands. He was already hungry, and to continue declining would make him seem too small-minded. Although he was a little hesitant, he still picked up his bowl and started eating.


    The few dishes were all delicious and disyed the excellent skills of the kitchen in the general¡¯s estate. Wu Xingzi was eating with great relish, but worrying about how Mr. Lu barely picked up his chopsticks, he had no choice but to put down his own pair after finishing a bowl of rice and sip at his tea to curb his hunger.


    At this time, Hua Shu returned with the steamed egg. The fragrance of egg and chicken broth filled the air. Wu Xingzi had clearly eaten a bowl of rice and half the dishes already, yet his stomach still gurgled, growling out without any care for the situation.


    His face turned red like a tomato. Bowing his head, he apologised as he rubbed his stomach firmly.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, don¡¯t stand on courtesy. This steamed egg has been prepared for you, please eat it while it¡¯s still hot.¡± Mr. Lu invited him to continue, but his face was a little pale, and his head angled slightly as though he was avoiding something. Hua Shu quickly handed over a handkerchief. Frowning, he held back his words as he red at Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Lu, if you¡¯re not feeling well, then I won¡¯t bother you anymore¡­¡± Wu Xingzi really could not understand what was going on. Could it be that Mr. Lu hated eggs?


    ¡°Mr. Lu has not touched a single bit of meat over the past several years. The smell of this steamed egg is so strong, of course he¡¯ll feel diforted! Mr. Wu, just sit there and eat your food, why do you insist on making it difficult for Mr. Lu?¡± Hua Shu seemed to have been pushed to the edge, as heined rudely.


    He clearly did not remember that it was not Wu Xingzi who had requested for the steamed egg, as well as that it was Mr. Lu who had insisted on having this meal.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Uh¡­ I¡¯ve been improper! Oh no, I¡¯m really sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Distressed, Wu Xingzi apologised as he quickly pulled the steamed egg towards himself. Scooping arge spoonful, he wanted to shove it into his mouth. The steamed egg was still steaming hot, and by doing so, he would definitely end up scalding his throat badly.


    Seeing this, Mr. Lu took a breath and quickly reached out to stop him. In the confusion, the steamed egg somehow ended up spilling.


    By chance, it spilt onto Mr. Lu¡¯s wless hand. He cried out softly, his face paling. A red mark was left on his hand, and then it blistered. The bowl containing the steamed egg rolled to the edge of the table. Still steaming, it fell and shattered on the ground.


    The house was momentarily silent. Feeling at a loss, Wu Xingzi looked at Mr. Lu who was enduring the pain. It was Hua Shu who first gasped in rm, then red at Wu Xingzi hatefully. He hurriedly carried over a basin of cold water for Mr. Lu to submerge his blistered hand within, before calling out loudly for the other servants.


    Naturally, Hua Shu was not the only one taking care of Mr. Lu in his residence. With a few shouts, two serving boys appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Quickly invite the physician over! Mr. Lu has scalded his hand!¡± Hua Shumanded in a rage. The two serving boys seemed to be scared by this situation as well, and they flew off to do as told.


    The physician came very quickly. Before Wu Xingzi could even understand what was going on, he was pushed away by the two serving boys, and could only watch from afar as the physician applied ointment for the ashen-faced Mr. Lu. After he quietly gave Hua Shu some instructions, Hua Shu red at Wu Xingzi indignantly, looking as though he wanted to lunge at him and bite him. Still confused, Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulders came to his ears fearfully.


    ¡°The general is here!¡± Someone shouted suddenly. The scene turned chaotic, and the only people standing firmly were probably the two serving boys holding onto Wu Xingzi.


    In no time, Guan Shanjin strode over. Behind him were Hei¡¯er and Man Yue.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Upon stepping in, Guan Shanjin immediately saw Wu Xingzi trapped in the hold of the two tall and sturdy serving boys. His already dark face turned even colder.


    ¡°General, Mr. Lu¡­¡± Seeing that something was not quite right, Hua Shu hurriedly spoke up, only to be stopped with a raised hand from Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Go take a look.¡± He turned to instruct Man Yue, while he himself walked over to Wu Xingzi and pulled him into his arms. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ I came¡­ for a meal¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach grumbled again. Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curved up, as though he was about to burst outughing. It was only because he did not want to embarrass Wu Xingzi too much, and that was why he suppressed hisughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not full yet?¡± Guan Shanjin rubbed his stomach affectionately, and felt very dissatisfied by the emptiness within. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten?¡±


    ¡°I had a bowl of rice.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face burned, feeling so embarrassed that he dearly wished that he could bury himself somewhere.


    This was too embarrassing! Why was his stomach so useless in front of everyone? And Guan Shanjin even heard him!


    ¡°Only a bowl?¡± Guan Shanjin again rubbed his stomach, his browsing together tightly as he looked up and nced at Man Yue.


    Man Yue was standing next to Mr. Lu and asking the physician about the situation. On the other side, Hua Shu¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment and anger. Guan Shanjin did not pay attention to him at all, but Wu Xingzi was unable to ignore it, and he tugged at Guan Shanjin¡¯s sleeve lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going over to take a look at Mr. Lu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a physician.¡± Guan Shanjin eyed him amusedly. However, with the feelings that he had cultivated over the years, he was still rather worried about Mr. Lu¡¯s injuries. ¡°If you¡¯re very hungry, just go back first to eat. There should be some food in the kitchen left, I¡¯ll get Hei¡¯er to get them for you.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was a little tempted. After that bowl of rice and vegetables, his appetite hadpletely awakened, and he was fiercely hungry. Still, he had some responsibility for the injury on Mr. Lu¡¯s hand, and to just depart like this was very unreasonable of him.


    ¡°General! You, you have to stand up for Mr. Lu!¡± Looking at the two people huddling together intimately, Hua Shu finally could not help but open his mouth.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow. He had been too busy ever since he returned, and did not yet have the time to deal with Hua Shu¡¯s attitude around the estate. Since someone wanted to throw himself at the front of the spear, Guan Shanjin was more than happy to follow along. ¡°Teacher, are you alright?¡±


    Just now, Man Yue had silently mouthed at him, telling him that Mr. Lu had a blister from scalding his hand. Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached a little, but he did not feel the usual desire to want to wrap Mr. Lu up and take good care of him. He was now more worried about Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach. This old fellow needed to eat a lot, and could never endure his hunger. It was already long past mealtime, what would happen if he got sick from hunger?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s only a blister.¡± Mr. Lu replied gently. After a pause, he continued, his voice carrying traces of worry as he reminded Guan Shanjin. ¡°It¡¯s actually Mr. Wu who has been rmed. It¡¯s me who has been an inconsiderate host.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lu! Isn¡¯t this injury all because of Mr. Wu? You¡¯re still speaking on his behalf?¡± Hua Shu was unhappy. Without waiting for Mr. Lu, he bowed towards Guan Shanjin. ¡°General, you¡¯re more aware than anyone about Mr. Lu¡¯s character. Today, Mr. Lu invited Mr. Wu for a meal, and naturally was very meticulous and attentive to every aspect of it. Mr. Lu has remained a vegetarian to seek blessings for you for so many years, and you know how he has never touched meat, yet he still specially arranged for the kitchen to prepare steamed egg to add an additional dish for Mr. Wu. However, Mr Wu¡­¡±


    ¡°Steamed egg?¡± Guan Shanjin frowned. He knew that Mr. Lu could not touch a single bit of meat, as well as animal byproducts. Even things like garlic and onion could never appear on his table. ¡°Teacher, you¡¯ve been very thoughtful. So, where is the steamed egg now?¡±


    It would be perfect to pad Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach with.


    Guan Shanjin did not realise how extremely biased he was now. With Wu Xingzi in his arms, he took a few steps forward, and his alluring eyes nced at the table. However, he only saw a few dishes of vegetables, including a te of sweet and sour cabbage. This dish would normally not appear on Mr. Lu¡¯s table. After all, it was full of scallion, ginger and garlic, and it seemed like Mr. Lu truly put in great consideration for his guest.


    Since Mr. Lu could not eat this dish, Guan Shanjin pushed Wu Xingzi to take a seat. Scooping a bowl of rice for him, he poured the entire te of cabbage into the bowl. The covered rice grains were now golden yellow, and the tart aroma wafting off it was extremely tempting.


    ¡°Go ahead and eat first, don¡¯t starve yourself.¡± As long as Guan Shanjin was around, he would never let the old fellow go hungry.


    Since Guan Shanjin had already said it, Wu Xingzi no longer stood on courtesy but picked up the bowl and started eating.


    A peculiar atmosphere permeated the house, and even Man Yue could not help but stare straight at Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi, unable to look away. Ah, how clingy they were! He wanted to retch.


    ¡°General, Mr. Lu is still injured. You¡­¡± Hua Shu looked very wronged, and tried to gain Guan Shanjin¡¯s attention.


    ¡°How was Mr. Lu injured?¡± Since he insisted on him handling this matter, Guan Shanjin hoped that they would be able to take whatever he dealt.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a small injury.¡± Mr. Lu stopped Hua Shu from speaking, and smiled faintly at Guan Shanjin. ¡°Has Haiwang eaten yet? You¡¯ve been too busy these days, and even have to split your attention to help me arrange for the matters of my marriage. I¡¯m really sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t say things like this. These are all the things that I should do as your student.¡± He looked at Mr. Lu¡¯s serene and elegant face, and his heart was still moved. It was just that the feeling was not as strong as before. This person who was once as tranquil and luminous as the moonlight, now seemed to have faded.


    Mr. Lu sighed, reaching out as though he wanted to touch Guan Shanjin, only to pull his hand back and pressing it against his chest. ¡°I know that Mr. Wu is your beloved, and you must treat him well. In the future, I will still remain a vegetarian and pray for you, so don¡¯t force Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°Force?¡± This word, no matter how he heard it, sounded very ufortable. Guan Shanjin was willing to y the fool for Mr. Lu, but it did not mean that he truly was a fool. No matter how unwilling he was, he could still perceive the vague malice in that word.


    Mr. Lu turned his head away, refusing to answer. His sad countenance made one unable to help themselves but feel for him, and in the end, Guan Shanjin still softened.


    At the end of the day, he did not want to think negatively about Mr. Lu.


    ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t think too much about it. After your marriage, you¡¯ll still be my teacher, and I know that you¡¯re always worried about me.¡± Guan Shanjin lifted up Mr. Lu¡¯s hand lightly. Mr. Lu struggled a little, but did not manage to break free. Guan Shanjin secretly used a bit of force to hold on tight, examining the injury that had been treated.


    The physician had made a timely appearance. Other than the redness of the skin, the injury was not very serious. After expelling the fluid from within the blister, and applying the ointment and taking care of it, it would probably fully recover in a few days.


    ¡°Teacher, you should have someone cleverer to attend to you, so as to prevent people from creating trouble for you once you¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Mr. Lu once again tried pulling his hand away. This time, Guan Shanjin let him go. His eyes curved, as though he was smiling, but the emotion never reached his eyes. Mr. Lu had never seen such a cold look before. Guan Shanjin had always been gentle and considerate in front of him, afraid that he would identally rm him.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er, drag Hua Shu out.¡± Thismand was neither cold nor angry, but instead was as gentle as the wind in March. However, it sent chills down people¡¯s spines.


    ¡°Haiwang, you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m doing all of this for you.¡± Guan Shanjin gently tucked Mr. Lu¡¯s hair behind his ear.


    On the other side, Hua Shu¡¯s face had turned white with fear. He knelt heavily onto the ground, crying, ¡°General, please judge judiciously!¡±


    Guan Shanjin ignored him, gesturing at Hei¡¯er. Hei¡¯er then blocked Hua Shu¡¯s mouth, dragging him away as though he was carrying a chicken, and no one knew where he would end up.


    Wu Xingzi watched the drama in front of him. Holding onto his empty bowl, he waspletely lost. Things had changed too fast, even faster than that bowl of steamed egg which he still did not know how it spilt. There was something wrong with this Guan Shanjin!


    ¡°You¡­¡± Wu Xingzi opened his mouth, but realised that he could not say a word.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± This Guan Shanjin was too simr to the version he had seen during their first meeting. Arrogant and indifferent, he carried with him a bloodiness that could not be disguised. He was like a wild beast who would bite, and Wu Xingzi had almost forgotten that there was this side of Guan Shanjin.


    Swallowing, Wu Xingzi put his empty bowl down. Stiffly, he sat up on his seat, and timidly asked after a pause, ¡°D-do you eat pickled cucumbers? They¡¯re very delicious.¡±

 Chapter 42 - An Interlude; Pickled Cucumbers Are Really Yummy

    Chapter 42 ¡ª An Interlude; Pickled Cucumbers Are Really Yummy


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Guan Shanjin too did not understand how he ended up following Wu Xingzi back to Shuanghe Yard to eat pickled cucumbers.


    The little cucumbers, which had yet to fully mature, were a little hard. After being pickled, their crunchiness was still preserved. Chomping on them would whet one¡¯s appetite. Even without other side dishes, they could still finish two big bowls of rice.


    The two young serving girls tidied up the table, serving desserts and tea before vanishingpletely. How intelligent.


    The winter¡¯s evening wind was no longer that cold, and even carried with it a bit of spring¡¯s vigour. Guan Shanjin thought over it for a moment, then decided to just pull Wu Xingzi along. They sat by the rack of cucumbers on stools, drinking tea.


    Only when they were about to finish their tea did Guan Shanjin finally ask. ¡°What happened between Mr. Lu and you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. Swallowing the pine nut candy and drinking a mouthful of tea to moisten his throat, he then replied guiltily. ¡°I wanted to quickly finish the steamed egg so as to prevent him from feeling unwell. Mr. Lu only wanted to stop me because he was afraid that I would scald myself in my rush¡­ I didn¡¯t think that I would end up causing him to be scalded instead.¡±


    ¡°It was him who got the cook to prepare the steamed egg for you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Aye, Mr. Lu is so very nice, yet I caused him to be hurt instead.¡±


    That pair of hands was so good looking. For them to suffer an injury for nothing, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ached.


    ¡°Mn¡­ Teacher has always been very considerate and meticulous.¡± Guan Shanjin turned his head to look at Wu Xingzi, letting out a suddenugh. ¡°He¡¯s unlike you. You don¡¯t even care about me at all. Your case of pengornis drawings is so much more precious than me. If I were to lose an arm or a leg, I¡¯m afraid that it still wouldn¡¯t be able topare to you losing a corner of your darlings.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t speak nonsense.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s brows knitted, and he answered seriously. ¡°After all, as a living person, blood runs through your veins. If you were to lose an arm or a leg, my heart would hurt even more. Don¡¯t say such random things. If you repeat them often enough, they will be true.¡±


    This cautious and worried look of Wu Xingzi warmed Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart thoroughly. He could not help but wrap Wu Xingzi with his arms, nuzzling him. They cuddled together like this, and Guan Shanjin tenderly asked what other dishes could be made with the cucumbers in a low voice. Wu Xingzi naturally was very familiar with various methods, and recited them one by one. His gentle voice was even more enchanting than the delicacies he described.


    Guan Shanjin carefully listened to each and every recipe with his eyes shut. Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice was neither high nor low pitched, neither agitated nor irritated. He asionally drawled his words together, with a very strong southern ent. In his native dialect, he sounded like he was singing, the words sticking together like malt candy.


    It was said that the words of the Wu people were graceful and light1. Wu Xingzi¡¯s tone was even more gentle and warm, as though he would never re up in anger.


    Guan Shanjin liked this ent.


    This sort of ent, when speaking Mandarin, would often meld together some of the heavier stressed alver,ryngeal or pharyngeal consonants, sounding rather honeyed and sweet. For Guan Shanjin, a Northerner, it sounded a little effeminate on a man, with the way the words joined together, soundingzy and indolent.


    However, after hearing it for some time, he too got used to it. He especially liked listening to Wu Xingzi chatter away. He would always talk about irrelevant trivial matters, and they were clearly very small issues, yet Wu Xingzi could end upughing while talking about them. Smiling with a pair of squinting narrow eyes, he was like sunlight dissolving in water. Its edges had been ground away, only leaving its warmth behind.


    In these past couple of weeks, he had truly missed Wu Xingzi.


    If not for having been swamped with work, he wanted to see this old fellow every day. He wanted to listen to his chatter, watch him eat everything he made with gusto, and cuddle him as hey timidly and softly in his embrace.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡± Guan Shanjin called out to him. When this name rolled past his tongue, it explicably gave off a taste of sweetness, and Guan Shanjin licked his lips unconsciously.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Wu Xingzi pillowed his head upon Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder. His stomach was well satisfied, and the winter sun was warm. Along with Guan Shanjin, this extremely nice smelling darling, embracing him, Wu Xingzi was about to nod off.


    ¡°The injury I left on you previously, has it recoveredpletely?¡± The moment he finished asking, the person leaningzily on him tensed up slightly. Guan Shanjin patted Wu Xingzi lightly, speaking hesitantly, ¡°It was my fault then, and throughout these days, I keep thinking about that night. Wu Xingzi, do you think that I hurt you because of Mr. Lu?¡±


    Upon returning to Bastion City, Guan Shanjin had straight away sought Man Yue.


    He was unable to fathom his own mind. He had always kept Mr. Lu in his heart, treasuring him. Ever since their first meeting, he had always liked him already. Guan Shanjin was quite aware that he himself was nothing good. Only when he was next to Mr. Lu, was he then able to wish that he would appear as a good man, that he could be gentle and considerate, kind and restrained. That position in his heart was an extremely special one, a ce where no one else was able to enter.


    Somehow, Wu Xingzi had inexplicably found apletely unexpected space in his heart. It was too peculiar, and it happened entirely out of his control, which made him panic for the first time ever.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± This was the answer that Man Yue gave him before sighing. ¡°Haiwang-gege, even you yourself are unable to discern your own mind, so, who else would be able to do so?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t addressed me like this in a very long time already.¡± Guan Shanjinughed, cocking a brow as he pinched Man Yue¡¯s full and fleshy chin.


    ¡°I get upset whenever I hear it myself.¡± Man Yue jerked. ¡°However, Great General, you should go look for Adviser Wu to have a chat. Since you¡¯re unable to not worry about him, there would be many troublesing upter.¡±


    What Man Yue said was the truth. The person they were going to deal with next was rather troublesome. Guan Shanjin would need to make a decision before cing Wu Xingzi in any sort of position.


    Who would have thought that the ce they would finally meet would be in Mr. Lu¡¯s abode. Such an issue that was neither big nor small, had instead shaken his feelings for Mr. Lu.


    ¡°Hurting me because of Mr. Lu?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. He lowered his head, with no responseing from him.


    Guan Shanjin too was in no hurry. There were things that he wanted to say, so he would take this opportunity to do so!


    ¡°The first time I met Mr. Lu, I was only ten years old.¡± Guan Shanjin picked up Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, caressing it. The old fellow¡¯s hand was smaller than the average man¡¯s. Other than having some calluses, it was shapely and smooth, entirely the hand of a schr.


    ¡°You were ten years old? He was your childhood teacher?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s palm itched from the strokes. Unconsciously, he tightened his fingers, capturing Guan Shanjin¡¯s long, slender fingers within his hand.


    ¡°No, he can¡¯t be considered that. Before he came, I had already gone through a few teachers. I was born clever, and was exceedingly precocious. The previous teachers either left because they were angered by me, or they left on their own ord, and none of them stayed for long.¡± Guan Shanjinughed lightly. ¡°At that time, Mr. Lu himself was also only seventeen, and had just achieved a Juren2 rank in the imperial examination. He is from the same province as my maternal grandfather. Amongst the neighbours, he had some literary fame, and he was also known for his broad-mindedness. Hence, he was rmended to my mother, and then he became my teacher.¡±


    Guan Shanjin exhaled. Wu Xingzi secretly raised his head to observe him. That extremely outstanding and beautiful face was looking into the distance, and upon it was a longing that Wu Xingzi did not understand.


    ¡°The first time I saw Mr. Lu, he was dressed in a white robe. He always liked dressing in white, saying that it was a reminder that he should be self-respecting, that he should avoid making mistakes. When a drop of ink falls on a piece of white paper, would you look at the white paper or the ink?¡± Guan Shanjin suddenly bent his neck to nce at Wu Xingzi. Their eyes met, and Wu Xingzi hunched into his shoulders, feeling a sort of embarrassment about being caught doing something.


    Guan Shanjinughed lowly. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ll look at is probably the ink stain on the white paper.¡± It would be so conspicuous. Even if he wanted to avert his eyes from it, it would be difficult!


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Teacher said that too. So he dressed in white, to always remind himself that he should keep himself clean. Teacher said that this was also a way of taking precautions at all times, as by being prepared, misfortune could be prevented.¡± Guan Shanjin againughed quietly, shaking his head. ¡°Every step of Mr. Lu has always been nned meticulously, each step taken cautiously, and he has always been unwilling to take any premature risks.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Seeking peace and not fortune, it¡¯s good to just live a down-to-earth life.¡± Wu Xingzi believed in this deeply. His days had also been spent tranquilly like this, and he could not help but empathise a little. ¡°Mr. Lu is truly a good teacher, it¡¯s no wonder that you¡¯ll like him.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be bothered at all that I like him?¡± Guan Shanjin could not help but feel sullen. This person was in his arms right now, how could he still remain so broad-minded? He should at least feel jealous over his pengornis! Guan Shanjin snorted sourly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever thought of it before? If my pengornis no longer chases after you, but turns towards Mr. Lu instead, wouldn¡¯t you be upset?¡±


    ¡°But your pengornis isn¡¯t chasing after me either?!¡± The hand around his waist tightened and held him down, and something hard and bulging ground between his buttocks, scaring Wu Xingzi into crying out in rm. ¡°Y-y-you¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t it currently chasing after you?¡± Guan Shanjin grinned wickedly at him, his eyes dancing, looking extremely delighted.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks reddened. He shifted his buttocks, wanting to run, but he was embraced even more tightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move around randomly, if not, my pengornis might fly into a certain little hole.¡±


    What was Guan Shanjin saying?! Wu Xingzi stared at him, stupefied. He was clearly so good looking, so how could something so obscenee out from his mouth?


    Having lived a long time with the troops, Guan Shanjin naturally too had certain habits of riffraff soldiers. It was just that his appearance was too deceiving. He usually never cared about any outsiders, and could not even be bothered to speak more than what was required to them. He looked aloof and noble, like a harsh, bone-chilling wind. When even more obscene words were to pass his lips, they would be enigmatic, extremely profound, or even sound very amorous.


    Thest part was directed to his lovers. After thinking carefully about it, Wu Xingzi had heard many such obscene words from him, and each was even more shameless than the previous one. How did he only realise it now?


    His behaviour lit the mes within Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin could not resist leaning over and capturing those two plump, pouty lips. The tip of his tongue dove straight in, sweeping past Wu Xingzi¡¯s sensitive gums, licking across every delicate part within, then twirled around that soft little tongue, suckling and nibbling away.


    This kiss left Wu Xingzi breathless and giddy. His slightly trembling body fell limp, allowing Guan Shanjin to have his way with him.


    If not for remembering that there were still things he had to deal with, Guan Shanjin wanted to just settle his desires right on the spot. Having not touched Wu Xingzi for half a month, this kiss ignited his hunger. His cock was so hard it hurt, and stered right against those round and fleshy cheeks, he ground away.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± His lips were finally released. Wu Xingzi panted as he tried to protect his trousers, but his limbs were now weak, and his body still shuddering continuously. Wafting around him was the scent of Guan Shanjin, that mix of white sandalwood and orange blossom, as well as a little tang of iron. Wu Xingzi had almost forgotten that Guan Shanjin was someone who carried the scent of blood on him. Having been immersed in the battlefield for so long, this scent had long been engraved in his bones.


    Previously, it may be because their days in Qingcheng County were toofortable, and the smell of blood had faded quite a bit. Now, having returned to Bastion City, returning to his life as the Great Southern Garrison General, he again gave off that sharp, bloody scent, like a huge leopard licking off the blood on its paws. Seeminglyzy and indolent, but in actual fact, that pair of eyes was always alert, and at any moment, it could leap towards its prey.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s trousers were easily removed by Guan Shanjin. Left with the cover of his outer robe, only a pair of fair legs was revealed. Guan Shanjin undid his own trousers as well, and his dripping huge cock pped against Wu Xingzi¡¯s plump and smooth buttocks, causing the old thing to cry out in shock.


    Nibbling on Wu Xingzi¡¯s sensitive earlobe, Guan Shanjin murmured melodiously, ¡°Be good, I¡¯ll remain outside, I won¡¯t go in.¡±

 Chapter 43 - How Can A Pengornis Compare to Me? (NSFW)

    Chapter 43 ¡ª How Can A Pengornis Compare to Me? (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wu Xingzi was rather thin, but still, the parts of him that should be fleshy still had some heft to it. Caressing his fair and slender legs, they felt smooth and sleek. This was especially so for his thighs, as they were soft to touch while kneading them.


    His perky and plump buttocks were even more outrageous. After going through the epic love making awhile ago, they seemed to have grown bigger from all the squeezing and kneading. Guan Shanjin¡¯s giant pengornis was trapped between those buttocks, bing harder each time he thrust, and the more he thrust, the more slippery the valley became. He tightened his embrace, his actions gradually turning rougher.


    The egg-sized head of the cock was already dripping wet, smearing across those fair and smooth buttocks. asionally, it would press against a certain little dark hole, the pressure causing Wu Xingzi to pant excessively. He shifted his hips uncontrobly, and no one knew if he was trying to hide from the pengornis, or was weing it.


    ¡°Stop moving around¡­¡± After a few times of brushing past the hidden entrance but not entering, Guan Shanjin¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat from enduring his desires. The pulsing on his temples could be seen clearly, and the veins were about to turn visible.


    However, not only was this old fellow panting heavily, he was even moaning and mewling away. Each cry lingered, each drawl spilling slowly from his lips. His narrow waist twisted and writhed, and he could not look any lewder.


    Unable to stop himself, Guan Shanjin gave those drenched buttocks two good smacks. Already pink from friction, two clear handprints soon appeared on those cheeks, looking extraordinarily obscene.


    Guan Shanjin was at the end of his tether, as he could barely resist spreading those cheeks apart and thrusting his cock right into this old fellow¡¯s hole. The fluids staining his cock did note entirely from him. In fact, the source of arge amount was from the old fellow¡¯s slutty little hole, dripping and soaking Guan Shanjin¡¯s trousers.


    ¡°Come on¡­ rub harder¡­¡± Despite his usual shy temperament, Wu Xingzi was always very liberal in bed. He was starting to sound tearful, whining as he urged Guan Shanjin on. This sort of barely perceptible grinding heated his body, warming it up. Wu Xingzi felt an indescribable emptiness within him, and this made him very impatient.


    He tried to grind himself against that thick, burning hot cock, but his waist was gripped so tightly that he could not move. The man below him took his own sweet time, thrusting unhurriedly against his thighs and buttocks. There were a few times Guan Shanjin skidded past Wu Xingzi¡¯s sensitive perineum, making his desires me up further, his body falling limp to the sensation, and Wu Xingzi was unable to think properly anymore.


    ¡°My lewd darling¡­¡± Guan Shanjin suckled Wu Xingzi¡¯s earlobe, again giving a good smack on his buttocks, causing his pale flesh to ripple upon the impact. ¡°mp your thighs together and let me rub it out.¡±


    Having stated that he would not enter, the Great General Guan really did not push himself inside. His lust burned within him, his cock was so hard that it hurt, and he desperately wanted to hold the man down and fuck him hard.


    However, he had official duties to attend to, and he truly was not able to slowly take his time to y with this lewd quail. As such, he could only choose the next best thing, which was to use Wu Xingzi¡¯s thighs to resolve his zing desire.


    Wu Xingzi was verypliant, mping his thighs obediently. The tender skin on his inner thighs was extremely sensitive, and his thighs shuddered slightly, feeling as though he was about to be burnt by that scalding huge pengornis.


    The size of Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis was startling. Even the portion that could be seen poking out from between Wu Xingzi¡¯s thigh seemed as though it was nearly the same size as Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock. The heated flesh, stered right next to the pink, half-hard cock, jabbed away, causing Wu Xingzi to lose his bnce. Swaying with the thrusts, Wu Xingzi whimpered. With tearful eyes, he looked at his little thing turning red from the friction, jolting about as precum drooled from its tip.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Gentler¡­ be gentler¡­¡± In no time at all, Wu Xingzi pleaded, unable to bear the sensation. His inner thighs burned with pain, while his little cock tingled with pleasure. Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, Guan Shanjin held him firmly on top of him. Every bristly strand of hair rasped against Wu Xingzi¡¯s sensitive perineum, and this pleasure did not lose to the feeling of his hole getting fucked.


    ¡°Hmm? Who was the one who wanted me to move?¡± Guan Shanjin was in ecstasy, being between Wu Xingzi¡¯s slippery smooth thighs. Although it was not as pleasurable as fucking right into him, there was still a sort of delight in this action.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s gentle and sentimental tone swept past Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear along with his warm breath. Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulders raised a little, and he begged, ¡°I was wrong¡­ it hurts¡­ n-not so hard¡­¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s two balls were suddenly prodded by Guan Shanjin¡¯s hard cock. Wu Xingzi cried out, shuddering violently as he orgasmed without any warning. Whitish shots ofended on his own belly, with small drops still dribbling out from the tip of his cock. The man behind him seemed to have gasped slightly, before reaching out to caress the tender head of Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock, stroking it with his callused fingers.


    The pleasure needled into Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart and brain. His mouth gaped open slightly as he raised his chin. No sound left his lips, while his perineum was harshly jabbed a few times. With a twitch of his hips, thin streams ofe again shot out from his cock, allnding in Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm. The fluid was then smeared on his softened dick, and Guan Shanjin gripped both his own dick along with Wu Xingzi¡¯s softened one, rubbing the two of them off together, and Wu Xingzi cried for mercy, with no ce to hide.


    ¡°Hold on for a while more, I¡¯m not there yet.¡± Guan Shanjin bent his neck, kissing Wu Xingzi¡¯s sweaty cheek. His breathing was heavier, and erotic words fell from his mouth like rain.


    Now, Guan Shanjin no longer kept that casual pace, but thrust with abandonment as he gripped Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist. Wu Xingzi panted, already crying out. It felt as though the skin of his inner thighs was about to be rubbed away. Although the ce was slick from the fluids of them both, it was still not enough. His perineum and little cock were both long swollen from the friction, and he was currently unable to get hard. To be ground against by a hard cock wantonly, Wu Xingzi could no longer differentiate if he was feeling more pleasure or pain.


    ¡°J-just p-put it inside me¡­ Ahh¡­¡± Two smacks fell onto his buttocks. Wu Xingzi sniffled pitifully as he begged. Grinding against him? What for? He would much rather Guan Shanjin just thrust into him!


    Having never felt such pain in the matters of sex with Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi twisted his hips, trying to avoid him, only to be trapped and unable to free himself. Whenever his thighs fell apart slightly, Guan Shanjin would thrust between his cheeks. Feeling both the hurt and the pleasure, Wu Xingzi could only cry as he pleaded for mercy.


    Despite Wu Xingzi being trapped between pleasure and pain, Guan Shanjin was enjoying himself greatly. The smooth thighs brought him great pleasure as they felt like a cock sheath. Wu Xingzi¡¯s little quail was adorably soft. The splendid image of his little cock flopping here could not be put to words.


    Eyes red from pleasure, Guan Shanjin lifted Wu Xingzi up and turned him around, hooking Wu Xingzi¡¯s legs around his waist. His heated cock dragged past the swollen cleft of Wu Xingzi¡¯s buttocks, and was trapped between the two fleshy cheeks.


    ¡°It hurts?¡± Guan Shanjin gently caressed Wu Xingzi¡¯s inner thigh, then slid his hand towards the reddened patch of skin. It now felt burning hot, and Wu Xingzi cried out in a low voice when he touched him there, as his hips writhed to avoid his touch.


    ¡°It hurts?¡± Naturally, Guan Shanjin did not allow him to escape. He caught hold of Wu Xingzi with one hand, while the hand stroking his thigh exerted more force.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi twitched, stuttering, ¡°I-it h-hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Be good.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes curved in a smile at Wu Xingzi, pecking the tip of his nose consolingly. He then moved down, pressing kisses on his lips, and tugged Wu Xingzi into his arms. ¡°Look, pengornises are not anything good too. They don¡¯t dote on you like I do.¡±


    Huh?


    Wu Xingzi blinked. Two drops of tears rolled down his cheeks, only for them to be licked away by Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin then slid his tongue between Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, swirling about within. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body fell limp from the kiss. He was unable to catch his breath, and even his brain had melted into a puddle.


    As for Guan Shanjin, he seemed to have vented some anger of his. His smile was like a flower, as he cuddled the person in his arms.


    The huge cock that had never ceased in hardness was stered against Wu Xingzi¡¯s buttocks, grinding slowly. There were a few times it nudged its way slightly into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, but it did not fully enter. With this action repeating a few times, Wu Xingzi¡¯s thighs no longer hurt like before, and his lust welled up again.


    With the exchange between the two tongues, the sounds of kissing echoed in the room. Guan Shanjin too could not hold back anymore. Holding onto the old thing¡¯s narrow waist, he decided to drive straight in. In any case, there was Man Yue in Bastion City. It would be fine for him to asionally indulge himself.


    Just as Guan Shanjin was about to go all the way in, Hei¡¯er¡¯s voice travelled from outside Shuanghe Yard. ¡°General! The third young miss of the Yue family is asking to see you!¡±


    Guan Shanjin paused. The mes of desire in his heart abated abruptly. Although his cock was unable to fully soften in this amount of time, he now had lost his interest in continuing, and it looked rather awkward.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi was still groggy. His buttocks unconsciously nudged back towards Guan Shanjin, and they were patted in constion.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tend to, so I need to go. You¡­¡± Guan Shanjin helped to pull Wu Xingzi¡¯s trousers up, returning him to his stool. He then straightened himself out, returning to his air of the Great Southern Garrison General in the blink of an eye. If not for that tinge of erotic red in his eyes, he would seem as though he was cold like an iceberg.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had yet to regain his wits. nkly, he stared at Guan Shanjin. The man in front of him could neither be described as a stranger nor someone close, but Wu Xingzi could vaguely see some annoyance and loathing in those charming, alluring eyes. The fire within Wu Xingzi too slowly died down, and he sat awkwardly on his seat, not knowing where to ce his limbs.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Bending down and nting a gentle kiss on Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, Guan Shanjin stroked his earlobe. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get the girls to prepare a couple more dishes.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, pushing him away lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t let that youngdy wait.¡±


    Now, Wu Xingzi had recalled who the third young miss of the Yue family was. Was that not Mr. Lu¡¯s fianc¨¦e? No wonder Guan Shanjin had lost all interest.


    Inexplicably feeling a little sad, Wu Xingzi was unable to exin why he felt that way. He watched Guan Shanjin leave as he rubbed his chest. He seemed to have experienced this sort of feeling before, but he could not remember what it was.


    ¡°Mr. Wu?¡± Mint quietly approached him, gently calling out. ¡°Shall I prepare some hot water for you to clean up?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled and nodded at her. He could see the worry in the girl¡¯s eyes, but he did not know how tofort her.


    After all, he himself was unable to identify what exactly was he feeling now as well.

 Chapter 44 - Why Is It Lanterns Again??

    Chapter 44 ¨C Why Is It Lanterns Again??


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The third young miss of the Yue family was named Yue Mingzhu. She looked both enchanting and adorable, like a blooming peony. She was very pretty, her skin creamy and smooth. Coupled with a pair of thick, arched eyebrows, she was filled with a strong spirit that belonged to the girls of this border city.


    She was already eighteen this year. In principle, she should already have be a mother to a few children. However, as she had always been the apple of her father¡¯s eye, as well as being the youngest child at home, having one more mouth to feed was inconsequential to the Yue family. Her father was naturally delighted to keep her at home to pamper her further. Only when a man with a well-matched background appeared, knowing how to spoil Yue Mingzhu and one that Yue Mingzhu liked, would her father then start discussing her marriage.


    Mr. Lu was naturally a good candidate.


    Although he was a little old, his broad-minded appearance and his ethereal demeanour was verypatible with Yue Mingzhu. His character too was refined and cultured, and towards Yue Mingzhu, he was both respectful and loving. Old Master Yue was very satisfied with him.


    The most important thing was that Yue Mingzhu liked Mr. Lu.


    When Yue Mingzhu saw Mr. Lu for the first time in Mirror Temple, she fell for him immediately.


    There were tworge temples in Bastion City, each on top of a hill. One was in the south, and the other in the north. Perhaps because of the years of war in the bordends, many of the residents of Bastion City had the habit of praying to the gods.


    During the New Year, as well as other festivals, they would definitely head up to the temples to pray.


    It was during the Spring Lantern Festival a year ago when Yue Mingzhu saw Mr. Lu while making her prayers.


    Although the ce where the temples of the gods were situated was a sacred ce, due to the asion, a fewnterns with scriptures written on them were hung up as well. The in, simple strokes vividly disyed the characters within the verse. Mr. Lu happened to be standing under one of thenterns, looking up and gazing at it.


    At first nce, Yue Mingzhu felt that this man was too frail. Dressed in white, he looked even more slender. However, despite being very thin, he stood up very straight, and in Yue Mingzhu¡¯s head, the phrase ¡°a jade-like man¡± appeared. After observing him closely, she could no longer drag her eyes away.


    So it turned out that there really could be such a person who could transcend worldliness, glowing like moonlight in this colourful world. Mr. Lu was half-turned away from her, and she could only see his side profile. The outline of his face was so gentle, as though it was carved by water, and his facial features were perfectly right, that any changes in them would result in imbnce. Especially those crystal-like ck eyes of his were very serene, so much so that one could drown in them.


    Yue Mingzhu¡¯s wits had flown away. She ignored how embarrassing it was for her to stand foolishly in the corridor, staring at the man impolitely. Her burning gaze finally startled Mr. Lu, and he looked around uncertainly before cautiously ncing towards Yue Mingzhu.


    Most girls would feel sheepish after being caught during such an act. However, Yue Mingzhu was not. She walked straight ahead, and her two maidservants were unable to stop her. They could only follow behind her until she stopped in front of Mr. Lu.


    ¡°I¡¯m the third young miss of the Yue family, and my name is Mingzhu.¡± One of her maidservants, Chang Yi, paled, her eyes widening and she almost fainted dead away. Her mistress was still a virgin maiden! Although interaction was not forbidden between a male and a female in Bastion City, there was also no such thing as randomly telling a strange man one¡¯s name!


    ¡°Miss Yue¡­¡± Mr. Lu too looked rather awkward. He cupped his hands together, quietly taking half a step back.


    Who would have guessed that this third young miss would take half a step closer? With bright, beautiful eyes, Yue Mingzhu stared at him. ¡°May I ask after your name?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Mr. Lu again retreated half a step, but Miss Yue still followed along. He had no choice but to turn his head away to avoid arousing suspicion, and replied gently, ¡°Myst name is Lu, and Miss Yue is too polite.¡±


    ¡°Master Lu.¡± Miss Yue nodded, her smile like a flower. ¡°Does Master Lu already have a family?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Mr. Lu nced swiftly at Miss Yue. It seemed like he was shocked, and was momentarily speechless.


    ¡°Master Lu has the bearing of an immortal, it would not be strange for you to already be married.¡± Miss Yue clearly had misunderstood his astonishment as him having difficulty in responding. She continued in her manner, ¡°I¡¯m currently eighteen this year. Although I¡¯m a little old in age, I fell in love at first sight with Master Lu, and I wish to only be able to stay by your side. Even if I can only be your concubine, I¡¯m willing to do so.¡±


    ¡°Miss!¡± Chang Yi¡¯s eyes were really about to roll to the back of her head. What exactly did she just hear? Did her mistress really hate getting married that much?


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Since this youngdy is still unbetrothed, these words to a strange man would harm your reputation. I hope Miss Yue would conduct yourself with dignity.¡± Mr. Lu had finally regained his senses, and realised that the pretty girl in front of him was dering her affections to him.


    A wretched blush suffused his pale cheeks, and his exquisite brows knitted together sternly. Cupping his hands together again, he wanted to leave with a swing of his sleeves.


    Who would have known that Miss Yue was the type to be arrogant and wilful? Girls of Bastion City were originally frank and unrestrained to the point where they were somewhat unbridled. Along with Miss Yue¡¯s nature, having finally found someone who could move her heart, how could she let this person go so easily? Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed onto Mr. Lu¡¯s sleeve. However, in her anxiousness, she exerted a little too much strength. With a rip, the sleeve of Mr. Lu¡¯s outer robe was torn.


    Now, both of them were embarrassed, freezing right where they stood. Miss Yue finally realised that she had been too rash, and a mortifying blush crept over her face. Hanging her head down, she stammered an apology. ¡°M-master Lu, I¡¯ve been rude. Please, Master Lu, don¡¯t take offense. Why don¡¯t youe to my residence, and let me express my sincere apology?¡±


    Mr. Lu blushed an unhappy red. He looked at his sleeve, which despite being torn, was still trapped in the young girl¡¯s hand. A long whileter, he replied in a low voice. ¡°Then I will have to disturb you.¡±


    A bright smile took over Yue Mingzhu¡¯s face. Solicitously, she led Mr. Lu back to her home, and even diligently mended his sleeve for him. Through her father, she learnt that Mr. Lu was the teacher of the Great Southern Garrison General, as well as the general¡¯s beloved ording to the private discussions of many people.


    But Miss Yue could care less about the Great Southern Garrison General. If Mr. Lu had any intentions towards the general, how would he still be single after all this time? She was convinced that Mr. Lu had been held captive by the general, and therefore had no romantic entanglements after so many years, bing this unsullied.


    As for her, she would be the girl who rescued Mr. Lu from his prison.


    Having made her decision, the third young miss of the Yue family hence pursued Mr. Lu vigorously.


    With the fuel added by her father and brothers, as well as Mr. Lu¡¯s yielding as he put on a show of reluctance, in a span of half a year, the rtionship between Miss Yue and Mr. Lu progressed rapidly. Not too long after the start of autumn, they had promised themselves to each other.


    However, once the general found out about this matter, Yue Mingzhu suddenly discovered that it was now very difficult to meet Mr. Lu. Especially after Mr. Lu had identally fallen from a horse, she was unable to even catch a glimpse of her fianc¨¦. Seeing how they were about to marry once spring was here, not being able to take care of her injured fianc¨¦, along with being barred from entering the general¡¯s estate, how could Yue Mingzhu take this lying down?


    But her father instead asked her to endure it. After all, although the Yue family was the most noble family in Bastion City, in front of the Great Southern Garrison General, their worth was less than an ant.


    Yue Mingzhu was spitting with fury, her chestpressed to the point of pain. She neither had an appetite, nor slept well, and her entire being turned frail. Looking at her, Old Master Yue was extremely anxious. Thickening his skin, he went up to the general¡¯s estate to plead for a meeting with the general, hoping to allow his daughter to see Mr. Lu to lessen her heartsickness.


    Three times he went to the door of the general¡¯s estate, and three times he was rejected with malice under a veneer of politeness. Old Master Yue seemed to age a few years during that short period of time. However, whether it was because the general finally took pity on his love for his child, near the New Year, they were allowed to see Mr. Lu, and Miss Yue could even bring Mr. Lu back to their residence to recuperate.


    Unfortunately, the good days neversted. Not too long after the New Year, Vice General Man sent people over to bring Mr. Lu back home, and the reason given was hard to refute: Customs dictated that it would bring bad luck for the betrothed couple to see each other before the wedding, so would living in the same residence not be worse? The general did not want the future of Mr. Lu and Miss Yue to be affected, and so it would be best if they did not meet before the wedding. It would be better to believe in such superstitions, than for bad luck to happen if they did not, right?


    The words were logical. Old Master Yue cared for his daughter, and naturally was not willing to break this taboo. As such, he allowed Man Yue¡¯s people to bring Mr. Lu home.


    However, Miss Yue was unhappy. In her eyes, the general was deliberately keeping her and Mr. Lu apart. He was definitely up to no good! She was convinced that Guan Shanjin liked Mr. Lu, and it was just that he did not want to tear down the veil between them. As Mr. Lu¡¯s fianc¨¦e, she could not leave her fianc¨¦ in such a dangerous ce!


    Hence, Yue Mingzhu would make a huge fuss from the moment she opened her eyes till the moment she fell asleep every day. It vexed Old Master Yue, and he could only allow his oldest son to bring Yue Mingzhu to the general¡¯s estate. Whether Mr. Lu coulde to the Yue¡¯s residence or not, it was naturally Guan Shanjin who would decide. However, if he could say a few words to appease Old Master Yue¡¯s daughter, it would be enough.


    ording to Man Yue, this was Yue MingZhuing to their door to collect her man.


    These days, he had been extremely busy. Other than his official duties, he still had to help Guan Shanjin to arrange for Mr. Lu¡¯s wedding. Every item, every detail had to go through him. Previously, when Guan Shanjin still liked Mr. Lu, these trifles would naturally be handled personally by the general. Now that there was an Adviser Wu upying the general¡¯s heart, most of the matters now fell to Man Yue. Man Yue really wanted to curse and sweat!


    What did Mr. Lu have to do with him? There waspletely nothing between them. If he had to put it into words, this marriage should just be left to the Yue family to deal with it, and all they had to do was assist. However, Guan Shanjin¡¯s feelings for Mr. Lu were still rather profound, and so he chose to take over many of the details¡­ Damn it! Since he wanted them, he should do it himself!


    Man Yue rebuked Guan Shanjin internally over and over again, yet not a trace of his emotions could be detected on his face. With a warm smile, he weed the eldest young master and the third young miss of the Yue family, inviting them to take a seat.


    ¡°Hmph! In no way am I honoured enough to drink the general¡¯s tea! I just want to ask Vice General Man, where is my husband?¡± Yue Mingzhu was filled with anger. With a proud, unbending neck, she looked sideways at Man Yue. Not only did she remain standing, her expression was not pleasant as well. If not for her brother pacifying her, she might have started shouting all manner of awful words.


    ¡°He¡¯s in Wangshu Residence right now.¡± Man Yue¡¯s answer came swiftly.


    Yue Mingzhu froze, momentarily unable to respond.


    ¡°If you¡¯d like to see Mr. Lu, I¡¯ll get someone to invite him over on your behalf. Miss Yue, you don¡¯t have to be this aggressive.¡± Man Yue was toozy to remain courteous. This third young miss of the Yue family hade to the general¡¯s estate to make a fuss one too many times. He no longer had the patience to deal with her.


    ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Yue Mingzhu was nowpletely enraged. Her entire face flushed red, and with a hand on her hip, she wanted to release her wrath, only to be held back by her brother and seated on a chair. He then shoved a cup of tea into her hands. ¡°Big brother!¡±


    ¡°Enough, for Vice General Man to spare the time to see us, it is all thanks to Mr. Lu. You ought to speak a little less!¡± Young Master Yue¡¯s brows creased deeply. His spoilt little sister was giving him a great headache.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it so? Just Miss Yue alone, with her face, it¡¯s not enough to draw me here.¡± Man Yue was still smiling pleasantly, but his tongue was as though it had been dipped in acid. Young Master Yue had no choice but tough awkwardly in apaniment.


    Yue Mingzhu definitely did not have her brother¡¯s forbearance. Leaping up in anger, she pointed at Man Yue, scolding, ¡°Who the hell are you?! In Bastion City, our Yue family still holds a position above all. Your Great Southern Garrison, without the support of the Yue family, would it still be able to have such a steady footing here? The hounds are killed for food once the hares are caught ¡ª no wonder you¡¯re this size!¡±


    With a teacup in his hand, Man Yue was currently skimming the thinyer of scum on top of the tea. Hearing Miss Yue¡¯s words, he burst outughing, and looked straight at her in amusement. ¡°I had never known that the Southern Garrison needed the Yue family¡¯s support! Six years ago, Miss Yue was already thirteen or fourteen years old, right? Do you still remember the Battle of the Drifting Sun?¡±


    Once she heard the words ¡°Battle of the Drifting Sun¡±, Miss Yue¡¯s expression too changed. Despite her stiffened neck and arrogant manner, she was no longer as aggressive as before. Instead, she shrank a little.


    ¡°Seems like you do remember.¡± Man Yue took a sip of his tea, clicking his tongue. ¡°Miss Yue, there are things that shouldn¡¯t be said, and you need to know when to shut your mouth. The South Garrison General¡¯s estate is not your Yue family home. We don¡¯t cater to your feelings here.¡±


    Man Yue¡¯s words were very effective, and embarrassment was written across Young Master Yue¡¯s face. Reproachfully, he red at his sister, then stood up and cupped his hands towards Man Yue to express his apology.


    Till now, the Battle of the Drifting Sun was fresh in the minds of the people of Bastion City. That was the most heroic battle the Great Southern Garrison General had with the southern barbarians. If they did not manage to hold the barbarians back then, Bastion City would have fallen. The southern barbarians had a custom of massacring all citizens within a conquered city. Bastion City was originally not a city on the border, and there used to be a Centipede City further south.


    Thirty-odd years ago, Centipede City had fallen, and barely anyone was left alive. The entire city had been set aze, the mes soaring up to the skies and only gradually dying out after seven days and seven nights. If not for Guan Shanjin¡¯s army fighting fiercely against the southern barbarians, Bastion City would have long followed the footsteps of Centipede City.


    With his sister¡¯s words today, the Yue family was now made to seem like an ingrate.


    ¡°Young Master Yue doesn¡¯t have to stand on courtesy, I¡¯m not going to argue with a youngdy.¡± Man Yue waved him off. He continued with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to invite Mr. Lu over. He should be arriving soon. Just wait for a while more, and have some tea and snacks. Don¡¯t let others say that I don¡¯t know how to treat guests.¡±


    ¡°Vice General Man is too polite, too polite.¡± Young Master Yue signalled his sister not to aggravate the situation further with his eyes. Only after seeing Yue Mingzhu reluctantly nodding in response, did he then heave a breath of relief and sipped at his tea.


    In reality, towards his sister, he had rxed too early.


    Man Yue was not being perfunctory. He did send people to invite Mr. Lu over. After a few moments of waiting, Mr. Lu entered with slow steps.


    He was still dressed in white, but he looked a little haggard. While cupping his hands together, it was very obvious that he was concealing his right hand. No one would be able to turn a blind eye to his actions, and so Yue Mingzhu naturally jumped into action. Shooting straight to Mr. Lu, she pulled his right hand out from his sleeve. Unhappy with Guan Shanjin, as well as convinced that he would do something to Mr. Lu before the wedding, Yue Mingzhu was therefore insistent on dragging Mr. Lu out of this ce no matter what.


    In front of her, there was a hand wrapped in clean white bandages all the way down to his wrist. It seemed like Mr. Lu had been injured, and hisplexion was also paler than normal. He hurriedly pulled his sleeve back down to hide his injury, and Yue Mingzhu¡¯s heart ached fiercely. Sputtering, she asked, ¡°What happened? Huh? Are you badly injured? How did you get injured?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Mr. Lu put on a mncholic smile,forting her gently. ¡°I was careless, and ended up scalding myself. It has nothing to do with Haiwang, so don¡¯t let your imagination run away.¡±


    Hmm?


    Man Yue lifted his lids, sneering internally.


    These words sounded very sincere, and they were true. However, to say them right at that moment, it would really cause one to¡­ ruminate.


    With no surprise, Yue Mingzhu exploded upon hearing him. Tears of anger welled up in her eyes, and ignoring the persuasions of her brother and her fianc¨¦, she pointed at Man Yue, screaming, ¡°Call Guan Shanjin out to see me!¡±

 Chapter 45 - Mingzhu Flees \/ A Treasure Covered in Dust1

    Chapter 45 ¨C Mingzhu Flees / A Treasure Covered in Dust1


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Since the third young miss of the Yue family wanted to see the general, Man Yue naturally had no reason to stop her.


    He turned to instruct Hei¡¯er to go to Shuanghe Yard to invite him over, not forgetting to tell him to go inside, and just calling him from outside would be enough.


    Although Hei¡¯er did not understand why, he always listened to Man Yue, and did not take a single step inside.


    ¡°The third Yue child wants to see me?¡± Guan Shanjin exited the residence. His face was dark, as though a storm wasing.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hei¡¯er bowed his head. As a close bodyguard, he naturally understood what his master¡¯s expression meant, and he eximed over his luck internally.


    Interrupting Guan Shanjin¡¯s ¡°matters¡± was nothing, but if he happened to identally see even an inch of Adviser Wu¡¯s skin that was supposed to be covered by his clothes, he would definitely have to go through a serious beating.


    Thinking about how Guan Shanjin had previously dealt with him, Hei¡¯er could not help but shudder.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Lu?¡± Guan Shanjin dusted off his clothes. It seemed like he had no intentions to see that proud, arrogant little girl.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the front hall.¡±


    Guan Shanjin snorted. So it meant that the Yue child had seen the injury on Mr. Lu¡¯s hand, and wanted him to give an exnation? Guan Shanjin was fed up. He turned back and nced at Shuanghe Yard. Seeing the indistinct shadows of the luxuriant trees within, did his expression then brighten a little.


    Due to the fact that the Yue family still had some use to them, and he had no ns on recing them with another new family, as well as the uing marriage between Mr. Lu and the third Yue child, Guan Shanjin chose not to act¡­ Hmph, and still there¡¯s someone eagerly rushing towards their death. Might as well fulfill their wishes.


    ¡°Stay here and watch over Wu Xingzi.¡± Although he did not like how close Hei¡¯er and Wu Xingzi were, he was even more unwilling for Wu Xingzi to suffer the slightest mishap.


    Recently, the Yue family had been getting increasingly involved with the forces in the capital. Man Yue and him had alreadyid a trap for them, and that family could not be given any opportunity to create trouble lest they spoil his ns.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hei¡¯er epted themand, and in a sh, he hid himself.


    Guan Shanjin felt annoyed, all the gloom within his heart shifting onto Miss Yue, his dislike for this wilful, arrogantdy increasing even further.


    Entering the hall to see Miss Yue winding intimately around Mr. Lu¡¯s body, Guan Shanjin sneered. He headed straight for the main seat in the hall, and drank from the teacup that one of his servants held out to him. His attitude made Miss Yue¡¯s chest feel stifled from anger, and she immediately leapt up from her seat, pointing at Guan Shanjin. ¡°Guan Shanjin! Master Lu is youroshi, and so I¡¯m your shiniang2. Has all your scripture-studying gone down the drain?¡±


    His shiniang3?


    What a shiniang!


    Guan Shanjin snorted, the teacup in his hand turning in an instant to powder. Scalding hot tea spilt across the ground, and the heat of the tea left red marks on his fair, jade-like hand.


    Mr. Lu gasped lightly, anxiouslying forward to hold up his hand. About to call out for help, Guan Shanjin waved indifferently at him to stop him.


    ¡°Laoshi, you don¡¯t need to worry, this is only a small injury.¡± After all, Guan Shanjin was not a spoiled and pampered lord. In the blink of an eye, the red marks on his hand had faded away, leaving nothing behind.


    Mr. Lu still looked worried. Pulling out his handkerchief, he carefully wiped away the traces of tea left. Next to them, the expression of Miss Yue was very entertaining. She red harshly at Guan Shanjin, looking like she desperately wanted to pounce forward and take a bite out of him. But knowing that she had no ability to do so, her eyes could only turn bloodshot with anger.


    Man Yue was watching the show with delight. Without noticing, he hadughed out loud.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything better to do?¡± Guan Shanjin cast him a side-eye nce. Unlike the past, he was in no hurry to cate Mr. Lu, instead he sat there in a lordly manner. His demeanour was elegant and awe-inspiring, making Mr. Lu¡¯s attitude look as though he was being overly familiar.


    Naturally registering that his behaviour was rather awkward, Mr. Lu¡¯s face paled. With knitted brows, he tucked the handkerchief in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, straightening up and about to retreat.


    ¡°Laoshi.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Mr. Lu lowered his lids, refusing to look at him. The sun¡¯s rays shone upon his gentle face through the window, and he looked exquisite like jade. His long eyshes trembled lightly with every breath, hiding his shame and anger.


    Guan Shanjin sighed silently. He had never seen Mr. Lu reveal his upset so outwardly before, and his heart somewhat softened, along with his attitude. ¡°Thank you,oshi, for your concern.¡±


    ¡°This is as expected.¡± Mr. Lu nced at him swiftly from the corner of his eye. Although it was quick, Guan Shanjin was still a skilled martial art expert, and his vision was exceptional. Deftly, he caught the depression and dejection in Mr. Lu¡¯s eyes, and so he could not help but reach out and hold his hand, grasping it firmly within his palm.


    Miss Yue saw that things were not quite right, so how would she be able to endure it? Striding forward, she wanted to yank Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand away. However, without waiting for her to even reach out, Man Yue, with a look from Guan Shanjin, had gotten two tall and beautifully built maidservants to block Miss Yue. The only thing that was missing was physically subduing her.


    ¡°Guan Shanjin! What do you mean by this?!¡± Yue Mingzhu stamped her foot. The two maidservants seemed well trained in the martial arts, and were obstructing herpletely. No matter how she tried to force herself through, she was unable to move a step forward.


    ¡°Yue Chonghua, I¡¯ve previously made myself very clear already. Before the wedding, it¡¯s inappropriate for the couple to see each other.¡± Guan Shanjinpletely disregarded Miss Yue who was dancing about like a clown. With a pair of charming, alluring eyes, he watched the young master of the Yue family shifting about ufortably.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. We understand the intentions of the general! It¡¯s all because of my father and me, spoiling my sister. General, for Mr. Lu¡¯s sake, please don¡¯t fuss over this with her.¡± Young Master Yue cupped his hands together non-stop, his handsome face blushing red. However, his sister was still making trouble beside him, and his forehead was covered with cold sweat.


    ¡°Miss Yue is still young and so ignorant, and I can understand that. However, no matter how ignorant she is, she shouldn¡¯t treat Mr. Lu¡¯s fortune like a game. Such a shiniang, I really cannot afford one.¡±


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s brows creased slightly. He seemed to only just realise at that moment that his position with Guan Shanjin was too intimate. Moving his hand slightly, he wanted to free himself, only to be gripped even more tightly. ¡°Miss Yue is the type to be very frank. As the Great Southern Garrison General, why get angry over her?¡±


    ¡°Frank?¡± Guan Shanjinughed thinly, being nomittal. He studied Mr. Lu calmly for a while, and suddenly let go. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen tooshi, and won¡¯t remain angry with shiniang.¡±


    Guan Shanjin waved at the two maidservants, and they quickly withdrew. Miss Yue shot forward.


    ¡°Xiao San¡¯er4!¡± Losing hisposure, Young Master Yue yelled in rm. He could not believe what he had just seen. His sister had actually raised her hand, swinging it towards Guan Shanjin. She was seeking her death!


    ¡°Hmph!¡± With a turn of his head, Guan Shanjin avoided this p. However, as Miss Yue had used too much force, she stumbled, nearly falling down. Fortunately, Mr. Lu reached out to support her, and so she did not make a greater fool of herself.


    Yue Mingzhu¡¯s face had turned blood red, and even her eyes had reddened. Smashing all formalities and politeness, she raged, ¡°Guan Shanjin, don¡¯t think that no one knows about your filthy intentions! Master Lu had said before, that he was unwilling to hurt you, and that¡¯s why he had no choice but to stay by your side! A teacher for a day, a father for life. He is so concerned over you, but you¡­¡±


    ¡°No choice but to stay by my side?¡± Guan Shanjin interrupted Yue Mingzhu¡¯sints, and looked at Mr. Lu expressionlessly. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Mr. Lu took two unsteady steps back, his face ashen. His back, however, was very straight, like a pine tree.


    This strong yet fragile image once had the brightest colours within Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart. When Mr. Lu had just arrived at the Lord Protector¡¯s residence, Guan Shanjin was only ten. He was so unruly that no one could subdue him, and he had only just caused a famous erudite schr to quit in anger. This elegant and shy youth in front of him was not worth his time at all.


    Who would have guessed that this youth was different from his appearance? Mr. Lu had the foolishness of a schr, and was humiliated and teased daily by Guan Shanjin. He always looked very wretched, and there were a few times he was truly angered as well. However, unlike the previous teachers, he neither fled for his life, nor swept away in anger. He was extremely patient, and kept thinking of ways and means to get closer to Guan Shanjin.


    Once at a poetry session, Guan Shanjin had caused Mr. Lu to be embarrassed outrageously. He no longer remembered the specific details of that matter, only remembering that Mr. Lu¡¯s cid face had paled, and was ring at him. In those eyes, there was an embarrassment, a hurt, a wretchedness, and a faint hopelessness.


    However, Guan Shanjin cared for nothing. Since he was a child, his feelings had always been fickle, holding no loyalty to anyone. The pain and sorrow of people next to him had no way of moving him, and it was as though he had nothing to do with this world. No child had to learn how to be close to their parents, but Guan Shanjin needed to.


    The concept of blood rtives was not innate to him. He knew that this was his father, and that was his mother, but it was only a superficial knowledge that one could glean from words. From young, he was already aware that he was different from others. However, he was clever and precocious. Before others could notice that something was wrong, he already knew how to hide his nature, and pretend to be a normal child.


    As such, with a bright smile, he watched Mr. Lu remain stiffly in the poetry society, both surprised by Mr. Lu¡¯s tenacity, as well as feeling excited over it. He could not wait to see where the limits of Mr. Lu¡¯s patience were, and what he had to do to rip this mask of strength off his face.


    He stared at the white-d figure. Under the warm spring sun, he seemed to be covered with a gauze woven with light, and his breathing seemed to shatter the silence.


    The slender back was pencil straight, and nothing could bend him. That distinct suppleness and strong will was very surprising.


    After the poetry session, Mr. Lu became quieter than usual. However, he still stayed by his side, gently discussing the ongoings of the session. Guan Shanjin listened, his ear seemingly itchy.


    He suddenly spoke, ¡°Master, did you have fun during the session today?¡±


    Originally discussing the poems of the Great Xie, Mr. Lu fell silent abruptly. Wretchedly, he adjusted his seat, facing him properly for a few moments before responding, ¡°The spring weather was wonderful, there was excellent writing all around, and friends were abound.¡±


    Guan Shanjin burst outughing. ¡°Master, in my life, you¡¯re the most shameless person I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    Mr. Lu¡¯s pale face lookedpletely bloodless. With slightly knitted brows, he stared at the delighted Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°A teacher for a day, a father for life. Since I¡¯ve be your master, I¡¯ll stay by your side. If I¡¯m shameless, then let me be shameless.¡± His voice ended with a quiver.


    Guan Shanjin understood that this was Mr. Lu using all his courage, ignoring his dignity and face. He was wretched, miserable, yet very sincere. Guan Shanjin himself was heartless, but could grab hold of other¡¯s emotions very well. Whether or not a person was sincere, or if they had intentions of using him, nothing could be hidden from his eyes.


    No matter the reason for Mr. Lu gritting his teeth and tolerating his cruel words and actions, it still moved him.


    Would this sort of sincerity be forever unchanging? Would such a strong will ever snap? Mr. Lu¡¯s image was carved indelibly in his heart.


    From that day on, he no longer deliberately humiliated Mr. Lu. The things Mr. Lu could teach him were not much, his talent was only so-so, and it was nothing exceptional, very mediocre. Before two years had even passed, there was nothing more he could teach Guan Shanjin. And from then on, Guan Shanjin too was thrown into the military camp by his father.


    Before he left, Mr. Lu even came over specially to see him, and gave him a heavy and solid bag. Inside the bag, there were a few newly published collections of works, as well as some snacks. All of these were useless things on the battlefield, but Guan Shanjin hadughed, as he was very amused.


    This was Mr. Lu. Old-fashioned to the point of silliness, and his attitude towards him had never changed.


    Unknowingly, this person had been ced into Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, a position, where other than his family and his childhood buddies, no ordinary person could upy.


    He saw Mr. Lu as someone extraordinary, and loved him deeply. He dared not defile him the slightest, and despite loving him, Guan Shanjin had never thought of keeping him exclusively for himself. Whatever Mr. Lu wanted, he would give him, only wishing that he could gain a smile from this beauty. For Mr. Lu to get his heart¡¯s desires, Guan Shanjin was willing to endure anything, even if he had to suffer a loss.


    ¡°Laoshi.¡± Seeing that Mr. Lu did not speak, Guan Shanjin could not be bothered to ask for the reason anymore. ¡°Sinceoshi thinks this way, then I won¡¯t keep you back any longer.¡±


    He gestured, speaking to Man Yue. ¡°Send the guests away.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± With a big smile, Man Yue stood up. He ceremoniously cupped his hands towards Young Master Yue. ¡°Young Master Yue, you heard it for yourself as well. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you here, but it¡¯s due to the Yue family making enough of a fuss in the general¡¯s estate today. Since what Miss Yue wants is Mr. Lu, then, just take Mr. Lu and leave! I¡¯ll get people to bring Mr. Lu¡¯s things over too, and I hope that Mr. Lu and Miss Yue can live together to a ripe old age, hand in hand together!¡±


    ¡°Haiwang¡­¡± Mr. Lu called out, his voice small but rough.


    This seemed to have been out of his expectations. With only a blink of an eye, Man Yue was able to kick him out of the general¡¯s estate right in front of the general himself. As for Guan Shanjin, he did not even look at him, turning a deaf ear and paying no heed to them.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I did not¡­¡± Mr. Lu looked sorrowful, and seemed to want to exin something, but Miss Yue had grabbed his hand first.


    ¡°Hmph, since the general has promised to let him go, you must keep your promise! Don¡¯t see that Mr. Lu¡¯s heart has softened, and thene to the Yue family¡¯s estate to ask for him!¡±


    ¡°Scram.¡± Guan Shanjin waved his handzily, as though he was chasing away something dirty and offensive to the eye.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Yue Mingzhu was so angry that her teeth hurt, but she did not dare to cause any more trouble. Pulling Mr. Lu along, she swaggered away from the general¡¯s estate.


    Instead, Young Master Yue was not as unrestrained as his sister. His intentions ining here were also not to take Mr. Lu away. The progression of the matter had caught him off guard. There were times when he wanted to intercede, but did not know what he could say to prevent kicking the ho¡¯s nest. In the end, he could only watch bitterly and leave after cupping his hands together in greeting.


    The noise had finally settled. Man Yue drank his tea with narrowed eyes, jeering, ¡°Haiwang-gege, how could you bear to push Mr. Lu out of here? Don¡¯t tell me you believe what that Yue child said.¡±


    In truth, Man Yue did not believe that Mr. Lu had no choice but to stay. In his eyes, when Guan Shanjin saw Mr. Lu, it was as though he was blind, and his brain became useless. Whatever Mr. Lu wanted, he would give them all, spoiling him to no limits. There were essentially no words that could describe how much he pampered him.


    Although he did not like how Mr. Lu led Guan Shanjin along, Man Yue still believed that Mr. Lu had feelings for Guan Shanjin.


    Guan Shanjinughed lowly, pinching Man Yue¡¯s soft and plump Chin. ¡°I naturally don¡¯t believe that Yue child. Even if Mr. Lu did say such a thing to her, it was only to coax her. Mr. Lu has always been soft-hearted, I know this very well.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too indulgent towards Mr. Lu.¡± Guan Shanjin lowered hisshes, skimming the scum off the surface of his tea elegantly before sipping it. ¡°He is my teacher, and should know very well where his position stands. Why did he invite Wu Xingzi for lunch this afternoon? How did his hand get injured?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Man Yueughed out loud. This time, Guan Shanjin was truly extremely biased.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no longer the South Garrison General behind Mr. Lu, do you think Yue Dade will be able to take it?¡± Guan Shanjin sneered.


    In the past, Guan Shanjin was willing to have no bottom line for Mr. Lu. He loved this man, and indulged him, but in the end, Mr. Lu was still only an ordinarymoner! After so many years, that foolish and honest youth from the past had finally changed. Guan Shanjin felt a little bitter.


    Mr. Lu was not someone who had so many tricks up his sleeve. As long as Guan Shanjin thought things through, he could see the various ws. He knew very well that it was not that Mr. Lupletely had no feelings for him, just that these feelings were like a treasure covered in dust, and what was left was sadness.


    ¡°You still want to tie Mr. Lu to your side?¡± Man Yue pursed his lips, displeased.


    ¡°I need him to still remain by my side in the future, and be my beloved one.¡± Guan Shanjinughed, his eyes narrowing. His tone was soft, but in it, there was also a bone-chilling cold.


    Man Yue could not help but frown and shudder, understanding what Guan Shanjin had in mind.


    Now, he actually pitied Mr. Lu a little.


    Guan Shanjin truly was a fickle one with no loyalty.

 Chapter 46 - Wafts and Whiffs (NSFW)

    Chapter 46 ¨C Wafts and Whiffs (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Things changed in the General¡¯s estate.


    Everyone was caught off guard. The general¡¯s beloved Mr. Lu had been taken away by Miss Yue, and the next day, Vice General Man had directed people to move everything Mr. Lu owned in the Wangshu Residence, delivering them all to the Yue Manor.


    Next, Wangshu Residence was sealed up, and out of the ten people working there, about eight or nine of them were sold. Most people were aware that the servants who had been sold had all broken the rules of the General¡¯s estate.


    It had to be mentioned that under the management of Guan Shanjin and Man Yue, the rules of the estate of the Southern Garrison General were very strict, and its privacy was regarded very strictly, as though an iron wall surrounded it. Any information or news within could not be discussed or mentioned outside, and this applied even more to the privacy of the various residences within.


    However, for the past two years, there had been nock of rumours outside, and no one knew who the source was. Half the citizens of Bastion City all knew that the general liked Mr. Lu.


    Mr. Lu was not getting any younger, yet had been unable to get married. Most believed that it was the general hindering him, trapping and locking him up in his own exclusive domain.


    Despite all these gossips and discussions, many people did not take it seriously. After all, who was Mr. Lu? Was he not the betrothed of the third young miss of the Yue family? If the general had really locked him up, how could Miss Yue be involved?


    Still, with the rumours spreading around, people would definitely add all sorts of details from their own imaginations to them. Together with how the general¡¯s estate had not done anything about the rumours for the past two years, they spread even more wildly, as though they were true.


    But the servants in the general¡¯s estate were aware. This was not because the general did not care. It was because he pampered Mr. Lu, and so he ignored these rumours. If they had to name someone, everyone knew who the most likely candidate was. Mr. Lu was elegant and refined, and received so much respect and concern from the general. Naturally, there was no need for him to spread such rumours.


    However, this was not the case for the people around Mr. Lu. If Mr. Lu was noble and kind, the servants of his residence were arrogant and proud, unting their connection to Mr. Lu. No one knew how Mr. Lu managed these people, especially that Hua Shu. Hua Shu¡¯s nose was always pointed up at the sky, and he even refused to interact with the other servants. But towards the servants with a little more status, he would be respectful and deferential, and outside, he had a wide circle of friends.


    It was heard that the same day Mr. Lu left, Hua Shu was fed a medicine that made one mute, and sold intobour at a restaurant. Everyone was enlightened, that these rumours were most likely due to the work of Hua Shu. Previously, there was Mr. Lu around to protect him. Now that Mr. Lu had somehow lost favour, he was naturally unable to shield Hua Shu anymore.


    The citizens beyond the estate could all secretly discuss the matter of Mr. Lu leaving, but despite having their own spections, all the servants inside had an example made in front of them, and they were all smart enough to keep quiet and remain cautious.


    As such, Wu Xingzi knew nothing about these matters. Mint and Osmanthus knew, but they did not dare tell their master. Also, Wu Xingzi seemed to be troubled these days as well. The cucumbers had just been harvested, and he buried himself into nting bitter gourds, tomatoes and chives. In one breath, half the courtyard of Shuanghe Yard had turned into a vegetable farm, and they even raised a few chickens. Surrounding the other half of the courtyard with a bamboo fence, they ced three hens and a rooster within, allowing them to move around freely, clucking about.


    When he was not nting vegetables or raising chickens, Wu Xingzi would sit in the yard in a daze. A few times Mint and Osmanthus tried cheering him up, and Wu Xingzi did smile, but a crease would appear the next moment between his brows, and he would again fall into a daze.


    The two girls were extremely anxious, but they were unable to guess what Wu Xingzi was thinking about. If he was missing the general¡­ Ever since a couple of weeks after Mr. Lu had left the estate, the general was almost considered to be living in Shuanghe Yard now.


    They personally witnessed for themselves a few times how the general hugged Wu Xingzi as they conversed in the yard. Smiling, Guan Shanjin listened to Wu Xingzi talk about his bitter gourds, his tomatoes, and how the hensid an egg a day, and one of them was even double-yolked.


    The two girls were not very old, but they were very aware of how the general looked at Wu Xingzi. His gaze was gentle and soft, and his alluring, charming eyes were like glimmers of light, filled with joy.


    The general always spent the night in Shuanghe Yard, apanying Wu Xingzi for all three meals every day. asionally, he would even step into the kitchen himself and prepare a few dishes. In the eyes of Mint and Osmanthus, even during the period when the general pampered Mr. Lu the most, he had never reached this step. All he wanted was to carry this person in the palm of his hand, cherishing him, but was also very cautious, afraid that he would fall. Even people standing by the side watching could not help but be moved.


    Things in the General¡¯s estate had truly changed. Who in the estate did not know that the general¡¯s beloved had long since changed to that Qingcheng County¡¯s adviser living in Shuanghe Yard?


    One morning, Wu Xingzi was still groggily asleep. His hips were still aching! The night before, Guan Shanjin had fucked him through half the night. Treating him like a ball of dough, he even folded him in half, wheedling and coaxing him into licking his own little pengornis. Was this even something a person would do? Wu Xingzi was especially abashed, but in his folded position, he waspletely unable to escape. As such, he could only unwillingly lick the Xingzi jr. that was standing erect in front of his eyes.


    This lick set off a storm. Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and he thrust into Wu Xingzi heavily, and continuously. Wu Xingzi was forced to take the leaking head of his cock into his mouth, and it felt as though Guan Shanjin would pierce right through his belly.


    Wu Xingzi cried, begging to be let off. Guan Shanjin however paid no heed, instead fucking him until he reached orgasm. Wu Xingzi ejacted into his own mouth, even swallowing it all down without missing a drop. He was then turned over, and pressed onto the bed, fucked so hard and loud that the bed almost came apart. Wu Xingzi was barely in his right mind, his pink tongue hanging limply from his mouth, drool and tears smeared across his face. Having came, with fluids leaking out from both the front and behind, Wu Xingzi had reached the point where he could not even squirt anymore. Only then did Guan Shanjin fill him up with hise, and Wu Xingzi fainted dead away.


    Watching how Wu Xingzi was whimpering and mewling on the bed, Guan Shanjin¡¯s adoration swelled within him. He pulled the man into his arms while kissing him, then pressed his lips into his ear, whispering, ¡°I won¡¯t be in the estate for the next few days. If you¡¯re bored, you can go and explore the city. Those pengornis drawings of yours have already arrived, why don¡¯t you go and collect them?¡±


    The truth was that the drawings had actually arrived about half a month ago, and the Peng society had also sent someone to the general¡¯s estate to inform him. However, Guan Shanjin viewed those pengornises as his nemeses, so how could he allow Wu Xingzi to receive them so easily? Since he had to be away for the next few days, and would not have to see these eyesores, it was a perfect time for Wu Xingzi to bring those pengornis drawings back.


    ¡°Oh! They¡¯ve arrived?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes brightened. Instantly, his hips no longer ached, and his legs were no longer weak. His entire being now was refreshed and alert.


    Looking at how greatly delighted Wu Xingzi was, Guan Shanjin could not help but feel depressed. He bent his neck, biting Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek harshly and leaving a mark. It was painful enough for Wu Xingzi to yelp quietly, and pressing his cheek, he turned to look at Guan Shanjin pitifully.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask where I¡¯m going?¡± Guan Shanjin pulled Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand down, admiring the bite mark he left with great satisfaction. Although there was no blood, it was fairly deep, and it would definitely need a few hours before it faded away.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Wu Xingzi thought, even if he asked, Guan Shanjin might not reply! Also, Guan Shanjin was already so old, and was also the Great Southern Garrison General, it was not possible for him to be lost, right? Recently, the southern barbarians had also been very docile, and Bastion City barely looked like a border city now.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s expression that could conceal none of his thoughts made Guan Shanjinugh lowly. He patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s buttocks, teasing him. ¡°If you really want to know, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t tell you, just that you¡¯ll need to pay a little price.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Didn¡¯t want to know in the first ce! Fortunately, Wu Xingzi was still able to understand what Guan Shanjin wanted. Biting his lip, he asked, albeit conflicted, ¡°What price would I have to pay?¡±


    Guan Shanjinughed cheerily, nting a firm kiss onto Wu Xingzi. ¡°You won¡¯t have to do anything. I¡¯m leaving Hei¡¯er behind, you just need to bring him along when you go out, understand?¡±


    Huffing out a breath of relief, Wu Xingzi hurriedly nodded, expressing his agreement.


    ¡°Just sleep a little while more, I¡¯ll get Mint to prepare some porridge for youter. As for the Peng Society in Bastion City, you only need to ask Hei¡¯er. When you¡¯ve collected the drawings, don¡¯t stay too long, and don¡¯t take this opportunity to bring home the Pengornisseur.¡± Guan Shanjin cuddled Wu Xingzi all over with much strength, before reluctantly putting him back into bed and tucking him in. Only when all these were done, did he turn and leave.


    Wu Xingzi watched until his view of Guan Shanjin¡¯s back was blocked by the door, then he curled back under his nket, rubbing his chest lightly.


    Over the past few days, his chest kept feeling stifled. Wu Xingzi had secretly asked Mint to ask the physician toe over for a checkup, but there had been no illnesses found. Finally, the physician had only said that it was mncholy, and wrote a prescription for medicine to settle his mind, asking him to drink it for two days.


    Time had entered spring. asionally, Wu Xingzi would suddenly detect a whiff of peach blossoms in the air. However, Mint and Osmanthus had clearly said that there were no peach trees in Bastion City, and definitely none in the general¡¯s estate. In the years that they had lived, they still had yet to even see how a peach blossom looked like!


    Wu Xingzi could vaguely guess what was going on. If this was not hysteria, then that meant¡­ He sighed lightly. He tossed and turned about on the bed, tired yet unable to fall asleep. His body was lethargic, but he did not want toy in bed.


    As such, he got off the bed, and pulling on a coarse robe, he walked out of the room.


    Again, he busied himself in his garden, removing the weeds, tiling the soil, spreading fertiliser, and catching the pests. There were many pests in the south, and where Bastion City was, there were all varieties of pests. Spring had only juste, and they all came out as though it was a parade. The two girls and Wu Xingzi all had to spend quite a lot of time catching the bugs every day.


    When Mint discovered him, Wu Xingzi had already cleared more than half the garden, and was taking a break, drinking his tea.


    ¡°Master, why didn¡¯t you call me when you woke up?¡± In Mint¡¯s hand, there was a steaming bowl of porridge. From far away, Wu Xingzi could smell the captivating fragrance. Rubbing his tummy, he realised that he was truly hungry.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing important, so I wasn¡¯t going to disturb Osmanthus and you.¡± Even now, Wu Xingzi was still not used to being served by others. His interactions with the two girls were more like family, even though these two girls whom he saw as nieces always called him Master or Mr. Wu.


    ¡°But my sister and I are meant to serve you, what¡¯s there to disturb? You must be hungry! Quick, hurry up and have some porridge to fill your stomach.¡± Mint strode forward and handed the bowl of porridge to Wu Xingzi, then picked up the rest of the gardening work.


    Not long after, Osmanthus too hurried over. When she saw Wu Xingzi, she heaved a huge breath of relief, patting her chest.


    ¡°Master, why didn¡¯t you call me when you woke up?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll definitely inform both of you in the future.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled wryly. He blew across the bowl of porridge, cooling it, before finishing it mouthful by mouthful.


    This porridge looked in and ordinary, but was cooked slowly with bone broth. The rice grains were so soft that they had turned thick and almost pasty. Scattered on top were fried garlic chives. Salty and aromatic, the vour refreshed the body. Other than some slight greasiness that came with using bone broth, the taste was rich and vourful.


    Wu Xingzi finished the porridge in a few gulps, and Osmanthus took the bowl from him. ¡°I¡¯ll get another bowl of porridge for you. This porridge has been prepared by the general before he left, and he instructed us to watch over the fire. Master, do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great, it¡¯s great. Many thanks to all of you.¡± No wonder this taste was so familiar, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart could not feel any sweeter. Guan Shanjin was extremely adept in the kitchen, and never liked to cook anything that looked ostentatious. What he made was simple and basic, but delicious and exquisite, making one wish for more.


    Osmanthus ran lithely towards the kitchen, and Mint bent over, diligently catching pests and removing weeds. Wu Xingzi looked at the scene in front of him, and unconsciously, he fell into a daze again. Watching the cotton-like clouds in the sky, he only returned to his consciousness when Osmanthus came back with another bowl of porridge.


    Silently finishing three bowls of porridge, Wu Xingzi then realised why did he have to trouble the little girl to run here and there. He should have gone to the kitchen himself to get his porridge.


    Now that his stomach was about seventy percent full, Hei¡¯er had appeared out of nowhere next to him. Quietly, Hei¡¯er followed him around, and even helped him sweep the chicken coop.


    Hei¡¯er only spoke up when everything was done. ¡°Would Mr. Wu like to go visit the Peng Society?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Of course, of course¡­¡± Thinking about the pengornis drawings, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes curved in a smile, and he became more alert as well, shoving those emotions stirring within his heart deep down inside him.


    The two girls too wanted to go out and y. Thirteen year old girls happened to be in their most yful period, and so Wu Xingzi did not stop them. The only thing was that the Peng Society might not be suitable for the girls to enter, but Hei¡¯er had said that the branch in Bastion City was disguised as a treasury, and there were many interesting toys that could broaden the girls¡¯ vision.


    In that case, the four of them marched on to the Peng Society.


    With only one step into the Peng Society, a familiar voice came drifting over. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Adviser Wu?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi turned towards that voice. Beyond surprised, he saw a familiar salesman weing him with a bright smile.


    ¡°The manager has been awaiting Adviser Wu¡¯s arrival for many days, please follow me.¡± The salesman cast Hei¡¯er a side-eye, his smile dimming slightly. ¡°Commander Hei is here as well, I hope that you would not be destroying our little shop again.¡±


    ¡°The general won¡¯t be doing so, therefore I won¡¯t dare to do so.¡± With hands lowered, Hei¡¯er¡¯s tone was respectful, and the salesman choked.


    Mint and Osmanthus had already been entranced by the various little trinkets disyed on the shelves. Tilting their little heads, they were whispering to each other as they looked at some bright ss beads in particr, their faces red with excitement.


    Wu Xingzi first confirmed that the two girls were enjoying themselves before following behind the salesman and heading inside.


    Compared to the Peng Society in Goose City, this branch in Bastion City was a lot bigger, but also a lot iner. The pavilions all exuded an aura of simplicity, and the path did not wind as much. Soon, the salesman led them to a bamboo pavilion. Within was a beauty dressed in a deep yellow pce attire, and with a brush in their hand, no one could see what they were writing. Their slender and long fingers were extremely beautiful, and the brush between them was an inky ck colour, the ck so very conspicuous.


    Seeing that it was ady, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face immediately blushed a deep red. Standing outside the pavilion, he hesitated, not daring to step inside. Instead, it was Hei¡¯er who was a lot more straightforward, cupping his hands towards the person within.


    ¡°Manager Rancui, we meet again.¡±


    Manager Rancui? Wu Xingzi was stunned. He hurriedly focused his eyes, and that was really the familiar, beautiful face of Manager Rancui. The only difference was that there seemed to be some cosmetics applied to his face, making him look even more charming and attractive. When he heard Hei¡¯er speak, his brows knitted slightly, and he looked up. Soon he noticed Wu Xingzi and revealed a warm smile.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, it¡¯s been awhile.¡± Rancui straightened agilely, curtseying to him. His smile turned brighter, ¡°You came at a perfect time, would you like to take a look at thetest copy of the Pengornisseur?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sure, sure!¡± Wu Xingzi responded, a delighted look upon his face. In an unguarded moment, he had clean forgotten about Guan Shanjin¡¯s instructions.

 Chapter 47 - There Are Some Things You Actually Did Not Forget

    Chapter 47 ¨C There Are Some Things You Actually Did Not Forget


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Rancui waved his hand, signalling his employee to collect the pengornis drawings that had been mailed to the Peng Society, and then weed Wu Xingzi to sit down and have some snacks.


    Only when half the te was empty did Wu Xingzi realise something. He watched Rancui with a questioning gaze for a moment before asking, ¡°Manager, why are you in Bastion City as well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just suddenly had an urge to have a change of scenery.¡± Rancui covered his smile, then nodded towards Hei¡¯er who was standing outside the pavilion. ¡°Adviser, with Commander Hei still following behind you the whole time, aren¡¯t you annoyed by it?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Manager, it¡¯s me who has troubled Hei¡¯er.¡± Wu Xingzi anxiously waved his hands. He did not understand why Guan Shanjin insisted that Hei¡¯er had to follow him. Hei¡¯er was known as Commander Hei, he definitely had many duties to do, yet he still had to follow Wu Xingzi around. He must definitely feel upset about it!


    ¡°Commander Hei, don¡¯t stand there like a statue. The rare rays of sun have all been blocked by you already.¡± Rancui could never feel at ease whenever he looked at Hei¡¯er. Despite how honest this tanned, swarthy man looked, Rancui still remembered when Guan Shanjin destroyed the Peng Society, Hei¡¯er had rolled his sleeves up without a word and went to work. Guan Shanjin was more verbal than physical, while Hei¡¯er did not say a thing, and only focused on acting physically.


    Rancui¡¯s distaste for Guan Shanjin was due to his concern towards the members of the Peng Society, whereas towards Hei¡¯er, he just inly and simply did not like him. This bastard looked like a dog, and only when he grinned did one realise that he was actually a wolf.


    ¡°Apologies for my discourtesy.¡± Hei¡¯er still had his head bowed, and he moved out of the way, looking very meek and submissive.


    Rancui was steaming internally, but he could not express it openly. He could only snort coldly, and the salesman too happened to have returned, so Rancui just ignored Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, take a look. All seven replies are here, would you like to examine them?¡±


    ¡°Ah, uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blushed red. He stroked the seven letters, his action carrying a little of his yearning. However, he pulled his hand back very quickly as though he had been burnt, and shook his head continuously. ¡°I- I¡¯ll look at them when I get back. I have full trust in how the Manager deals with things.¡±


    Wu Xingzi really did want to look at them. After all, these were amongst the top ten of his pengornis rankings. Still, under bright daylight, with a seemingly otherworldly Rancui in front of him, Wu Xingzi was too shy to pull the drawings out.


    ¡°Adviser Wu hasplimented me too highly.¡± Rancuiughed lightly, but sighed internally. He had tried so hard to protect Wu Xingzi, but he did not manage to protect him from Guan Shanjin this evil wolf. How could he have the cheek to think that he had dealt with things well?


    ¡°Here, this is the newest edition of the Pengornisseur. Adviser, please have fun with it.¡± Rancui nudged the Pengornisseur that had just been published yesterday forward. It was very very thick, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes bulged out upon seeing it.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± The previous issues he owned were only about a hundred pages each, but this copy probably had about three or four hundred pages! In his hands, the book felt very solid and heavy, and in one corner was a small inscription, ¡°Great Xia¡±.


    ¡°Oh, this Pengornisseur is a special edition, and we¡¯ve selected the members from amongst the handsome, talented gentlemen throughout the entire Great Xia. The ones you had previously only consisted of the people from the south.¡± Rancui flipped open the exquisite looking Pengornisseur and started introducing the people within. ¡°Look, the first fifty pages are citizens from the capital, and a remarkable ce produces remarkable people. There are many talents there, and people like General Guan are so numerous that they¡¯re like cobblestones on the ground.¡±


    This was a bald-faced lie, but Rancui did not care.


    Looking through the book, Wu Xingzi was unable to drag his eyes away.


    It had to be said that after interacting so often with Wu Xingzi, Rancui understood what were the preferences of this shy, bashful adviser. Ignoring the rest, Wu Xingzi loved looking at beauties, especially those elegant, refined men who looked very cultured and schrly. For this issue of the Pengornisseur, he had selected the entrants ording to Wu Xingzi¡¯s preferences.


    As expected, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was flushed red, and he started studying the Pengornisseur carefully. Everyone within was the best of the best, with both artistic and moral integrity. The most amazing thing was that there actually was no one that came from an extremely aristocratic background, and they at most were from wealthy families.


    ¡°Wah, this master is so young, yet he has already passed the provincial-level imperial examinations?¡±


    ¡°Ah, this master¡¯s appearance is like an immortal and is very adept at the zither. If there¡¯s an opportunity, I really want to listen to him y.¡±


    ¡°Wow, this master is a physician! Recently, my chest has been feeling a little suffocated, I wonder if he¡¯ll be able to tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were bright, as though they held a gxy of stars within.


    It was Rancui who registered that something was not right. He eyed Hei¡¯er, and frustratedly realised that this bastard was standing there like stone, with his head bowed and motionless, as though he was paying no heed to what they were doing. However, Rancui knew very well as this bastard had very sharp ears, and was also very loyal to boot. Whatever they said would definitely be conveyed word for word to Guan Shanjin.


    Forget it, let him convey whatever he wants. As the Manager of the Peng Society, would he still be afraid of the Great Southern Garrison General? He too had the support of his boss and his boss¡¯s lover behind him!


    Thinking about this, Rancui poured a cup of tea for Wu Xingzi and spoke to him, seemingly casual. ¡°Adviser, have some more of these snacks.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you, thank you.¡± As expected, Wu Xingzi was distracted from the Pengornisseur. He rubbed his hands on his thigh before picking up a walnut pastry and cing it into his mouth.


    ¡°Adviser, I heard you say just now that your chest has been feeling suffocated recently. Have you asked a physician to look at it yet?¡± Rancui sipped his tea, conversing casually.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ ahh¡­ Yes, a physician dide¡­¡± Talking about this matter, Wu Xingzi could not help but sigh. Picking up another walnut pastry, he nibbled at it, looking like he could not decide whether he should talk to Rancui about it or not.


    ¡°Adviser, if you¡¯re notfortable discussing it, let¡¯s just avoid it. Why don¡¯t you see which young master you¡¯re interested in, and send him a letter to make friends?¡± Rancui signalled the salesman to bring out some writing materials, yet Wu Xingzi took the first step, shaking his head continuously to express his objection.


    ¡°No need for the trouble, no need for the trouble. Ai, I¡¯ve already promised Haiwang not to make friends through the pigeon express again. If he were to know that I¡¯ve once again picked it up, he¡¯s going to burn all my pengornis drawings.¡± Even though it was something that had happened over the New Year, just thinking about how the pengornis drawings had turned into shreds in Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands made Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ache in fright.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rancui pursed his lips.


    ¡°However, it¡¯s hard to say when he would end this tryst of ours. By that time, I¡¯ll again be able to make friends through the pigeon express.¡± Rancui noticed that this sentence made Hei¡¯er shift. He seemed to have very quickly looked up and nced at Wu Xingzi. However, this action was too fast and too quick, and before Rancui could confirm anything, he had returned to his motionless state.


    Clicking his tongue lightly, although Rancui was d that Wu Xingzi had not fallen for Guan Shanjin¡¯s pampering, he felt that something was wrong with this entire scenario.


    ¡°Has Adviser ever considered that the general might want to spend the rest of his life with you?¡± Rancui could not help but be curious.


    ¡°The rest of his life with me?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, thenughed aloud. ¡°Manager, you¡¯re thinking too highly of me. Ai, I¡¯m very aware that Haiwang likes noble and unsullied people like Mr. Lu. I¡¯m ugly and old, and I don¡¯t know anything, yet I eat so much. With regards to schrly matters, I nearly did not pass my examinations, so what would Haiwang even like about me?¡±


    Inexplicably, Wu Xingzi recalled a perfume sachet that he had nearly forgotten about. It had once been kept right next to his skin, and taken care of meticulously. One day, he finally woke up, and so he took the sachet out and hung it on his belt. After using it for three or four years, it wore out, and so he just tossed it aside and reced it with a new one. There was no trace of sentimentality over it.


    What scent did that perfume sachet hold? Wu Xingzi could no longer remember. However, that sachet unfathomably made him think of luxuriant peach blossoms.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but shake his head, revealing a wry smile at Rancui. ¡°Manager, there¡¯s nothing special about me, other than knowing myself very well.¡±


    These words were very bitter, and Rancui did not know how to respond. He could onlyugh along and drink his tea.


    Wu Xingzi was too used to reconciling himself to his situation. In no time at all, he recovered from his mncholy. There was no point in contemting over certain matters, so why trouble himself? His days now were pretty good, and perhaps after drinking some of the medicine prescribed to him he would feel better. There was no need to seek out trouble for himself.


    As such, he again cheerily and diligently scanned through the Pengornisseur, periodically givingpliments and eximing over the details within, and he was very contented.


    There was no way for him to finish looking through this Pengornisseur during this period of time. Wu Xingzi recalled Guan Shanjin¡¯s instructions, and dared not bring the book back just like that. He could only tell Rancui to hold it for him in the Peng Society first, and told him that he would being over often during these days.


    Rancui naturally agreed. Seeing that it was about time for lunch, he wanted to invite Wu Xingzi for a meal. However, Wu Xingzi thought about the two girls who were waiting outside, and so decided to make his farewells.


    After sending Wu Xingzi and the other three away, Rancui¡¯s face sank.


    In his eyes, the current situation was not anything good. Wu Xingzi himself might not have realised anything, but Rancui was knowledgeable in the affairs of romance, and he was extremely sensitive towards them.


    No matter how Wu Xingzi convinced himself that it was only a tryst between Guan Shanjin and him, his heart was soon about to be moved. That suffocation he felt, was most likely due to him suppressing his feelings that he dared not express!


    Previously, Rancui had suspected that as Wu Xingzi was so gentle and pliable, and in simple terms, he was very easy to fool, with the way Guan Shanjin pampered people, sooner orter Wu Xingzi would be moved by him. Furthermore, his feelings would be the sort that were deep and profound, that he would love him till the end of days.


    However, Wu Xingzi instead surprised everyone. Despite how glued his eyes were to beautiful people, and that he kept thinking of the Pengornisseur, he had no intention of devoting a single bit of his feelings towards anyone. His heart was concealed deep within him, surrounded by an iron wall, and he dared not hand it out easily.


    Using his boss¡¯s connections, Rancui had spent over a month investigating before he finally found out about Yan Wenxin. As for what happened between the two of them, he was unable to find out anything more. However, Rancui spected that it had something to do with an unfaithful man and a devoted lover. Why else would there still be this unresolved barrier in Wu Xingzi?


    He must definitely have been very hurt, and so was willing to only be a frog in a well!


    Rancui¡¯s stomach started hurting again. However, a person who protected his heart so very well, once he gave his heart away, there was nothing that could make him take it back, and he would fall deeply and quickly.


    Now, Wu Xingzi most likely was unable to protect his heart for long. When he realised his feelings, and sincerely fell for Guan Shanjin, would that fickle thing still continue to pamper and spoil him?


    Ai, his stomach really hurt¡­


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    When Wu Xingzi led the two girls and left the Peng Society, they started discussing where they should have their lunch.


    Unlike Goose City and Qingcheng County, Bastion City was divided into two. There was also a curfew at night, and gates to the city square were closed at 7pm, then they would open at 5am the next morning.


    The city was separated to the east and west, and stalls selling food were mostly found in the west. Mint and Osmanthus led their master down to the ce where all sorts of restaurants gathered with familiar steps, and they pointed at one of them. ¡°Master, do you like mutton? This one is owned by our aunt, and the fried mutton is the best in Bastion City. Master, you can¡¯t take food that¡¯s too spicy, so we can also ask our aunt to adjust the spiciness.¡±


    ¡°Then I definitely must give it a try.¡± Wu Xingzi licked his lips. He was not picky about food, and ate everything. The two girls were very good at cooking as well, so their aunt would definitely be very skilled.


    With dancing eyes, Mint and Osmanthus chattered away and introduced to Wu Xingzi which of their aunt¡¯s dishes were especially delicious. Wu Xingzi¡¯s saliva pooled, and he could not help but rub his belly.


    However, just as they were about to step into the restaurant, someone called out behind them.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡±


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly turned his head towards the voice, and it was actually a youngdy of an outstanding appearance. She had a pair of starry almond eyes that was staring straight at him, making him redden, and he did not know what to do.


    Hei¡¯er was right next to him, and naturally saw thatdy too. Expressionlessly, his tanned face twitched minutely, and with a stride, he stood right in front of Wu Xingzi, blocking him from the youngdy¡¯s audacious gaze.


    This youngdy, was Yue Mingzhu.


    When she saw that Hei¡¯er blocked her view, her face darkened immediately. Opening her mouth, she was about to scold him, only to hold it back. Instead, she angrily said, ¡°Commander Hei, it¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Miss Yue, you¡¯re very courteous.¡± Hei¡¯er cupped his hands together. He did not move a step, clearing signalling that he wanted the other to back down.


    But who was Yue Mingzhu? She was well-known for being spoilt and reckless, like a runaway wild horse. As a wilful and unruly rich youngdy, how would she back down? Furthermore, she had finally bumped into Mr. Wu whom she had long heard about. No matter what, she had to at least meet him, and talk to him.


    ¡°May I ask if that¡¯s Mr. Wu?¡± Even though Hei¡¯er was obstructing her from seeing him, he should still be able to hear her, right?


    ¡°Ah, yes, I am. May I ask who¡­¡± Without thinking, Wu Xingzi poked his head out from behind Hei¡¯er. Towards a youngdy, he could not be impolite.


    ¡°Master, this is Mr. Lu¡¯s fianc¨¦e, the third young miss of the Yue family.¡± Mint lowered her voice, sneakily introducing her to Wu Xingzi. ¡°You have to be careful, Miss Yue is tyrannical and overbearing, don¡¯t be taken advantage of by her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Master, you¡¯re too soft-hearted. It¡¯s better if you let Commander Hei¡¯er deal with her.¡± Osmanthus chimed in with agreement. Both her sister and her had heard about Yue Mingzhu. Miss Yue was very famous. In Bastion City, this ce where women were strong, bold and unrestrained, Yue Mingzhu could still be considered very prominent. It was said that other than her father and her brothers, there was no other man who could suppress her.


    Of course, the people in the general¡¯s estate did not count.


    Honestly speaking, the girls held some secret admiration for Yue Mingzhu¡¯s recklessness and unruliness. However, she was definitely not allowed to bully their master.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yue Mingzhu. We¡¯re seeing each other for the first time, Mr. Wu.¡± Yue Mingzhu did not hear what the girls were whispering about, but seeing how sneaky they looked, there probably was nothing positive about it. Her beautiful eyes narrowed sharply, scaring the two girls into bowing their heads.


    ¡°Miss Yue, I¡¯ve long heard about you, it¡¯s nice to meet you¡­¡± Only after speaking did Wu Xingzi realise his words did not seem quite right, and he smiled embarrassedly.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, you¡¯re about to have lunch?¡± Yue Mingzhu did not continue with any more smalltalk. She was not the sort to do so, and with Hei¡¯er around, who knew what would annoy him? She was extremely frustrated.


    ¡°Yes, yes, has Miss Yue had your lunch yet?¡± Wu Xingzi asked, only to have Mint and Osmanthus tug on one of his sleeves each. nkly, he turned to look at the girls.


    For Yue Mingzhu, this was a great opportunity. She put on a bright smile. ¡°No, not yet. What a coincidence! Mr. Wu, why don¡¯t you let me treat you to the local specialties of Bastion City?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need! Our master can¡¯t take spicy food, but many thanks for Miss Yue¡¯s invitation.¡± How could Mint allow her master to answer? She immediately rejected Yue Mingzhu¡¯s offer.


    ¡°You¡¯re too talkative. Since Mr. Wu is my guest, I¡¯ll definitely go with his preferences. Is there a need for trash like you to p your mouth?¡± Yue Mingzhu red at Mint, sneering. She turned towards Wu Xingzi. ¡°Mr. Wu, what do you think? Everyone has to eat, and I can be considered to be a societal person. Mr. Wu, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    This made Wu Xingzi unable to refuse her. It was time for lunch, and he was truly hungry, but¡­ why did he feel a sort of deja vu about this?


    For some reason, Wu Xingzi stood on alert. He looked at the worried faces of the two girls, and could not help butugh.


    ¡°Thank you Miss Yue for your invitation, but I¡¯ve already promised the two girls that I¡¯ll be eating at this restaurant. I heard that the fried mutton was the best in Bastion City, and so I can only apologise to Miss Yue.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Our aunt is extremely skilled in the kitchen, and her cooking doesn¡¯t lose a single bit to the general! Not only is her fried mutton delicious, her braised mutton, intestines and sheep¡¯s head are extremely tasty too!¡± Mint was delighted, and quickly listed out some of the dishes. As expected, Wu Xingzi kept swallowing his saliva, his hunger written across his face.


    ¡°Oh?! This is simple. I¡¯ll just treat Mr. Wu to a meal in this restaurant then, killing two birds with one stone.¡± Yue Mingzhu walked straight into the restaurant with her maidservant following behind, making Mint and Osmanthus stamp their feet in anger, yet they could do nothing about it.


    Wu Xingzi however was unbothered. No matter who he was eating with, it was still eating, was it not?


    Just as he was about to follow her in, Hei¡¯er surprisingly caught hold of Wu Xingzi.


    Wu Xingzi paused, looking at this man who was so silent as though he did not exist.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, don¡¯t be too bothered by Miss Yue¡¯s words. People would always only say things that are to their benefit.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, yes¡­¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s sudden words had baffled Wu Xingzi. He was curious why Miss Yue wanted to invite him to lunch. The two of them had no rtions with each other, so nothing important should happen, right?


    As Wu Xingzi pondered over it, he entered the restaurant.


    Mint and Yue Mingzhu¡¯s maidservant Chang Yi went to see the restaurant owner, while Osmanthus greeted the server she was familiar with, asking him to prepare a quiet table. Miss Yue stood there with a noble air around her, her back straight, and the people around could not help but sneak looks at her, then quietly whisper to each other.


    Hei¡¯er followed Wu Xingzi, still silent and taciturn. He now stood right in front of Wu Xingzi, blocking him from everyone¡¯s probing gaze.


    Indistinctly, Wu Xingzi seemed to hear some whispers.


    ¡°Could this be that Mr. Wu?¡±


    Someone¡¯s reply came. ¡°Seems like it. Ah, so it turns out that he looks like this.¡±


    Wu Xingzi was a little lost. Aftering to Bastion City, this was the first time he was walking about the city streets. Why were there people talking about him? Ill at ease, he lowered his head, secretly hiding behind Hei¡¯er¡¯s body.


    Ai, could it be that there was some trouble around?

 Chapter 48 - This Apparently Is A Trap Disguised As A Feast

    Chapter 48 ¡ª This Apparently Is A Trap Disguised As A Feast


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    They were fortunate. Because of Osmanthus, the server led them straight into the backyard. They set up a table and a few chairs there, and even had a stand of chinese wisteria next to them.


    Although it was not yet time for the wisteria to bloom, and all they could see were luxuriant green leaves, from Osmanthus¡¯s introduction, as well as the area the nt covered, Wu Xingzi learnt that the wisteria nt was over a hundred years old.


    ¡°Master, if you like it, once the wisteria blooms, let¡¯se and enjoy its blossoms. We can even pluck a few to make pastries.¡± Mint returned, having ordered the dishes. Warmly, she dragged Wu Xingzi along, deliberately ignoring Yue Mingzhu who was sitting at the head of the table.


    ording to custom, Hei¡¯er was a fourth-grade military officer, and amongst their group, he had the highest rank. As such, the seat at the head of the table should have been given to Hei¡¯er. However, Hei¡¯er was currently attending to Wu Xingzi, and so everyone was well aware of who should actually be sitting in that seat.


    It was impossible that Yue Mingzhu was not aware of it, but it was evident that her wilfulness was meant to embarrass Wu Xingzi, as well as to not respect Guan Shanjin at all. Mint and Osmanthus could not say a word about it, but their hearts were filled with indignation.


    Chang Yi wanted to persuade her mistress. After all, the actual intent behind this feast was to ask for a favour. Should she not at least lower her status a little? Her mistress was also usually not this pigheaded!


    ¡°Sure, sure. Ah, I¡¯ve never seen chinese wisterias in bloom before. I¡¯ve heard that the sight is quite spectacr, and I really shoulde take a look,¡± Wu Xingzi eximed, his eyes glued to the nt.


    Amongst the letters his father had left behind, he had once written about the blooming wisteria. A few lines were enough to make Wu Xingzi yearn for them, but there was not even one wisteria nt in Qingcheng County. Although they could be found in Goose City, the nts were all located in private gardens, and Wu Xingzi had neither the rights nor the contacts to get the opportunity to view them. Time passed, and his impression of the wisteria too faded away. With this unexpected opportunity of viewing a hundred year old wisteria nt today, his desire was once again lit up.


    ¡°When does the nt usually bloom?¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but ask. When he looked closely at them, amongst the leaves, tiny, tender buds could be seen. It should not be too long before the nt blossomed again.


    ¡°The flowers shoulde in about one or two months,¡± Osmanthus replied, counting with her fingers. Seeing how brightly Wu Xingzi smiled, Mint and Osmanthus were even more determined to let Wu Xingzi view the splendid sight of the blossoming wisteria nt.


    Watching the master and the two young maids enjoying themselves, pointing at the wisteria nt as theyughed and joked, Yue Mingzhu¡¯s face grew darker as she was left alone. However, in front of Hei¡¯er, she was unable to vent her anger. Her fingers tightened around her cup, almost about to shatter it.


    She had note on her own ord to meet this old fellow, but was forced to do so by her father and brother.


    That mousy old face made Yue Mingzhu extremely repulsed. Such a vulgar and crude person, in what way could hepare to Mr. Lu¡¯s celestial disposition? To actually take this old thing as Mr. Lu¡¯s substitute, did Guan Shanjin not find it nauseating in the least?


    The dishes arrived very quickly. Although there were only three people who could be seated around the table for the meal, the appetites of Hei¡¯er and Wu Xingzi were veryrge. As such, Mint had considerately ordered food enough for ten people, and most of them were stir-fried. The heart, the liver, the stomach and the kidneys, nothing was missing from the table. There were both the front limbs and the back limbs, as well as the brains, the neck and the trotters. The dishes ranged from tender, rich, fatty, and chewy. As expected of a restaurant specialising in mutton, with a dozen of varied dishes, there was also a bowl of mutton soup. It was refreshing and not heavy-tasting at all, and the taste lingered in one¡¯s mouth, making them wish for more.


    Of course, this was from Wu Xingzi¡¯s point of view. After the dishes were served, he was like a country bumpkin entering a big city. Entranced by the food, he could barely restrain himself. Wriggling his nose and taking a deep breath, filling his nose with the aroma, he picked up his bowl and buried himself in the food.


    His table manners were actually rather refined. Wu Xingzi had always been rather cautious with his behaviour. Holding onto his bowl and chopsticks properly, he was not eating very quickly. However, the food was disappearing at a visible rate.


    It forced Yue Mingzhu to have no time to speak, and gritting her teeth, she started eating.


    This originally should have been a feast offered with ill intentions. At least, in the eyes of Yue Mingzhu, this definitely had to be a feast offered with ill intentions. She was supposed to take control of the situation, step by step forcing Wu Xingzi to achieve the objective that she had nned for today.


    Unfortunately, everything had gone off track. Wu Xingzi had sincerely came for a meal, and he was eating too seriously, paying great attention to his food. Yue Mingzhu could not find an opportunity to speak, and with her anger yet to be appeased, she finished two bowls of rice. Only then did she finally gain Adviser Wu¡¯s contented smile that appeared with his satisfied stomach.


    An entire table filled with dishes, other than bones, nothing was left, including onions, ginger, and garlic. Even the gravy of the various dishes had been stirred into rice and eaten. Covering his mouth, Wu Xingzi gave a quiet burp, then apologised to the third young miss of the Yue family with embarrassment.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mr. Wu sure has a voracious appetite.¡± Yue Mingzhu looked at this skinny old thing from head to toe. Unable to understand where the food went, she was left speechless.


    ¡±Many thanks to Miss Yue today for the invite. I¡¯m overwhelmed by the favour, and next time, please let me treat Miss Yue to a feast in return as well.¡± Mint had just secretly reported to Wu Xingzi the cost of this meal. As this was a restaurant located amongst the market streets, the price was very reasonable. As such, Wu Xingzi felt very much relieved.


    If not, he really would have been too embarrassed to ept this meal. Thinking about it, how much did he eat, and how much did Miss Yue actually eat?


    ¡°Mr. Wu does not have to stand on courtesy, my objective today also wasn¡¯t just to treat you to a meal.¡± Finally, she could now discuss what she was supposed to, and Yue Mingzhu exhaled in relief. Adjusting her seat, she turned grave. ¡°Just now, along the stalls outside, I¡¯m sure you heard many people discussing about you.¡±


    She did not beat around the bush, and made Wu Xingzi freeze.


    ¡±This sort of gossip that people chatter about when they have nothing better to do, haspletely nothing to do with our Yue family. Lu-gongzi too will not do something so low, and I have always been living out in the light, and never did anything to be ashamed about. I hope Mr. Wu is aware of this.¡± Yue Mingzhu did not need Wu Xingzi to respond. Her aim today was to clear the names of Mr. Lu and herself, and so she only insisted on presenting her own opinion.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. The meaning lying underneath Miss Yue¡¯s words implied that he was biased, and listened only to one side of the story. He could not help but want to exin his position.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything, I understand that Mr. Wu is definitely unhappy to hear such filthy talk, and toin about it to the general is very understandable. Today, I have no intentions of reproaching Mr. Wu for your unhappiness. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t like that you¡¯re sowing dissection.¡± How would Yue Mingzhu ever have the patience to listen to Wu Xingzi¡¯s exnation? She only summoned Chang Yi over.


    Chang Yi hurriedly held out the little parcel she had been carrying the entire time. Yue Mingzhu unwrapped it, and inside it, there was an exquisitely made boxcquered red. She then pushed it towards Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°This is a little gift from me, and can be considered an offering of friendship to Mr. Wu.¡± Yue Mingzhu raised her chin slightly, the center of her brows tinged with disdain and impatience. ¡°Mr. Wu, since you¡¯ve now gained the pampering of the general, then you should carefreely remain as his pet. Although in the beginning, the general had only taken you as Lu-gongzi¡¯s substitute¡­¡±


    Yue Mingzhu gave an abruptugh, and even a three year old child could recognise the contempt and evil intention in it.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red before paling dramatically. He forced a wry smile towards Miss Yue, wanting to speak in his own defense, only to have Yue Mingzhu again raise her hand towards him to stop him.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s because the general¡¯s eyes have failed, or his heart is blind, it is certainly true that he saw you as Lu-gongzi¡¯s substitute. You can ask the general yourself, how much of his feelings for you is due to Mr. Lu. As such, I¡¯ll leave you a reminder here. The general¡¯s great concern and consideration towards you now is all because of Mr. Lu.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, I¡­¡±


    Yue Mingzhu frowned, ring at him disgustedly. ¡°Mr. Wu, I don¡¯t have so much free time to listen to your excuses. The sort of person you are, I¡¯ve seen too many of them. There are only so many methods of gaining favour, and there¡¯s no point in mentioning them to me. Today, you¡¯re upset and so you tattle to the general in bed, sowing discord in the teacher-student rtionship between the general and Mr. Lu. Such methods, pardon my rudeness, are truly repulsive.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± There was no way Wu Xingzi was able to exin himself, as Yue Mingzhupletely had no intention of allowing him to speak, only resolutely cutting him off.


    ¡°Go back and convey this to the general, a teacher for a day, a father for life. At the end of the day, Lu-gongzi is his teacher, and since he has feelings for Lu-gongzi, after being rejected, he should just ept it with no hesitation. This is how a man should behave. All these underhanded tricks, although I cannotpare with the general¡¯s immense power, there is no difficulty for me to cause a fuss that would harm both sides. He cannot afford to offend thedies of Bastion City. The same goes for you, understand clearly what¡¯s your position and status. Since you¡¯ve already benefited from your association with Lu-gongzi, stop making a fool of yourself. You think by smearing Mr. Lu¡¯s name, you¡¯ll be able to gain greater favours? Hmph! A lousy adviser from some poor ce, how parochial.¡±


    Finished speaking, Yue Mingzhu was very satisfied with her words, and she tapped on thecquered box.


    ¡°This is all I have to say. Mr. Wu, ept this gift. I also hope that you¡¯ll be a bit smarter.¡± Not caring whether Wu Xingzi actually wanted to ept the gift or not, Yue Mingzhu stood up and whirled out of the restaurant with her maidservant.


    Wu Xingzi sat there nkly,pletely at a loss. He did not even understand the cause and effect of the entire matter, and finally, he looked towards Hei¡¯er bemusedly.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er has beenmanded by the general, and cannot discuss on such matters.¡± He cupped his hands, looking apologetic, and changed the topic. ¡°However, if you were to chat casually with the girls, I didn¡¯t hear a thing.¡±


    Mint and Osmanthus were extremely quick, and knew that this was Commander Hei turning a blind eye. They too were distressed over Wu Xingzi, and so they started making theirints known quietly.


    ¡°That Miss Yue is so unreasonable, how could Mr. Wu ever speak ill of others?¡± Mint started their conversation with this statement, as she deliberated over how to downy the situation.


    ¡°Master, don¡¯t listen to Miss Yue¡¯s nonsense. Things between the general and Mr. Lu are not like that. It¡¯s just that Mr. Lu is about to get married, and so the general naturally cannot spoil Mr. Lu like the past. Miss Yue should be delighted about this.¡± Osmanthus was a lot more direct, spitting at the end.


    Wu Xingzi was very confused. He long knew that there was definitely a reason for Guan Shanjin¡¯s affections towards him. It was just that he had never considered that he was Mr. Lu¡¯s substitute, as their appearances and bearings were twoplete opposites. Who would ever think of any simrities between the two of them? Did Guan Shanjin have a problem with his eyesight? Should they get a physician to check him out? Could it be an indiscernible injury left from the battlefields?


    With such a train of thoughts, Wu Xingzi now started worrying over Guan Shanjin instead.


    ¡°Ai, exactly! In the past, I felt that Mr. Lu was like a celestial being. Only now did I know that this bearing of his is only just a lie.¡± Mint pursed her lips. Naturally, she waspletely on Wu Xingzi¡¯s side.


    ¡°Yes, the general is now treating Mr. Lu like an outsider. The Yue family had originally hoped that through Mr. Lu, they could rely on the general¡¯s support. Instead, our general is wise and decisive, cutting off such thoughts directly. No wonder the Yue family¡¯s anxious. Without our general¡¯s support, Mr. Lu now holds no use for the Yue family,¡± Osmanthus snorted. Despite her young age, she was rather knowledgeable, and was well aware of this situation. Of course, the Yue family would naturally know this even better than she did.


    Although the Yue family was the top merchant family in Bastion City, under Guan Shanjin¡¯s order, there were many goods that could not flow outwards in great quantities to the south.


    Of course, goodsing from the south too had to go through the control of the general¡¯s estate, and the estate would then distribute them to various merchants. Each year, the merchants would have to pay for a permit, the amount each merchant family could get was stated clearly on the permits. The most a merchant could get was forty percent of the total goods.


    Although the south was barbaric, they had many quality items that the Great Xia did not. What the merchants focused on was buying low and selling high, as well as having an easy way of importing and exporting goods. However, as the guard of this border city, what Guan Shanjin found more important was to destroy the enemies before they could even rise, and naturally he could not allow the south to live toofortably but still gain a certain amount of stability and spirit to them. Since he could not obliterate the south, then he would just employ the boiling frog method, adapting to the situation and slowly crippling his enemies by providing them with just enough of what they needed.


    Mint and Osmanthus could not understand such matters, but they believed that the general had his reasoning for his decisions.


    Many citizens of Bastion City were unhappy with the rulesid by the general¡¯s estate. However, despite the orders, for Bastion City to be so peaceful came with its own advantages as well, which was enough to make everyone deeply grateful. No one would query the general¡¯s estate.


    After all, just six years ago, Bastion City was still a war-torn ce where no one knew if they could survive till the next day!


    ¡°But Mr. Lu is still the general¡¯s teacher after all¡­¡± Thinking of that benign and open-hearted man dressed in white, Wu Xingzi was inexplicably sympathetic.


    ¡°Master, you cannot feel sorry for him. So what if Mr. Lu and the general have a teacher-student rtionship? It has nothing to do with us at all.¡± Seeing that things seemed about to veer down a wrong path, Mint quickly advised Wu Xingzi. ¡°The general would keep a distance from Mr Lu; it¡¯s because the Yue family wants to gain benefits using Mr. Lu. The general had no choice but to do so.¡±


    ¡°Like this, it¡¯s actually¡­¡± Wu Xingzi bowed his head, contemting it for a moment before nodding and agreeing with Mint.


    That was true. If people were to coerce the general¡¯s estate through Mr. Lu¡¯s status, and made things difficult for Guan Shanjin, it was not anything good too. Naturally, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart sided more towards Guan Shanjin, and so that bit of sympathy faded by quite a bit.


    ¡°I wonder what Miss Yue has prepared.¡± Mint looked at thecquered box on the table with undisguised curiosity.


    ¡°Shall we open it and take a look?¡± Wu Xingzi would of course pamper the two girls. Picking the box up, he opened it and was startled into freezing with just a nce.


    The interior was lined with fine silk, a light, golden-yellow colour that shimmered slightly. In the center, there were five gold ingots, so unexpected that it shocked everyone.


    ¡°Is she bribing you?¡± Mint broke the silence.


    ¡°This, this¡­ this is too valuable.¡± Wu Xingzi pressed his palm against his chest, exhaling slowly. This was really too precious a gift.


    Ignoring Miss Yue¡¯s intention of gifting money, whether it was to humiliate him, or because she was that rich and arrogant, for Wu Xingzi, money was something that was a lot more practical than anything else.


    With five gold ingots, when he returned to Qingcheng County, he would be able to start a small business to earn a living. He could afford a Liuzhou Coffin1, and even hire people to sweep his grave once he died!


    Ah¡­ Miss Yue really had such a bright and clever heart!


    Wu Xingzi was conflicted for quite some time, and in the end, his characteristic old-fashioned honesty still took the lead. A little reluctantly, he closed the lid of the box back down, and handed it to Hei¡¯er. ¡°Sorry to trouble you to help me return this to Miss Yue. Such a valuable gift, I really am unable to ept it.¡±


    ¡°Hei¡¯er understands.¡± Taking the box and tucking it into his clothes, Hei¡¯er knew very well that Wu Xingzi was sincere, and so did not persuade him to keep it to prevent him from feeling awkward. ¡°Does the adviser still n on walking about the market streets?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that, let¡¯s go back.¡± Wu Xingzi had wanted to do so, but when he recalled the rumours and gossip about him on the streets, he had no choice but to dismiss the idea.


    ¡°However, who exactly was the one to spread the rumour this time?¡± Before they left, Osmanthus murmured with knitted brows.


    Hei¡¯er nced at her, then at Wu Xingzi. In the end, he lowered his head, and did not say a word.

 Chapter 49 - That Peach Forest, Once Upon A Time

    Chapter 49 ¡ª That Peach Forest, Once Upon A Time


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    This time, Guan Shanjin was away for quite a number of days. Wu Xingzi could not put into words how he felt, but he kept feeling an emptiness within his heart. Even gardening and rearing his chickens did not improve his mood.


    Seven days had passed, and Wu Xingzi could not even summon up the enthusiasm to visit the Peng Society. Dully, he finished his breakfast, and just like always, tidied up his garden plots, cleaned up his chicken coop and stared at the round, plump hen in a daze. His fixed gaze made the hen cluck non-stop, fleeing for a ce to hide.


    ¡°Master.¡± Calling him back was Mint¡¯s sweet and crisp voice. Lifting up her skirt, the girl sprinted towards him from outside, her eyes shining with delight.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but smile. Whether it was Mint or Osmanthus, if he did not have these two girls around, his days would be so boring!


    ¡°What happened?¡± Wu Xingzi patted Mint¡¯s head. The girl was still gasping for breath as she held her hand out towards him as though she was presenting a treasure.


    Clutched in that little, fair hand was a branch of peach blossoms.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s smile stiffened, and he looked at Mint in astonishment. ¡°This is¡­ a peach blossom? I thought there weren¡¯t any peach trees in Bastion City?¡±


    ¡°There didn¡¯t used to be, but I asked my aunt, and found out that the Zhu family had nted a few peach trees in their courtyard. They came into bloom this year!¡±


    Mint exined that the Zhu family was a local aristocratic family of Bastion City. Unlike the Yue family who were merchants, they were one of the rare schrly families here. From their previous few generations, they had produced officials who held positions in the capital. The current head of the family too originally had a position there as well, butter retired to his hometown. This was the reason why they had such a refined leisurely interest in nting peach trees.


    These peach trees had been transported from nearby counties, and the Zhu family really had to be admired for managing to cultivate them. There were no buds to even be seen during the past two years, but now, the branches wereden with blossoms.


    ¡°Master, didn¡¯t you keep smelling the scent of peach blossoms the past few days? It should havee from the Zhu family. The Zhu Manor is only one household away from the General¡¯s Estate.¡± Mint cautiously handed the branch over to Wu Xingzi, speaking earnestly, ¡°Master, I know that you most definitely are homesick, so on your behalf, I asked them for a branch of the peach tree. Let¡¯s nt it in the General¡¯s Estate as well!¡±


    How could she and her sister not register their master¡¯s abnormality these days? Previously, Wu Xingzi had always been tranquil and carefree. It never mattered to him whether the general came to see him or not, and he spent his days with relish. However, ever since that meal with the youngdy of the Yue family, their master had changed. A sadness could always vaguely be seen between his brows, and he would periodically rub his chest. His gaze was always like a thousand yard stare, living as though he was in a fugue.


    This made the two girls scold Miss Yue countless times internally, and they were extremely anxious! After that, with some prompting from Hei¡¯er, they found out that the Zhu family had nted peach trees. Osmanthus recalled that earlier, Wu Xingzi had asked a few times if there were any peach trees in the General¡¯s Estate, and so guessed that their master probably liked these flowers. Perhaps, after seeing them, he might feel a little better?


    And so the two sisters mustered up their courage to go up to the Zhu family to ask for a branch of peach blossoms. Fortunately, the Zhu family was erudite, and they were kind and gentle to the girls. Without any fuss or any questions, they broke a branch off for them.


    Wu Xingzi was lost for a moment. A thousand confused thoughts jumbled in his head, and he stared at the peach blossoms for a long time without a word. Only after noticing Mint¡¯s little flushed face from the corner of his eye did he then barely manage to steady his emotions, and smiled at the girl. ¡°Thank you very much, this branch of peach blossoms has grown really nicely.¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s actually the first time my sister and I have seen peach blossoms. With their pink colour, they look a little simr to plum blossoms, but after looking closely, they look different.¡± Mint watched Wu Xingzi¡¯s smiling face joyfully, feeling a huge relief within her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Osmanthus?¡± Wu Xingzi held on to the branch. The wafting scent of the peach blossoms made him feel extremely stifled, but he was unwilling to let the girl notice any discrepancy, and so he could only distract her.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone to the main kitchen to ask for some flour and sugar. The eldest youngdy of the Zhu family had taught us about a snack made with peach blossoms, and we¡¯d like to make it for you to try.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You girls really have many ideas up your sleeves.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled as he ruffled Mint¡¯s hair, and then told her, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired, and I¡¯d like to return to my room and rest for a bit. There¡¯s no need to wake me up for lunch, we¡¯ll decide about it when I¡¯m awake. Osmanthus and you should go ahead and eat, alright?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, I understand.¡± Mint nodded her head continuously. She wanted to help Wu Xingzi back to his room, but was sent away to help her sister in preparing the snacks. Thinking that Wu Xingzi should be feeling peckish, Mint naturally obediently listened and followed the instructions.


    When she was a distance away, the smile on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face vanished abruptly, and hisplexion was even a little ashen.


    He looked down at the peach blossoms. Feeling as though he was holding onto a me, he was momentarily flustered. It was Hei¡¯er who appeared out of nowhere, affably taking the branch from his hands, and solving Wu Xingzi¡¯s immediate concern.


    However, Wu Xingzi was unable to spare any gratitude for Hei¡¯er. He turned away, almost fleeing back into his room. After closing the door and windows, he copsed onto his bed. Traces of Guan Shanjin¡¯s scent could still be detected from the nket, only a lot weaker. In a few more days, it might even dissipatepletely.


    He took in a harsh, deep breath, feeling a lot moreposed after that. Despite this, he was unable to stop himself from remembering that name¡­


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong¡­¡±


    Wu Xingzi once thought that he had forgotten about that episode in his life. Who would have known that after saying this name out once again, he would still feel a heartrending pain, the throbbing aches making his vision blurry.


    That tall figure standing amongst the peach trees, his clothes fluttering, looking like the deity of peach blossoms. At that time, Wu Xingzi was only eighteen, and that image dazzled him.


    From that moment one, Yan Wenxin, Yan Zaizong¡­ Zaizong-xiong, this person was deeply engraved in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart.


    Wu Xingzi had always liked elegant and refined-looking men, but Yan Wenxin did not actually fit that criteria. The Yan Wenxin of twenty-something years old had a face that was a little too feminine, and was mocked for looking as though he was a fickle and disloyal man. His lips were too thin, and his eyes were nted and narrow. When he did not smile, he looked very unkind, but when he smiled, it was like flowers blooming in spring.


    Wu Xingzi liked his smile. It was as though with it, the world was suffused with warmth.


    His parents had only been gone for two years, and Wu Xingzi had yet to get used to being alone. However, because of his old-fashioned and shy character, he had still been unable to find a partner whom he could spend the rest of his life with.


    Yan Wenxin seemed to have added colours into his life, and finally, in the biting cold winter, a warm spring breeze blew.


    Although Great Xia did not ban homosexual rtionships, it was still rare for two men to be in love with each other. Also, Yan Wenxin whole-heartedly wanted to be an official, and naturally had to pay great attention to his personal virtues. Wu Xingzi had originally only wanted to just like him in secret. Even if they could not be partners together for life, as long as he could be next to Yan Wenxin, reading and chatting, it was enough for him.


    The one to first tear the thin barrier between the both of them apart, was Yan Wenxin.


    Wu Xingzi thought that he had long forgotten the past. Only now did he learn that there were things that could never be forgotten in one¡¯s lifetime. It was just that he had buried them and locked them deep within his heart, and they were out of sight, out of mind.


    It was raining that day. By the time he reached Goose City, it was already afternoon, and done with his errands, it waste in the day. There was an empty room in the magistrate¡¯s office of Goose City where he could stay temporarily, and since that was the case, Wu Xingzi did not stand on courtesy, taking upancy. However, although his amodations had been settled, his stomach was empty! Contemting for a moment, his cheeks blushed a light pink, and he hurried off to look for Yan Wenxin with his little money pouch.


    To prepare for his examinations, Yan Wenxin lived a rather destitute life. Despite his poverty, he had nock of will. He would rather starve and have just rice water for his meals, than to borrow even a coin from others. During the day, he would sell some of his writings on the street, earning a pittance of living expenses, and saving most of them in preparation of going to the capital to participate in the examinations.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart naturally ached for him. However, he was reluctant to hurt his pride, and so always found all sorts of excuses to bring some food and necessities for him.


    Like today, Wu Xingzi bought a roasted goose in the market, as well as a few pieces of tbread, two big bowls of noodles, and two big bowls of porridge, before hurrying to Yan Wenxin¡¯s residence.


    The sun had setpletely. Looking in through the window, the room was dark and gloomy. Inside it, there was a me so tiny it looked like a thin thread, twisting about fascinatingly.


    After knocking on the door, Wu Xingzi immediately pushed his way in, calling out, ¡°Zaizong-xiong, are you here?¡±


    ¡°Is that Xingzi? Why did youe?¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s voice was not far away. With a bit of fiddling, the candle was now a lot brighter, and that face with its sharp chin was now clearly lit.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for you to apany me in my dinner.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled as he lifted up the food in his hands. That roast goose was extremely conspicuous.


    Hearing that, Yan Wenxinughed quietly. ¡°Come over here. You keep thinking of all sorts of ways to feed me, with a friend like you, I have no way of repaying it.¡±


    ¡°Ai, what are you saying that for?¡± Having been exposed, Wu Xingzi blushed in embarrassment, feeling a little awkward. However, there was an inexplicable sweetness welling up within him.


    The two people set the table, and dug in sitting across each other.


    Yan Wenxin did not own many things. The bowls and chopsticks that Wu Xingzi was using were actually brought over by himself previously, and left there.


    With Wu Xingzi¡¯s usual appetite, only bones would be left from that roast goose. However, in front of Yan Wenxin, he only ate a small part of it courteously, leaving the rest for him. Whether it was the noodles or the porridge, he was determined that Yan Wenxin would be fed till tomorrow¡¯s lunch.


    ¡°Ah, Xingzi, your appetite isn¡¯t big as well, but why do you always bring so much with you every time?¡± Zaizong looked at Wu Xingzi who already had his chopsticks down as he had eaten his fill, a smile across his face.


    Wu Xingzi lowered his head, scratching at his cheek. He was too embarrassed to say that these were actually purchased ording to his usual appetite, and there waspletely no problem in finishing every single bit of it. It was just that he had left arge portion all just for Yan Wenxin.


    As expected, the leftovers were carefully packed away by Yan Wenxin, and heughed as he said that they were enough tost him till dinner time tomorrow.


    Since they were both now fed, Wu Xingzi nned on making his farewells. Unexpectedly, Yan Wenxin suddenly caught hold of his hand.


    As a schr, Yan Wenxin¡¯s hands were soft and smooth. With only a few calluses, they were a lot more supple that Wu Xingzi¡¯s own hands. Still, that pair of hands was broad and firm, and their shape was well-proportioned. His fingers were long, and they were extremely nice-looking.


    Even more so, the heat of his palm seemed to be searing hot.


    The warmth burrowed in through the skin, spreading throughout Wu Xingzi¡¯s body along his meridian channels.


    Wu Xingzi trembled lightly. He shot a swift nce at Yan Wenxin, before turning his reddening face away.


    ¡°You have something to say, Zaizong-xiong?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yan Wenxin replied with a smile. He took hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s other hand as well, reducing the distance between both of them bit by bit. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s raining outside, are you in a hurry to leave?¡±


    Listening carefully, there really was the pattering of raindrops. However, it was not heavy, and by the time he reached the magistrate¡¯s office, Wu Xingzi might not even bepletely soaked.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong means¡­?¡± Wu Xingzi could not suppress a swell of anticipation, but very quickly, he got rid of that thought. They had been interacting for months already, and had always been treating each other like good friends. Yan Wenxin had even once said that he wanted to seed on both the civil and military front, then marry a beautiful bride, and bring honour to his family name.


    ¡°Xingzi.¡± Yan Wenxin tightened his grip, as though he was pulling on Wu Xingzi¡¯s heartstrings.


    A silence, while the rain outside fell heavier. The raindrops drummed upon the gstone path outside, and the air in the room dampened.


    However, they remained motionless. Neither moved, and neither spoke. All they could hear was the breathing of the other.


    No one was aware of how much time had passed. Yan Wenxin gave a sudden small sigh, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart leapt violently into his throat.


    ¡°Xingzi,¡± Yan Wenxin again called out.


    ¡°Ai,¡± His mouth dry, Wu Xingzi replied.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    The Wu Xingzi in the memories gasped along with the Wu Xingzi remembering. However, the past him was joyful, while the current him was in pain.


    The sentence reverberated in his ears, like an awl jabbing non-stop in the most painful ce, jabbing until Wu Xingzi¡¯s vision had turned blurry with tears, but he could only grit his teeth and suffer.


    In his life, he had only liked this one person. Wu Xingzi was aware that he, himself, was clumsy, aware that he was ugly and was also aware that he was really not clever. But he was sincere, he was earnest, and for Yan Wenxin he was happy, for Yan Wenxin he was sad, for Yan Wenxin¡¯s future, he could give everything he had.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± After so many years, this was the first time Wu Xingzi gave voice to the question that he had for Yan Wenxin.


    Why did he not say it?


    He understood that a person¡¯s heart could change, and Wu Xingzi never requested for the things that he gave to be reciprocated. All he wanted was a word, a farewell, and that was already enough.

 Chapter 50 - A Qin’s Melody Spells One’s Emotions

    Chapter 50 ¡ª A Qin¡¯s Melody Spells One¡¯s Emotions


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wu Xingzi had skipped both lunch and dinner. Worried, Mint and Osmanthus kept darting nces towards the room the entire day, but the general had instructed that unless Wu Xingzi or him called out to them, no one was allowed to enter on their own ords.


    Even when the moon rose, and the stars littered the skies, not a single light was lit in the room.


    In the end, even Hei¡¯er came to the door, contemting if he should force his way into the room with a solemn expression.


    It was nearly seven in the evening, but no sound or movement could be detected from inside. Carrying a bowl of food and a box of peach blossom pastries, Mint and Osmanthus called out to Wu Xingzi a few times from outside, so anxious that they wanted to kick the door open.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Just as the three people were filled with agitation, a man¡¯s pleasant voice came from behind them.


    ¡°General!¡± Upon turning her head around, Mint almost leapt for joy. Guan Shanjin was standing there, travel-stained, frowning as he patted away the dust on his clothes.


    In a rush, she ran over with the bowl. ¡°Mr. Wu has been hiding in his room since noon, and he didn¡¯t even have lunch or dinner. Commander Hei¡¯er, my sister and I have called him a few times, but Mr. Wu did not respond at all.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t eat at all?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯splexion darkened. On his back was a long item wrapped in cloth, and from its size, it looked quite hefty. Seemingly precious, Guan Shanjin had not put it down at all.


    ncing at the cold food Mint was holding, he waved her off. ¡°Take them away. Go to the main kitchen and ask for some eggs, meat and vegetables then bring them here. I¡¯ll prepare them for himter, all of you can leave first.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we let Mr. Wu have some peach blossom pastries to settle his stomach first?¡± Osmanthus raised the box of pastries in her hand.


    ¡°Peach blossoms?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows creased, and he red at Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°Reporting, the Zhu residence has nted three peach trees in their backyard, and they flowered this year. Mr. Wu noticed the scent of the peach blossoms over the past few days and asked about it a few times. That¡¯s why the girls went to ask for a branch,¡± Hei¡¯er answered with a bowed head. Nothing wrong could be detected from his tone and his attitude. Guan Shanjin just looked at him like this, then snorted coldly.


    ¡°You actually know how to give me such a perfunctory answer now? All right then.¡± Guan Shanjin walked past Hei¡¯er, tapping on the door with his finger. ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡±


    Still no reaction came from within, and so Guan Shanjin went ahead to push the door open. Not allowing others to see the inside of the room, he closed the door right behind him.


    Within was aplete darkness.


    No lights were lit, and Guan Shanjin did not bother lighting any as well. Listening to the familiar breathing, he walked towards it.


    The moonlight filtered its way in through the window. It was as though a thin piece of silk gauzey over the room, and sedate, slow breaths scattered through the air.


    The bed curtains were down, and a wrapped up ball could vaguely be seen within. Guan Shanjin could not help but smile. He was not in a hurry to wake Wu Xingzi up. Covered with days of dust and travel-stained, he had to first clean himself up before it was feasible for him to hug and caress the man who was wrapped inside to his own delight.


    From the sound of his breathing, Wu Xingzi should be deeply asleep, and was not sick or ill. Naturally, Guan Shanjin rxed.


    Undoing the bag tied to his back and cing it on the table, Guan Shanjin next went outside the room to call for Mint and Osmanthus to bring him warm water for washing up. Once he was done cleaning up, and was refreshed, he changed into a set offortable clothes. By then, it was nearly 9pm. Only now did he lift up the curtains and sat down on the edge of the bed, patting the old quail through the nket.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡± Guan Shanjin gently called out for him over and over again. After about ten timester did an indistinct responsee from within.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi mumbled sleepily. It looked like he had been crying before he fell asleep. His eyes were swollen, and he could not open them fully. Only after a bout of stretching did he pop his red, flushing face out from within the nket. Tilting his head, he looked at Guan Shanjin with eyes that had swelled to the size of walnuts.


    ¡°Hmm? What happened?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached, seeing those eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Wu Xingzi was not yet fully awake. He had slept for a very long time, and he was still groggy. Without thinking, he scrunched up the nket as he repeated Guan Shanjin¡¯s question.


    ¡°Your eyes are swollen from crying.¡± Guan Shanjin sighed as he frowned, carefully picking the man up from within the nket, and pulling him into a firm embrace. ¡°Who made you unhappy, hmm?¡±


    Of course, he had an idea. Although he was not around over the past few days, he still paid attention to everything that had to do with Wu Xingzi, be it great or small. Only this matter of peach blossoms today had managed to stir up trouble under his watch, so who knew what Man Yue had instructed Hei¡¯er to do behind his back?


    Wu Xingzi blearily nuzzled his face into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest before taking in a deep breath. Holding it in for some time, he then slowly, and reluctantly exhaled.


    Such attachment made Guan Shanjin melt into aplete puddle. Whenever Wu Xingzi was awake, he would never present such an image of himself to Guan Shanjin. Wu Xingzi always cautiously kept a reserved distance, as though he was worried that if he went in too deep, he would fall into a bottomless abyss.


    After some time, Guan Shanjin naturally understood his mind, but there was nothing he could do about it. The character of this old fellow was gentle, yet stubborn like a cow. In the end, it was Guan Shanjin himself who was always stifled by his anger.


    ¡°Shall I prepare some porridge for you? Then help you massage your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Mn, I¡¯d like to have the rabbit porridge,¡± Wu Xingzi mumbled. This was the first dish of Guan Shanjin he had ever eaten, and it was truly astonishing. Wu Xingzi had never had a porridge so delicious before. After that, despite Guan Shanjin preparing ten different types of porridge for him, each more delicious and exquisite than the other, they could neverpare to that first bowl of porridge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare that next time, we currently don¡¯t have any rabbit meat. I¡¯ll go hunt a few in the next few days for you, alright?¡± Sympathetically, he kissed both of Wu Xingzi¡¯s swollen eyes. Guan Shanjin hugged and rocked Wu Xingzi slightly in his arms to make sure that he was truly awake, before letting him go. ¡°I have a gift for you. y with it while I¡¯m preparing the porridge?¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Only then did Wu Xingzie to a sudden realisation that he was lying in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms like a fool. Blushing a bright red, he pulled away, quietly responding with his head lowered. ¡°I-it¡¯s nice that you¡¯re back already, why did you prepare a gift?¡±


    Just now, was he nuzzling in Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace and breathing in his scent? Ai, Wu Xingzi! You useless thing.


    But Guan Shanjin was really very nice-smelling! How befitting of the Lanling Prince of pengornises, even aftering to life, there was nothingcking about him. It had been a number of days since Wu Xingzist greeted the pengornis, and he did rather miss it.


    ¡°Where are you letting your imagination run off to this time?¡± Guan Shanjin gazed at Wu Xingzi¡¯s face that could never hide his expressions. That pair of limpid eyes happened to be directed towards his crotch, and it made Guan Shanjin neither able tough nor cry. No matter the reason why Wu Xingzi was crying before he fell asleep, right now, in front of the pengornis, like snow under the sun, it had all melted away.


    ¡°No no no, I¡¯m just¡­ hungry.¡± Wu Xingzi still could not control his eyes from drifting down towards the Lanling pengornis. If not for the earth-shattering grumbling of his stomach, he really wanted to thicken his skin and request for a meeting with the pengornis.


    ¡°There¡¯ll be time for you to y, so why are you in a hurry?¡± Guan Shanjin pinched his fleshy nose. Leading Wu Xingzi down the bed, Guan Shanjin pointed at the cloth-wrapped package on the table. ¡°Here, have fun with this little toy by yourself. I¡¯ll go prepare the porridge for you first, I don¡¯t want you to get gastric pain from hunger.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Wu Xingzi carefully unwrapped the package. When he saw what was inside, his eyes widened, and he stuttered, astounded. ¡°T-t-this¡­ this is a qin?¡±


    In the package was a qin that looked rather rough-hewn on first nce, but after looking over it carefully, it exuded an exquisite air. Wu Xingzi was momentarily at a loss for what to do. He ced his hands behind his back, his fingers moving slightly, wanting to touch but he dared not ce his hands on the item so easily. He could not tell if this qin was of a good quality or not, but how could it be possible that Guan Shanjin would gift something of a bad quality?


    Guan Shanjin helped him set up the qin properly. Pushing Wu Xingzi to sit down behind it, he pulled his hands out, cing them on the qin and causing his fingers to stroke it lightly.


    Although the strumming was out of tune, it still sounded pleasant and sweet. It definitely had to be a famous qin.


    Again, Wu Xingzi wanted to pull his hands away. This time, Guan Shanjin did not stop him, instead dotingly pinched his palm before turning to go to the kitchen to prepare the porridge. Left in the room, Wu Xingzi stared at the qin for a moment, his face suffused with a burning red.


    ¡°Here long, there short, is the duckweed; On the left, on the right, we gather it. The modest, retiring, virtuous, youngdy; With lutes, small andrge, let us give her friendly wee¡­1Trantion of the poem is taken from https://ctext.org/book-of-poetry/odes-of-zhou-and-the-south/ens2¡± Registering what he was reciting, Wu Xingzi nearly could not hold his seat. Already forty, yet he was still muddle-headed. He was neither modest and quiet, nor was he a virtuous youngdy. What exactly was his brain thinking?! How could he be so shameless!


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly admonished himself silently, but he could not suppress that shy delight welling up within him. In his life, he had never received anything nice, except for that old perfume sachet and this qin. Even if he were to ignore the origins of the perfume sachet, there was still no way it couldpare to this qin.


    Since Guan Shanjin had gifted him a qin, did it represent something?


    ¡°No no no, Wu Xingzi, you fool! Guan Shanjin is young and aplished, and his beloved is clearly Mr. Lu¡­¡±


    Exactly!


    Wu Xingzi finally calmed down. Patting his chest, he nodded non-stop.


    Miss Yue had said it already. The reason why Guan Shanjin was good to him was because of Mr. Lu. Guan Shanjin loved Mr. Lu too deeply, and so he did not dare to request him to reciprocate his affections. That was why he had chosen him to be his substitute.


    ¡°Ai, in any case, I don¡¯t know how to y the qin as well¡­¡± Thinking that he had found a resolution, the blush on Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks gradually lessened. He was still happy, but he no longer felt that shy delight from before. At the very least, Guan Shanjin still treated him very well.


    Since there no longer existed any unrealistic fantasy, Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude calmed down by a lot as well. He looked at the qin, and the yearning within him was still present. Although he had no sense of tune, he really did like the sound of the qin. His father was very skilled at ying the qin as well, and Wu Xingzi had heard that there was no one in the neighbouring counties and cities that couldpare to his father. When Wu Xingzi was a child, his father wanted to teach him how to y. However, after a month of lessons, his father had no choice but to give up.


    Although Wu Xingzi could not be considered tone-deaf, he was able to y every note a beat slower. If he was asked to y faster, he would end up a beat ahead. Wu Xingzi was always too fast or too slow, and the melody would bepletely destroyed by him.


    Worse still, was that Wu Xingzi himself could not hear the problem. He delighted in ying, causing his father to endure this suffering with ringing ears thatsted for more than half the month. Because of this, they had no choice but to give up.


    Later on, his father¡¯s qin naturally drifted away somewhere during the flood, lost forever. Wu Xingzi never had the chance to touch a qin again.


    Ai, the music from a qin was really pleasant to listen to!


    Wu Xingzi wiped his hands a few times on his trousers, and only then did he strum the strings of the qin.

 Chapter 51 - Haiwang, Are You Really Not Going to Let The Physician Check Your Eyes?

    Chapter 51 ¡ª Haiwang, Are You Really Not Going to Let The Physician Check Your Eyes?


    Unedited


    Wu Xingzi only knew one song. He straightened his posture, adjusted the tuning of the strings, then closed his eyes, recalling what his father had taught him then.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that ¡®In the past Fuxi crafted a qin, he suppressed evil, and stood away from lust. Cultivating a moral and rational character, he was artless and unpretentious.1¡¯ The qin canmunicate with all things in the world, and cultivate one¡¯s morality. Your character is too soft and indifferent, backing away from disputes and never fighting for anything. In the long run, you can live the rest of your life calmly, but in short, you¡¯ll easily be used and bullied, and you have to be cautious.¡±


    This was what his father told him on the first day of his qin lessons. That was a nice day in March during spring. His mother was removing peas from their pods by the side, looking at the father and son pair with a smile.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Wu Xingzi was not yet ten. With his head bowed, he listened obediently, but could not understand what his father meant.


    Noticing his confusion, his father sighed and spoke earnestly, ¡°I hope that the sounds of the qin can cultivate your character. You cannot always retreat and give in, and you need to know how to assess the situation.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Naturally, Wu Xingzi still did not understand.


    His father ruffled his little head, and started lecturing about the nine virtues of the qin, going in depth into the ¡°remarkable, ancient, prated, quiet, moist, whole, clear, even and fragrant2¡±.


    From the crafting of the qin, to its sound, and even the way of the qin, Wu Xingzi¡¯s father expounded greatly in detail. Wu Xingzi who was less than ten years of age was almost dozing off, and when his mother noticed him, she secretly tossed a pea at her son in order to prevent her little darling from being reprimanded by his father.


    Only when he was finally satisfied with imparting his knowledge did Wu Xingzi¡¯s father then lifted his son to his knees, teaching him how to y the qin personally.


    Those days were still vivid in his mind. A smile curled around Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, and he plucked at the springs lightly, ying <Melody of The Transcendent Venerable One3>.


    ying on and on, Wu Xingzi repeated the song a number of times, and his fingers too became more nimble. Satisfied, he exhaled greatly, and caressed the body of the qin preciously. Meticulously studying allponents of it bit by bit, Wu Xingzi was so drawn by the qin that he forgot about his hungerpletely.


    Only when Guan Shanjin returned with the porridge did its thick, delicious aroma caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s attention. He rubbed his empty belly, drooling over the food.


    ¡°Fill your stomach first.¡± Guan Shanjin handed the bowl of porridge over. It was an enormous bowl of porridge with lean meat and egg yolk. The golden yellow grains formed a thick, fluffyyer, and minced meat was scattered amidst the grains. The mix of gold and brown was like a constetion of stars, and diced green onions adorned the porridge daintily. The whole arrangement looked so good that one could not bear to eat it.


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly stood up and epted the bowl. Ignoring all etiquette, he scooped a spoonful and delivered it straight into his mouth. Although his tongue was scalded numb, he could not stop eating.


    Bringing Wu Xingzi over to the table outside to sit down, Guan Shanjin headed back into the kitchen anddled a bowl for himself as well. He too used a bowl the same size he gave to Wu Xingzi. ording to his usual appetite, he would most definitely be unable to finish it, and it was evident that some of it was for Wu Xingzi.


    As expected, when he returned to the room, Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl was already more than half empty. Guan Shanjin directly just exchanged their bowls, saving them the trouble ofdling porridge from one bowl to another.


    Wu Xingzi was truly starving. With his huge appetite, he normally would not be able to stand such hunger. If not for having a good cry because of his memories of Yan Wenxin, how would he have skipped two meals? Those were already incidents of many years ago, even if he could not understand why Yan Weixin did not even bid him farewell during those days, and even deceived him with a cheap perfume sachet bought off a peddler, there was no chance that they would again meet in this life. Thinking about him too much would bring Wu Xingzi no benefits.


    A bowl and a half of porridge was clearly not enough. Guan Shanjin never had the habit of having supper, and was only eating with Wu Xingzi in fear of him feeling awkward. As such, despite having only taken a couple of spoonfuls, he gave Wu Xingzi all his porridge, then went back into the kitchen and brought out some already made egg pancake.


    Like the autumn breeze scattering the leaves, the egg pancakes vanished in the blink of an eye. Guan Shanjin was secretly satisfied, and from his luggage, he took out some pastries and let Wu Xingzi taste something different.


    Guan Shanjin did not know how to plump up this old fellow. Looking at how delighted Wu Xingzi was eating, yet his body was still so very thin, Guan Shanjin dearly wanted to feed him even more in order to ensure that this person would be plumper and fairer.


    When Wu Xingzi was finally content, it was already past 11pm. With his full belly and much satisfaction, Wu Xingzi let Guan Shanjin massage him to help with his digestion. The atmosphere was warm and homely. Wu Xingzi finally could not help but ask, ¡°Why are you gifting me a qin?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Guan Shanjin cocked a brow and smiled.


    ¡°I do.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly straightened his back, thanking Guan Shanjin properly. ¡°Thank you so very much, you¡¯re too good to me. However, how did you know that I like the qin?¡±


    Guan Shanjin gave a couple of snorts ofughter, and out of nowhere, he mentioned those pengornis drawings. ¡°You¡¯ve been to the Peng Society. Have you collected all the drawings already?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes. Ai, it¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯ve packed them away already.¡± Talking about those seven pengornis drawings, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes brightened immediately, and he cupped his hands towards Guan Shanjin earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to reciprocate this kindness of yours.¡±


    Wu Xingzi had evidently forgotten that this was something Guan Shanjin owed him. Whose fault was it that the spirit of the Lanling Prince of pengornises was so jealous that he participated in fratricide?


    Guan Shanjin naturally would not remind him of that incident. Like a beautiful picture, he nodded slightly, epting the thanks with no hint of courtesy.


    ¡°So, what else did Rancui show you?¡± The followup question made Wu Xingzi hunch over abruptly. He revealed a bit of his nervousness, and an ingratiating smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°What could there be? T-there were only the pengornis drawings.¡± No matter how dull Wu Xingzi was, he knew that he could not mention that exquisitely made Pengornisseur! Putting aside whether Guan Shanjin would throw a fit, he was even more worried that Rancui would be implicated.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin tapped on the table. His fingers were symmetrical, slender and long, but very powerful. Although the tap seemed very light, the table was almost about to copse.


    Wu Xingzi gulped, faltering for a moment before bracing himself and answering, ¡°I-I also took a look at the newly published Pengornisseur. However, there wasn¡¯t any meaning to it, I just looked through it out of curiosity!¡±


    His words were apanied by frantic nodding, and Wu Xingzi was deeply afraid that Guan Shanjin did not believe him.


    Of course he did not! If he did, would he have a qin today?


    Guan Shanjin sneered, his fingers that were tapping on the table piercing right through the thick and solid boxwood surface. Wu Xingzi trembled, and he mumbled, ¡°Ai, the table, what a pity¡­¡±


    This exmation made Guan Shanjinugh, and he could no longer put on a fierce, angry front.


    Patting away the sawdust on his hands, he looked at the old quail with much pampering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to listen to the gongzi from the Pengornisseur y the qin? You have a really good eye. That¡¯s Bai-gongzi from Qingzhu Lane, and his father is the top qin yer of Great Xia, second to none. Even the emperor is not always able to invite him to y for him. Taught by his father, Bai-gongzi¡¯s skills have a chance of surpassing him.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. His mouth was open, and he could not put his thoughts to words. He did see a gongzi in the Pengornisseur skilled in the arts of the qin, and he also did mention to Rancui about wishing he could listen to the gongzi y, but how did Guan Shanjin find out about this?


    ¡°So thest name of that gongzi is Bai?¡± This, Wu Xingzi no longer remembered.


    Guan Shanjin harrumphed, his tone sour, ¡°You don¡¯t even remember hisst name, but you didn¡¯t forget that he¡¯s skilled in the art of qin. Hah, you¡¯re very attentive to that.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Just now, I heard you y the Melody of The Transcendent Venerable one a few times. Do you know any other songs?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know anymore. Then, my father had taught me this song as an introductory lesson, but my grasp of music and its melody is very poor, and after that, everything was left up in the air.¡± With a blush, Wu Xingzi scratched his nose. He was too embarrassed to say that for the next dozen or so days, his father had tinnitus, and his ying of the qin was offkey for the next two months, which was all thanks to Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°What song would you like to listen to Bai Shaochang y?¡± Guan Shanjin pulled Wu Xingzi back to the qin.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ What about Wild Geese Descend on a Sandbank4?¡± In any case, it just had to do with a big bird.


    Guan Shanjin eyed him, hisely lips curling into a faint smile. Sitting down at the qin, he strummed some notes. ¡°Since you like to listen to the qin, I¡¯ll just y for you.¡±


    After a few twangs of the strings, the sound of the qin flowed from Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers, rippling melodiously under the clear, calm moonlight.


    Although Wu Xingzi could not catch a beat, he did know how to appreciate music. After all, he had listened to his father¡¯s qin for a number of years, and an ordinary level of qin ying could not satisfy his well-trained ear.


    Guan Shanjin was very good at the qin, and could almostpare with Wu Xingzi¡¯s father. The top qin yer in Great Xia might not even be much better than Guan Shanjin. The only thing was that his qin was stained with the aura of bloodshed. In principle, Wild Geese Descend on a Sandbank was, ¡°the autumn sky is lofty and the air crisp, light breezes leave the sandbanks t. Clouds stretch endlessly, birds in flight call out on the horizon. Then it draws on the soaring ambition of wild swans to convey what is in the heart of a schr recluse.5 But from the fingers of the general, it was more like a soldier who could finally catch his breath in the vast desert.


    The song had yet to end, but Guan Shanjin¡¯s fingers had stopped.


    Wu Xingzi looked at him, puzzled, only to see him give a seemingly self-mockingugh, then waving Wu Xingzi over.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Xingzi drew closer. With a light pressure, he fell into the man¡¯s heated and solid embrace, and he could not help but start feeling bashful.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ I¡¯m not good at Wild Geese Descend on a Sandbank, so I don¡¯t want to pollute your ears.¡± Guan Shanjin kissed the person in his arms, then caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands and ced them on the strings of the qin.


    ¡°Let me teach you how to y.¡±


    ¡°Ai, we¡¯d better not. Even my father could not teach me.¡± Wu Xingzi wanted to pull his hands back, but they were caught firmly. Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands were very warm, like little braziers. The nights of early spring were still rather cold, and it was actually quitefortable to have his hands held like that. Although Wu Xingzi was somewhat shy about it, he did not continue struggling, and obediently let Guan Shanjin knead his palms.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your father, and I¡¯m willing to teach you.¡± How could Guan Shanjin not be aware of howcking Wu Xingzi¡¯s qin-ying was? The few repetitions of the Melody of The Transcendent Venerable he heard just now could be described as being very unique. The rhythm and beats were severelycking, sometimes too fast and sometimes too slow. Also, because of theck of strength in the fingers, the melody too seemed weak. Wu Xingzi¡¯s technique was naturally very poor, but it had a sort of calmness and peace that belonged solely to Wu Xingzi.


    Ever since he was a child, Guan Shanjin had always been attracted to things that were clean and pure. Perhaps it was due to his inner thoughts being tooplicated, as well as easily seeing through to people¡¯s foulness and treachery, so, to him, there was nothing unsullied in this world. He always liked to keep anything unblemished next to him, observing them, pampering them, loving them and raising them. Whether it was a cat, a dog or even a human, in the end, they would all be spoilt by his pampering, and they all forgot what their origins were.


    After so many years, Mr. Lu was the only one by his side who had been pampered for the longest amount of time.


    However, in the end, Mr. Lu still changed. Compared to anything that Guan Shanjin had once kept by his side, his change had been even more thorough than any of them. Recently, Guan Shanjin could not help but question himself, why he had not been able to see theyer of dust gathering over Mr. Lu¡¯s shine?


    The sound of Wu Xingzi¡¯s qin was very clean and bright. The sound of the qin was like a person¡¯s character, as the type of person they were would be reflected in the tone of their qin. As such, Guan Shanjin did not like the sound of his qin-ying. It was too ferocious, too murderous. Like an army stampeding past, it was terrifying enough to make children stop crying in fear.


    Once, Bai Shaochang had listened to him y, and was so frightened that he left his seat with his face covered. From then on, he did not dare associate with Guan Shanjin anymore, and this became aughing matter amongst the capital¡¯s elites. They said that Guan Shanjin¡¯s imposing aura and peerless military achievements truly made him seem like the reincarnation of a demigod, and just a small verse of his qin-ying was enough to scare the wits out of Bai Shaochang, causing him to run a high fever for a few days.


    Hmph! How contrived.


    ¡°But it¡¯s alreadyte at night, let¡¯s not¡­¡± Wu Xingzi continued rejecting him. ¡°What if Mr. Lu misunderstands us?¡±


    Inexplicably, those words ended up spilling from Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips.


    Silence fell around them, and even the air turned thick with tension, cold and icy.


    Wu Xingzi shuddered, bowing his head in fright and helplessness as he scolded himself silently for being stupid. He clearly did not mind that Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu shared an intimate rtionship, but why were his words so sour?


    ¡°Mr. Lu, misunderstanding us?¡± Guan Shanjin cocked a brow,ughing lowly. ¡°Mr. Lu is about to be married already, so what will he be misunderstanding? Hmm?¡±


    Faltering for a moment, only then did Wu Xingzi realise that he did actually take to heart a little about the things Miss Yue had said that day. He sighed, straightening himself, and spoke cautiously. ¡°Ai, I¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you¡­¡±


    What would he like to ask? What was even there to ask about? The words at the tip of his tongue, Wu Xingzi swallowed them back. Right from the start, he had never thought that this rtionship between Guan Shanjin and him couldst longer than a tryst that was transient like dew. Even a flood would recede one day, so how could he foolishly let himself drown in it?


    In the past, he had made a mistake in handing his heart over to Yan Wenxin. Why would he mindlessly repeat his mistake? Pressing a hand to his chest, he still had yet to realise that his heart had already been fettered to Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Hmm? Your question?¡± Not hearing Wu Xingzi continue, Guan Shanjin swayed the man in his arms slightly, urging him on.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ actually nothing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s head sagged. Unconsciously, he caught Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, and started ying with his slender fingers. Wu Xingzi had already decided that this matter had long been determined, so, why would he seek to trouble his mind? Guan Shanjin would obviously not tell the truth!


    A little moody, Wu Xingzi floundered in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, wanting to get up. However, Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms only tightened further, and his broad palms patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s back infort, gradually patting away that foreign feeling within Wu Xingzi that came out of nowhere.


    ¡°Ai,¡± Wu Xingzi sighed,zing back into Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace, his internal defenses all gone. ¡°Miss Yue treated me to a meal, and it was extremely delicious. Do you like mutton?¡±


    ¡°I do. Why, you want to invite me to a mutton feast?¡± Guan Shanjin too was in no hurry to ask him what was the matter. Going along with Wu Xingzi, he teased him.


    ¡°Ai, I do want to. That restaurant is owned by the aunt of Mint and Osmanthus. She¡¯s really skilled, and her selection of ingredients exquisite. You¡¯ve been busy outside for so many days, and you should eat something good.¡± Internally, Wu Xingzi was counting the spare amount of money he had in his money pouch. During these weeks of living in the general¡¯s estate, he did have some ie. Every month, he would receive a fixed sum of allowance, and Wu Xingzi had epted it with much diffidence. As luck would have it, he would be able to use up all that money to treat Guan Shanjin to a meal!


    ¡°She¡¯s even more skilled than me?¡± Guan Shanjin harrumphed. He just did not like Wu Xingzi to appreciate anyone more than him.


    ¡°That¡¯s different. You¡¯re the best at cooking.¡±


    This was the truth.


    Smiling in satisfaction, Guan Shanjin asked another question. ¡°Then why don¡¯t I buy some mutton back and prepare a mutton feast for you instead?¡±


    ¡°No no no, I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯ll be treating you.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly shook his head, but he could not help swallowing his saliva. With Guan Shanjin¡¯s cooking ability, that mutton feast would definitely be delicious, and Wu Xingzi did want to try it.


    ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Guan Shanjin caught his hand, nibbling on it a couple of times. ¡°Then, when that third Yue child treated you to a meal, did she say anything?¡±


    Not having expected that Guan Shanjin would be so direct, Wu Xingzi cowered a little, and smiled at Guan Shanjin appeasingly. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing, just¡­ umm¡­ Haiwang, do you want to ask the physician to look at your eyes?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s seriousness did not look like he was trying to divert the topic, and Guan Shanjin frowned, unenlightened.


    ¡°Miss Yue said that y-you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi faltered for a moment, before exhaling deeply and speaking determinedly. ¡°Is it true that you see me as Mr. Lu¡¯s substitute?¡±


    ¡°What if I say that it is?¡± Guan Shanjin had no intentions of concealing this matter. The words that the third Yue child had said to Wu Xingzi, had all been reported back to him without a word missing by Hei¡¯er. He was only waiting for Wu Xingzi to ask after it.


    His heart wrenched for a moment, but Wu Xingzi did not pay any attention to it. Instead, he turned around, cupping Guan Shanjin¡¯s face and studying it solemnly. ¡°Do you have any illness or internal injury?¡±


    ¡°Oh, why?¡± Guan Shanjin knew that Wu Xingzi, this old fellow, did not do things conventionally. However, he could not help but feel gloomy and anxious.


    In principle, even if he did not feel dejected, he should at least throw a tantrum! However, Wu Xingzi refused to participate in such behaviour. What exactly was stored in his brain?!


    ¡°If I say it, don¡¯t get angry. This is a huge problem, so you really should let the physician take a look. You¡¯re still so young, so please don¡¯t leave any side effects or consequences from the illness.¡±


    ¡°An illness?¡±


    ¡°Ai, yes. After all, there¡¯spletely no trace of simrity between Mr. Lu and me, so how were you able to take me as his substitute? Unless¡­¡±


    You have a problem with your eyes?


    Although Wu Xingzi did not finish his sentence, how could it be that Guan Shanjin did not understand him?


    On the spot, Guan Shanjin was angered intoughter. A sudden pain jolted his chest, and he nearly vomited blood. If he did have any internal injuries, they would be caused by this old fellow!


    ¡°You just wanted to ask me about this?¡± Guan Shanjin gnashed his teeth.


    ¡°Ai, this is no small matter¡­¡± Wu Xingzi mumbled.


    Next, he was lifted up by Guan Shanjin. Amidst his shrieks, he was tossed onto the bed.

 Chapter 52 - Let’s Do Something A Little Interesting (NSFW)

    <strong>Chapter 52 ¡ª Let¡¯s Do Something A Little Interesting (NSFW)</strong>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Despite Guan Shanjin employing a certain knack and carefully tossing Wu Xingzi onto the bed, Wu Xingzi was still rather giddy. Copsing on the soft nkets, he gasped a few times before pushing himself up. Confused, he looked at the beauty grinning savagely at him next to the bed, and he hunched over timidly.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ You¡¯re angry?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You can tell?¡± Guan Shanjin took his own sweet time undoing his belt, letting his outer robe slide down his body. Holding on to the ties of his inner clothing, he moved onto the bed as he cornered Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi blinked at him, panicked.


    ¡°Why are you angry?¡± Wu Xingzi gulped. He looked back at what he said just now, but did not know which of his words had enraged Guan Shanjin.


    However, it had to be said that an angry beauty was still peerless. Guan Shanjin had extremely emotive, alluring eyes, and within them glimmered a hint of indolence. Because of his temper, they shone brightly, and Wu Xingzi could almost see his own reflection in them.


    A little entranced, Wu Xingzi silently decided that it would be such a great pity if this pair of eyes turned blind, and the physician definitely had toe and give Guan Shanjin a checkup.


    Noticing that the old fellow was once again drifting away, bing distracted, Guan Shanjin could neither stay angry norugh. His chest felt stifled, almost painful, and he leant down, taking a harsh bite.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Those bright and shiny sharp teeth dug into Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks, causing him to curl up in pain. Dazed, Wu Xingzi pressed a hand into the bite mark.


    Why did Guan Shanjin keep biting him? This old face of his was not tasty at all.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands shook, and his ties snapped. Inexplicably, Wu Xingzi shivered along with the sound, huddling further into his corner. ¡°Just now, you thought that I was blind, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, then shook his head violently. ¡°No no no, I know that you¡¯re not blind. I¡¯m only worried that¡­ you might have some unmentionable illness.¡±


    Wu Xingzi sighed, then tried to persuade Guan Shanjin sincerely. ¡°Haiwang, you¡¯ve gone through years of war, and it¡¯s not shameful at all to suffer from any secret disease or disorder. There¡¯s such a huge difference between Mr. Lu and me, yet you still can¡­ Ai, I¡¯m really worried for you.¡± Such an earnest and true concern soothed Guan Shanjin, yet made him feel gloomy as well. It was as though after drinking a ss of cool spring water, a searing iron was forced onto him. Caught between the heat and the cold, he had no words.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ever going to ask why I took you as a substitute?¡± Reaching out, Guan Shanjin wrapped an arm around Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin back. It had already been days since he was able to be so close to Wu Xingzi, and Guan Shanjin did miss him greatly. In the past, even Mr. Lu had not been able to make Guan Shanjin think about him this much.


    The body in the crook of his arm was slender and soft, fitting perfectly into his embrace, such that it would be difficult to separate the two of them. Guan Shanjin could not help but tighten his arm, his warm, broad palm pressed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s back. He felt the person in his arms shudder, then rx and lean against him bonelessly.


    ¡°Heheh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi would naturally not be so foolish as to answer this question. Having spent so much time together, he was able to use some discretion when dealing with Guan Shanjin. After all, he could not say that he long had the answer already. Mr. Lu and him were miles apart, one high up there, and the other low in the ground. If they were to ask a hundred people, all hundred of them would agree that the two of them were not alike at all. Other than Guan Shanjin having an issue with his vision, seeing things wrongly, what other reason could there be?


    Wu Xingzi was not one to seek trouble for himself. He was well aware of his position, and acknowledged it.


    Guan Shanjin harrumphed. How could he not realise how perfunctory Wu Xingzi¡¯s answer was? He could not resist pinching Wu Xingzi¡¯s slim waist, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s breath caught. A little satisfied, Guan Shanjin bent his neck, kissing that bite mark he had left on Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek.


    The two of them quietly settled in their entanglement for a moment. Breathing in Wu Xingzi¡¯s faint scent, Guan Shanjin felt extremefort spreading through him.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Ai, Wu Xingzi.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Have you missed me at all these days?¡±


    Did he miss him? Wu Xingzi shifted a little uneasily, only to be embraced even more tightly. Between his thighs, he could already feel the heat at the man¡¯s groin. Blushing, Wu Xingzi felt conflicted. Should he remain motionless, or just go with what he wanted? He dared not ponder too deeply over whether he missed Guan Shanjin or not, but he definitely did miss this pengornis.


    However, Guan Shanjin did not wait for his reply. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of you all this while.¡± That sentence, gently travelling to Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear, carried with it an undeniable affection. Even Wu Xingzi could not help but be moved, and a sweet, yet sour sensation welled up within him.


    It had been a long time since anyone expressed that they were thinking about him so openly. Of course, Auntie Liu and her family were always concerned about him, and took care of him, but in the end, they were not family, and there was still some distance between them. For Wu Xingzi, who lived with no demands or desire, the one thing that he wished for the most, was probably to be thought of by someone sincerely.


    After all, everyone had something they loved in this world, yet Wu Xingzi was always left behind.


    Despite clearly knowing that in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, there was a Mr. Lu, despite clearly knowing that he was only doted upon as a substitute, despite clearly knowing that there would be a day where he would return to Qingcheng County alone, when that day came, would that courage to kill himself still exist?


    His thoughts spun, twisting and turning as they ran through his mind over and over again. Wu Xingzi reached out and hugged Guan Shanjin, nuzzling his cheek against the man¡¯s chest, and spoke softly, ¡°Ai, I did miss you quite a bit¡­¡±


    In Wu Xingzi¡¯s arms, the young man¡¯s sturdy figure tensed up slightly, as though he had never expected to hear such an answer. A burning kiss pressed against Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, forceful, direct, and even a little brutal. Guan Shanjin bit Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, tangling their tongues together, sweeping through every sensitive spot in Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, almost about to swallow Wu Xingzi all the way down.


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was left gasping from the passion, his entire person copsing onto the firm chest in front of him. Yet Guan Shanjin was still unsatisfied. With loud, wet sounds, he slid his tongue as deeply as possible into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, and his arms around the thin body tightened further, unhappy with the distance between the two of them.


    The saliva that could no longer be contained trailed out from their lips. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes had already rolled to the back of his head, and all he breathed in was the scent of Guan Shanjin. A gasp of air that was taken with much difficulty was immediately stolen with another kiss, and Wu Xingzi waspletely muddled by what was happening. He did not even know when his clothes had disappeared, and a blush spread through his slightly chilled skin upon contact with the man¡¯s heated body temperature. Goosebumps followed the tinge of red.


    Guan Shanjin panted heavily. He finally managed to pull his lips away slightly, now following down the line of Wu Xingzi¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Hai-Haiwang¡­¡± Going along with Guan Shanjin¡¯s kisses, Wu Xingzi fell back onto the bed with the pressure. He was inexplicably a little shy, and could not help but reach out to push at the man on top of him. Naturally, his efforts were futile. Ignoring the question of whether he was even able to push Guan Shanjin away or not, Wu Xingzi himself did not truly want to reject him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Guan Shanjin stopped what he was doing, asking as he concealed a smile.


    ¡°I- I like it¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had always been straightforward. Turning his head away shyly, the tip of his ears were a bright red. Exposing his delicate neck to Guan Shanjin, that soft, slender line was very pleasing to the eye, and all the marks and bruises scattered across were all remnants of their previous actions.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart had meltedpletely, and the fire zing within could no longer be controlled. Apanied by Wu Xingzi¡¯s rmed shrieks, Guan Shanjin flipped him over, cing him in a position where his buttocks were raised up high, and that thin, fair waist arched enchantingly.


    Wu Xingzi wanted to turn around and look at him, but his current position was too embarrassing. Who would have thought that his vision would suddenly turn dark? Something that felt like cloth covered his eyes, and was knotted firmly behind his head after wrapping around his head twice, and Wu Xingzi was unable to remove it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯re just ying, hmm?¡± In the dark, Guan Shanjin¡¯s breath appeared extraordinarily heated beside his ear.


    Guan Shanjin really knew how to y.


    Whimpering, Wu Xingzi wanted to struggle. He could not see anything, and his skin seemed to turn even more sensitive. Guan Shanjin¡¯s loose hair brushed gently against his back, the tingles rippling through his skin as though something was crawling across him, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s limbs turned into jelly.


    Seeing that he was not cooperative, Guan Shanjin went straight to smacking his buttocks. Wu Xingzi twisted and turned, so turned on that he could feel something dripping out from him. Between his cheeks, his hole winked shyly, and it could be seen clearly that it was already wet.


    ¡°My lewd darling.¡± Guan Shanjin loved how Wu Xingzi was so reserved out of bed, while being so lewd in bed. However, he was very resentful about how Wu Xingzi kept thinking about other pengornises as well! How could he ever let anyone else see Wu Xingzi this lewd, this slutty? No way in hell! In this life, even if he had to resort to tying him up, he would definitely tie this old thing to himself.


    Again, he gave two harsh ps to those round and perky buttocks. The impact caused the flesh to jiggle, and Guan Shanjin was further entranced. Between his legs, his pengornis rose up towards the sky, and its tip was already dripping with pre.


    Wu Xingzi was feeling very shy. He could not see anything, and his extremely attuned senses could feel how Guan Shanjin was eyeing his body, gradually drawing closer to that hole of his. Warm, heated breaths swirled across his entrance, and a thrill ran through the old fellow. Curling up, he wanted to dodge, only to be caught.


    ¡°I have yet to taste you right here.¡±


    Where? Wu Xingzi¡¯s head exploded. Stuttering, he spoke, ¡°Y-you, you w-want to t-taste¡­¡±


    It can¡¯t be there, right?! That spot¡¯s too dirty!


    ¡°You smell so very sweet here. I wonder if you¡¯ll taste just as sweet.¡± Guan Shanjin had actually tasted the juices of Wu Xingzi before. However, it was only a little from his fingertip. The taste could not be described as pleasant, but he liked it.


    As they spent more time together, everything from Wu Xingzi¡¯s head to toe, he liked them all. Despite Wu Xingzi always making him so angry that his chest felt stifled, almost vomiting blood, Guan Shanjin still liked every part of him.


    Every time, this pink, blushing hole would be teased into a fiery red by him. However, after resting and taking care of it for a week, it would revert back to its original tightness and shyness. Guan Shanjin licked his lips. No longer able to restrain himself, he spread apart the cheeks that were marked with his handprints, and pressed his lips right onto the middle.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Wu Xingzi called out in rm, unable to believe what he was feeling.


    That nimble, agile thing, was it¡­ was it¡­ Was Guan Shanjin eating him out?


    It was. Guan Shanjinpped at the tender entrance with the tip of his tongue meticulously. Exploring every nook and cranny, he spared no skin, and licked until the hole softened under his tongue.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s taste spread across his tongue, a slight astridity mixed with the sweetness. It was like fuel to the fire within him, and Guan Shanjin desperately wanted to make him orgasm with just his tongue. Since the thought ran through his head, Guan Shanjin held no reservations, and applied himself to it.


    He forced the tip of his tongue into the hole. As the old fellow whimpered and whined, his hole tightened up, clenching down on Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue, causing it to be unable to move. It could not be said that Wu Xingzi was resistant to it. As he writhed, his hole screwed down on the intruder ingratiatingly. The juices dripped out even more, flowing down Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue into his mouth, as though there was a source of water right inside.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ Haiwang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi whimpered. His buttocks trembled, raised up high. He tried his best to turn his blindfolded eyes towards Guan Shanjin. Where his eyes were, indistinct water stains could be seen, and no one knew if they were the result of pleasure or fright.


    Guan Shanjin jerked Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis a couple of times, causing moans to spill out from him. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body had already lost all strength, and so his entrance naturally rxed, allowing Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue to continue having its way.


    Guan Shanjin ced great effort into what he was doing, mimicking the actions of a cock thrusting in. Licking into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, he asionally jabbed his tongue into that sensitive little spot within. By now, Wu Xingzi¡¯s cries had started to tremble, and his juices gushed out over and over again. As Guan Shanjin pulled away, a thin, silvery thread connected the two of them together.

 Chapter 53 - Come, Come Touch Your Belly (NSFW)

    <strong>Chapter 53 ¡ª Come, Come Touch Your Belly (NSFW)</strong>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo (Quote: First time smut readers will get scared)


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue left Wu Xingzi trembling. He was rimmed to the brink of orgasm, only for Guan Shanjin to take a step back right at the edge, leaving him teetering right before the peak. Within him, Wu Xingzi felt as though millions of bugs were gnawing at him, and even his hair all over his body had be so sensitive that it could not bear to be touched.


    Slick dripped down his slender, fair thighs, soaking the bed sheet underneath. Every breath they took was tinged with a lewd scent.


    Guan Shanjin leant forward to kiss him. Taking advantage of their tongues tangling together, he shared some of the lewd juices with Wu Xingzi. Mixed with his saliva, most of it escaped by sliding down the corner of Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, but a tiny bit was still forced down Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat, and he swallowed.


    It did not taste like much to Wu Xingzi, but, but that was something that came from his hole! Ai, did he, did he not think it was too dirty?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed a deep red, as he twisted his hips uneasily. His empty hole clenched down on nothing, and inside it was an itchiness that could not be relieved. He desperately wished for something thick and heavy that could go in and soothe the itch.


    ¡°H-Haiwang¡­¡± His tongue was tingling and aching from kissing, and his soft cries sounded as though the inside of his mouth was coated with honey.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin reluctantly pulled his lips away, trailing kisses from Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulder down to his waist. Uncontrolled moans spilled out from Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Come in,e in¡­¡± Quivering, he groped about behind him, wanting to touch Guan Shanjin¡¯srge pengornis. However, his current position left him barely able to move. After a few failed attempts, he became even more anxious and impatient.


    That thick, heated shaft brushed against his thighs and his hole wickedly, like a dragonfly flitting across water. Before Wu Xingzi could touch it, it moved away, and left Wu Xingzi panting eagerly, his tears almost spilling from his eyes. Worse still, was that he could not see, and each time he wanted to remove the strip of cloth around his eyes, Guan Shanjin patiently stopped him over and over again. Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand and lips took different routes, making mischief all over Wu Xingzi¡¯s body, teasing him, kissing him, and nibbling at him. Just like this, Wu Xingzi was pushed over the edge, and teased to orgasm.


    His fair skin was suffused with red. Sprawled across the bed, his cheek was pressed into the nket. With a gaping mouth, drool slipped down non-stop, and the blindfold, where his eyes were, was soaked with tears. Twitches ran throughout his strengthless body, tensed as though his body had broken from all the activities.


    Guan Shanjin studied the old fellow on the bed dotingly. Unfortunately, Wu Xingzi, who had his sight temporarily stolen, was unable to see the affection in his eyes.


    ¡°Come, spread your cheeks apart a little.¡± Guan Shanjin helped him up. Leaning half up against the head of the bed, he guided Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands to grab his buttocks.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was extremely embarrassed, but he still obediently went along with Guan Shanjin. Timidly, he spread his cheeks apart, further exposing the twitching little hole within.


    Compared to the original pink colour, after being yed with for so long, the hole was now a bright, lusty red. Looking so tender and wet, it caused the fire within Guan Shanjin to ze up even more.


    Guan Shanjin hooked Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin and fair legs around his arms. His heated cock brushed past Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole, causing the old quail to shudder violently, as though he had been scalded.


    The manughed quietly, then thrust himself vigorously into Wu Xingzi. There was no pause, no hesitation, and he reached deep inside. Wu Xingzi was fucked into convulsions. His head tilted back, and he quivered for quite some time before he started moaning as though he was about to fall apart. Reaching out, he wanted to push Guan Shanjin away.


    The hole, stretched to its limits, wrapped tightly around the thick cock, screwing down ingratiatingly. From his open mouth, Wu Xingzi¡¯s tongue peeked out, his gasps sounding almost like sobs. His moans were lewd and slutty, yet tinged with a trace of bashfulness. Guan Shanjin was so enticed by them that his gaze turned savage, and gripping Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, he started fucking fiercely into him.


    The cock, as thick as the arm of a child, at first still had a section exposed outside. After a few thrusts, the entire shaft was shoved into the tight and slick hole, the huge cockhead jabbing within constantly. Wu Xingzi¡¯s insides were now sore and tingling, and he could not decide whether the feeling was pleasurable, or painful.


    So many days had passed, and the area that had been previously fucked ripe had turned shy again, clinging tightly onto the object inside. However, under Guan Shanjin¡¯s passionate and stormy fucking, its tightness could notst for too long. In no time at all, it was loosened by quite a fair bit, and Guan Shanjin soon entered fully. On the belly of the old quail, the vague shape of the man¡¯s cock could be indistinctly made out, bulging along with every thrust.


    Wu Xingzi was fucked to the point where it felt as though his soul had been scattered. Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions were more brutal and savage than before, his thrusts causing Wu Xingzi to sway along with the force. Balls pped against the perineum, causing rippling of the buttocks. Slick escaped from where the two were joined, and was soon turned into froth by the vigorous motions, slowly dripping down the thighs.


    ¡°D-don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s too deep¡­ too deep¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cried, huping. Maybe because he was blindfolded, he was so sensitive that he could feel the pulse of every vessel, every vein on the man¡¯s huge, warm cock, how it spread him open, and how it was pushed right into him. Wu Xingzi felt as though even his soul was about to be pierced right through.


    ¡°Be good¡­¡± Guan Shanjin panted as he lowered his head down to kiss Wu Xingzi. At the same time, he grabbed Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand and ced it on his belly where the skin was bulging.


    Both of Wu Xingzi¡¯s holes were now dominated by the man. His tongue was aching from the sucking and the nibbling, and the kisses made Wu Xingzi nearly unable to breath, but he could not escape. Below, the man¡¯s thrusts only grew stronger, as though he wanted to even force his balls into him. Again and again, Wu Xingzi was impaled all the way inside, and his hole was now red and swollen.


    Every inch of his channel was brutally spread apart, and the section near the entrance was fucked till it was swollen. Any light touch was able to make Wu Xingzi twist about and scream. His entire body was convulsing, his little cocking about twice or thrice in a short span of time. The man seemed to think that that was not enough, and his hand went to jerk that little cock a few more times, as though he wanted to retrieve all thee stored within.


    How could there be any more left?! Wu Xingzi wailed and cried, his orgasms crashing on him over and over again. He had long surpassed what he could endure, his waist tensed and he fell into spasms on the bed, looking as though he was about to faint away.


    Guan Shanjin too had been pleasured so much that he was gasping heavily. ps resounded in the room, the pounding getting heavier and heavier. The old fellow was fucked into losing consciousness a few times, and was fucked awake again. Finally, Wu Xingzi¡¯s little cock trembled, and piss covered the bed. Only then did Guan Shanjin give a low groan as hise spurted into Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly, so hot that it made him convulse again. Wu Xingzi¡¯s head drooped down, his tongue hanging out, and he fainted dead away again.


    The man hugged the still twitching Wu Xingzi, pressing kisses on him, before getting off the bed and cleaning both of them up.


    Having been on the road for numerous days, Guan Shanjin was actually exhausted as well. Despite this, he still meticulously cleaned Wu Xingzi up, changing to a new set of bed sheets before hugging the older man to sleep.


    When Wu Xingzi woke up the next morning, there was again no one next to him. He fell into a daze for a moment, timidly reaching out to stroke the silk nket. It felt cool to touch, evidence that Guan Shanjin had already left for quite some time.


    Unable to stop himself, he sighed. Flipping over, Wu Xingzi again buried himself in the nket, like an insect burrowing into its cocoon.


    Although he was able to spend a great deal of time with the pengornisst night, Wu Xingzi too realised that things were far from good. These days, he had been feeling rather depressed, and would periodically smell the scent of peach blossoms. At first, he had thought that the scent wafting from the neighbours was making him recall his memories with Yan Wenxin. However, afterst night, no matter how slow Wu Xingzi was, he too understood that that hadpletely nothing to do with how he was feeling.


    Yan Wenxin did still exist within his heart. However, what made him recall the past was not the scent of peach blossoms, but Guan Shanjin.


    He might¡­ Towards this man that he was unqualified to be with, Wu Xingzi might have developed feelings that he should not.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart wrenched painfully, and he hurriedly pressed his hand against his chest. Still, he was unable to stop his brain from thinking constantly about Guan Shanjin.


    His every move, his every frown, his every smile, when did Wu Xingzi store them all inside his heart?


    Before Guan Shanjin left, Wu Xingzi had clearly been able to view their rtionship casually. He was well aware that right from the start, Guan Shanjin was only fooling about with him. The two of them would have to return to their own original positions at the end. Only someone like Mr. Lu was worthy of Guan Shanjin, and him¡­ Wu Xingzi smiled wryly. He was only a little adviser from a poor county, no wait, he was not even an adviser now.


    A bone-piercing chill inexplicably washed over him. Grabbing the nket, Wu Xingzi shivered slightly, quietlyughing at himself for being foolish.


    Wu Xingzi knew that he was not a clever person, but he had never expected that he would actually be this foolish. In his teens, it could be said that he was naive, but now, he was already forty. Still being foolish now would be something that medication would not be able to cure, and would only make him aughingstock.


    How did he end up falling for Guan Shanjin?


    The door to the room abruptly bounced open. Wu Xingzi curled up inside his nket, a shudder running through him. Only after he took a few deep breaths did he slowly peek his face out, and he was met directly with Guan Shanjin¡¯s good looking, smiling face.


    Rays from the spring sun shone in through the window, covering the beauty with ayer of gold gauze. That pair of curving, smiling eyes entranced and dazzled Wu Xingzi, causing him to fall further into a daze.


    ¡°Hmm? Still sleepy?¡± In Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands was breakfast. He ced the dishes one by one on the table, then turned around, nning to pick Wu Xingzi up. However, Wu Xingzi dodged him, scratching his nose andughing hoarsely. ¡°I¡¯m awake, I¡¯m awake.¡±


    After confirming that he was not naked under the nket, Wu Xingzi slowly mbered off the bed. Without wearing any shoes, he walked barefooted to the table, salivating over the food.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows knitted together slightly. Staring at his empty hands for a moment, he then walked over to Wu Xingzi¡¯s side, and pushed him to sit, smiling. ¡°Here, try the Sam Sun dumplings1 I made.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone to the trouble.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth declined his actions, but his hand had already picked up a pair of chopsticks, about to start digging in. Confusion was currently stirring within his heart, and he urgently needed to steady himself with a big meal.


    After helping Wu Xingzi mix the dipping sauce, Guan Shanjin turned away to bring some tbread and soymilk over, apanying Wu Xingzi for breakfast.


    Inside the Sam Sun dumplings, there was a filling of melt-in-the-mouth pork, with shrimps that were firm and fresh. Paired with the crispness of the chives, the vours blended harmoniously. Extremely juicy and fresh, apanied by the sour, vinegary dip, the tastiness of the filling was brought out even more.


    Knowing how well Wu Xingzi could eat, Guan Shanjin had prepared a hundred dumplings. Afraid that it would not be enough, and Wu Xingzi would be left unsatisfied, Guan Shanjin also prepared some tbread along with the dumplings.


    Faced with food, Wu Xingzi always buried himself in it. Eating an entire dumpling in one bite, his cheeks bulged out, looking like a little old mouse. Guan Shanjin could not stop himself fromughing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat too quickly, be careful not to choke.¡±


    ¡°Ai.¡± Wu Xingzi lifted his head, smiling at him, before lowering his head again and gulping the food down.


    In less than half an hour, Wu Xingzi had cleared out all the dishes on the table. Giving a satisfied burp, he then hurriedly covered his mouth, sneaking a look at Guan Shanjin in embarrassment.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the food?¡± Guan Shanjin did not mind the burp at all. Pulling Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands over, he wiped them with his handkerchief. About to help him wipe his mouth, Guan Shanjin was once again avoided.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll do it myself. I¡¯m also not a three year old child.¡± His face tinged pink, Wu Xingzi took the handkerchief and wiped his own mouth. Folding up the used piece of cloth over and over again, he seemed to be trying to conceal the spots that had been dirtied. In the end, his shoulders copsed, giving up, and Wu Xingzi tucked the handkerchief away. ¡°I¡¯ll return it to you after I¡¯ve washed it clean.¡±


    What was going on? Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows joined in a line. How could he not be able to detect the difference in their interactions?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude was different from his previous unknowing intimacy and indifference to things around him. Awkwardly, he drew a line that distanced the two from each other, and other than that nce and the smile during the meal, ever since he left the bed, he had not looked directly at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi,¡± Guan Shanjin called out.


    ¡°Ai.¡± Wu Xingzi tilted his head, his eyes falling onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, refusing to move his gaze upwards.


    Guan Shanjin wanted to question him, but discovered that he could say nothing.


    What could he ask? Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart never had him in the first ce, and now for him to abruptly put himself at a distance from him, it did not seem unreasonable¡­ Guan Shanjin was extremely anxious. He had thought that after yesterday, the two of them had further consummated their feelings, but today¡­


    ¡°Haiwang.¡± Wu Xingzi was the first to speak.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin watched him with anticipation, only to realise that the old fellow still refused to look at him directly. Feeling as though he had swallowed a burning stone, difort spread through his entire body.


    ¡°If you still like Mr. Lu, aren¡¯t you going to bring him back?¡±


    The intentions behind his words, even Wu Xingzi himself was unclear.


    Guan Shanjin gritted his teeth, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. From his neck alone, it could be seen that his veins were all bulging out.


    ¡°I have no such intentions.¡± He did not know why just after one night, Wu Xingzi¡¯s attitude had made aplete change. However, he knew that he had to suppress his temper, and he should not speak out of anger.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, secretly sighing.

 Chapter 54 - Are We Still Giving This Gift?

    <strong>Chapter 54 ¡ª Are We Still Giving This Gift?</strong>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    These days, it was as though Guan Shanjin ate nothing but gunpowder, ready to explode with the flick of a spark. Although he would not vent his anger on others, none of the people close to him were able to spend these daysfortably.


    It was about another two weeks to Mr. Lu¡¯s marriage. No one could fathom what Guan Shanjin was thinking. After going to the Yue¡¯s manor to see Mr. Lu, he expressed that it would still be the General¡¯s Estate in charge of managing the marriage, then brought Mr. Lu back home.


    Wangshu Residence became lively once again, as though everything had returned to their original status. The one Guan Shanjin was longing for was still Mr. Lu, and the Mr. Wu in Shuanghe Yard was once again tossed to the back of his mind.


    As expected, a substitute could neverpare to the original. Having stolen a few days of cherishing and pampering, at the end of the day, they all had to be returned.


    In this entire matter, it was Miss Yue who was the most unhappy. However, she understood that although she liked Mr. Lu, for her father and brother, Mr. Lu without the support of the general was basically a fish eye pretending to be a pearl.


    To let Mr. Lu not feel as bad, Miss Yue could only swallow her upset down by herself. Bitterly, she sent her fianc¨¦ away, and spent every day anticipating the day of her wedding.


    When Wu Xingzi learnt about Mr. Lu¡¯s return to the General¡¯s estate from the two maidservants, he only smiled cidly.


    Even if his heart was filled with agony, what could he do about it? It was him who had mentioned to Guan Shanjin about bringing Mr. Lu back. No matter whether he sincerely meant it, or if he only wanted to test him, Guan Shanjin had given him a response.


    With Mr. Lu back in the household, a mere substitute like him was hardly necessary anymore.


    Indeed, this time, Guan Shanjin had taken away all the attention that he oncevished on Wu Xingzi with him, and never visited him daily again. Although he was not barred from having his own little stove, the vegetables, meat, rice and noodles distributed to him were a lot lesser than before. The intention was to make Wu Xingzi go to collect his portion of food straight from the main kitchen itself.


    This should be how it was originally. In the entire General¡¯s estate, food had always been prepared in the main kitchen directly. Even Mr. Lu himself had never been allowed to have his own kitchen.


    Hei¡¯er did not appear again either. However, Wu Xingzi did manage to catch sight of him following Man Yue, hurrying and rushing past him on horseback along the main road of the city.


    As for how Wu Xingzi managed to see him? That was simple. Guan Shanjin no longer bothered about him, and Wu Xingzi was free to do whatever he wanted. As such, these days, he had often dropped by the Peng Society, seeking Rancui out for tea. After all, in Bastion City, it was only Rancui whom he was familiar with.


    Today, Wu Xingzi once again visited the Peng Society. Rancui was dressed in an elegant robe, and was seated within a pavilion made of bamboo. In front of him was a qin, and he was plucking a melody from it.


    This pavilion was simple, yet exquisite, like something out of a dream.


    A low table by the side had a lit incense burner, its scent faint yet lovely. Wu Xingzi did not know what scent it was, but he liked it very much. It was very well matched with Rancui¡¯s ying of the qin.


    Wu Xingzi dared not disturb Rancui, and he tiptoed over to a putuan 1 ced slightly further away and took a seat. Only when the melody faded away did he wake up from his intoxication. Exhaling gently, he gave Rancui a small smile.


    ¡°Manager Rancui is surprisingly talented. Even your skill at the qin is very good.¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu is praising me too highly.¡± Rancui cupped his hands towards Wu Xingzi. Pushing the qin slightly away, he waved at one of his employees to bring over the tea and snacks.


    ¡°No no no, I¡¯m entirely sincere. Manager Rancui is too modest.¡± Wu Xingzi looked at the qin, and the desire and fondness in his eyes could not be ignored.


    Rancui did not point it out bluntly. He had long investigated all eighteen generations of Wu Xingzi and his family. He could be considered to have a decent understanding of Wu Xingzi¡¯s father, and naturally knew why Wu Xingzi loved the qin. However, it was sometimes enough to know, and there was no need to spell everything out loud.


    Smiling, Rancui epted thepliment, and started chit chatting with Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Ai.¡±


    However, Wu Xingzi today seemed rather absent-minded. Ever so often, he would release a quiet sigh, and after a few times of that happening, Rancui could not help but ask.


    ¡°Adviser Wu, is something troubling you?¡± Rancui had a guess, but he hoped that he was wrong.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve seemed to be rude.¡± Wu Xingzi too noticed how absent-minded he was today. Looking embarrassed, he covered his mouth, bowing his head and apologising to Rancui.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been. I¡¯m only worried that you¡¯re feeling upset. After all, we¡¯re considered friends. You can tell me anything, there¡¯s no need to worry about any offense.¡± Rancui refilled Wu Xingzi¡¯s teacup, his gentle smile so very genial that it could make anyone¡¯s defences lower.


    Wu Xingzi struggled for a bare moment, and finally sighed heavily. With a rare deep crease on his face, he asked Rancui, ¡°In another three days, Mr. Lu would be married.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite a big event in Bastion City. I heard that Old Master Yue has decided to hold a banquet in the square in front of the magistrate¡¯s office for three days and nights. The general has also approved of it, and will be temporarily withdrawing the curfew for three days. Mr. Lu sure has some very great backing.¡± Rancuiughed lightly, his charming pair of eyes watching Wu Xingzi unblinkingly.


    He witnessed the corner of Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips curl up in distress. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, only for him to swallow the words down when they were at the tip of his tongue. Wu Xingzi picked up a piece of pastry and shoved it in his mouth, uncaring if he would choke on it.


    This time, things did not seem to be easily resolved. Rancui sighed internally.


    The day after Mr. Lu had been resplendently escorted back to the General¡¯s estate, when Wu Xingzi hade by to read the Pengornisseur, Rancui already noticed that Wu Xingzi had discovered his own feelings. He feared that Wu Xingzi¡¯s feelings had already run deeply, and faint sadness could be seen suffusing his brows. It was only Wu Xingzi himself who still thought that he was concealing it very well.


    Although Rancui had seen through many people, he could not guess exactly what was truly in the heart of this honest, frank adviser. Since he liked Guan Shanjin, why did he want to deliberately distance himself from him? If Wu Xingzi was worried about his social status and position, Rancui would like to tell Wu Xingzi to put his mind at ease. Guan Shanjin was too proud a person, and a person¡¯s status had nothing to do with him liking them or not. He just did whatever he liked.


    However, Rancui then thought, if he said things too directly, and Wu Xingzi actually changed his mind, it would be too easy a coup for Guan Shanjin. No matter what, Rancui did not want Guan Shanjin to gain anything good.


    For Wu Xingzi, this was a choice between a long bout of suffering, or a short one. If he chose Guan Shanjin, it would be choosing the long suffering. After all, who knew when the great general would rece him with another in his heart? To draw a distance now, although it also hurt, once the hurt was over, it would be fine.


    As such, these days, Rancui had spent quite some time apanying Wu Xingzi in looking through the Pengornisseur. They even mailed out a few letters, and received about eight or nine pengornis drawings in return. Each different and unique in their own way, Wu Xingzi was delighted for many days.


    The only issue was that such a method was unable to resolve the root cause.


    Sipping at his tea, Rancui watched Wu Xingzi demolish the snacks and drink up half a kettle of tea, before covering his mouth and giving a burp. Feeling apologetic, Wu Xingzi cupped his hands towards Rancui.


    ¡°Adviser, would you like more snacks?¡± Rancui knew very well that Wu Xingzi relied on eating to steady his emotions. The Peng Society had nock of such snacks, and he waved at his employee to bring up more. This time, it was freshly fried sesame balls, their aroma tantalizing. When the wind breezed by, it was almost as if they could hear the crispiness of the glutinous skin.


    Wu Xingzi had wanted to speak. However, he was inadvertently distracted by that little sesame devil. With no time to care about whether it was too hot for his mouth, he grabbed a ball and shoved it in. The taste was so heavenly that it could make one cry.


    Eating and eating, after the third round of snacks, Wu Xingzi felt a lot more rxed. Only when the smile curling around his lips was genuine, did Rancui then rx.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too rude, only paying attention to eating and ignoring you.¡± Wu Xingzi wiped his hands and mouth clean, returning to his cautious and bashful manner.


    ¡°How is it so? Watching you eat, the kitchen would be very happy too.¡± Rancui covered his mouth andughed. ¡°Do you n on giving a gift?¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± Wu Xingzi paused, before understanding what Rancui meant. Inexplicably, he felt ratherplicated, but still replied, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been living so long in the General¡¯s estate, and I¡¯ve also met Mr. Lu a few times. It seems proper to congratte him with a gift.¡±


    After all, they lived in the same residence. To not express any congrattions, it would be very rude.


    ¡°Adviser Wu is very considerate.¡± Rancui tapped his fingers on the table, pondering for a moment. ¡°However, in my opinion, it¡¯s better that you don¡¯t prepare a gift.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why is that so?¡± In Qingcheng County, even if it was the most ordinary family, once they knew that a marriage was happening in another household, they would all prepare a gift. Qingcheng County was after all a small ce, and most people crossed each other¡¯s paths all the time. As such, they would always disy some courtesy, as well as share the joyous atmosphere.


    Did Bastion City not have such customs?


    Rancui immediately saw through Wu Xingzi¡¯s doubts, and could not help but chuckle quietly.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s proper that you prepare a gift. It is a joyous asion, and it¡¯s good to share the atmosphere. However, I¡¯m only afraid that Mr. Lu might not be happy to receive your gift.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Confusion sat upon Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. There was no conflict between him and Mr. Lu, and Mr. Lu had even invited him to share a meal before.


    They were now at the crux of the issue. Rancui deliberated over it and decided to speak frankly. ¡°Adviser Wu, in your opinion, between Mr. Lu and General Guan, do you think it¡¯s a one-sided longing, or is there a mutual affection?¡±


    With this question, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face paled slightly. Lowering his eyes, he answered. ¡°It¡¯s probably mutual affection.¡±


    ¡°I think, whether it¡¯s a one-sided longing, or mutual affection, Mr. Lu certainly likes the general.¡± This sentence was very clever, and the only thing was whether Wu Xingzi could hear the meaning implied in it, or not. Rancuiughed and continued, ¡°As Mr. Lu likes the general, and over here, you have a little dalliance with the general as well, your gift would seem like showing off your rtionship. I am not bothered if he feels embarrassed, but if you were to be targeted by someone petty because of this, I¡¯ll be very unhappy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi lifted his face, blinking foolishly. He clearly did not think that so many twists and turns would be contained within such a matter, and his brain was about to explode. ¡°But¡­ It¡¯spletely not my intention. Isn¡¯t the one in Haiwang¡¯s heart Mr. Lu? W-who am I showing off to?¡±


    Even if he thought about doing so, Wu Xingzi did not have the confidence to pull it off! With Rancui¡¯s enlightenment, Wu Xingzi very quickly understood the matter. However, he still could not help but feel a little depressed.


    ¡°Also, it¡¯s yet to be determined if this marriage would conclude sessfully.¡± Rancui opened the lid of the incense burner that had burnt out, shifting the ashes within, and traces of ridicule hung around his lips.


    The Peng Society was once in the business of information exchange, and now, they had yet to give up on their old profession. The turbulence underground in Bastion City, Rancui was very aware of it. It was linked directly to the power struggle in the capital. This whole show of Mr. Lu leaving, then being escorted back to the General¡¯s estate, was well known and mentioned loudly throughout Bastion City. If it was said that Guan Shanjin had no ns on stirring up trouble, Rancui would eat all the past copies of the Pengornisseur stored in the warehouse!


    It was also no wonder that Guan Shanjin would distance himself from Wu Xingzi. Although it was unclear if it was because he did not want to involve Wu Xingzi, this was still an opportunity for him. Rancui could take advantage of the situation, and egg Wu Xingzi on to leave Bastion City and return to the quiet, peaceful life in Qingcheng County.


    ¡°Is there something to worry about in this marriage?¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but feel anxious. Although it was him who took the initiative in distancing himself from Guan Shanjin, he still was unable to let go, and was worried that an ident would befall him.


    ¡°The general himself is probably the greatest worry,¡± Rancui replied, feigning casualness. He gave a faint sigh, ¡°Think about it, is the general the type who would be willing to share his beloved with anyone? He can even get jealous over your pengornis drawings.¡±


    This reminder made Wu Xingzi nod his head, convinced.


    Exactly! Towards a substitute like him, Guan Shanjin already could not ept those dead objects. Mr. Lu was Guan Shanjin¡¯s beloved, how could he share him with others? Also, Mr. Lu would be marrying into the Yue family, could Guan Shanjin actually be willing to let that happen?


    Wu Xingzi could not help but rub his chest again. Recently, a faint aching kept happening around that area. When thinking about Guan Shanjin, it ached especially fiercely.


    ¡°Ai, it¡¯s time to return to Qingcheng County¡­¡± Since those two people shared mutual affection, why should he remain here and be an eyesore? Wu Xingzi looked up to the sky. Although that was the same sky, it just looked different to how it was at home!

 Chapter 55 - Rancui Gains A Loyal Puppy

    <strong>Chapter 55 ¡ª Rancui Gains A Loyal Puppy</strong>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Rancui did not miss out on Wu Xingzi¡¯s mumblings. He lifted his teacup, hiding a small smile behind it. A n formed rapidly in his head, but none of it was revealed on his face. Instead, he gently persuaded Wu Xingzi, ¡°If you¡¯re starting to be homesick, why don¡¯t you mention it to the general? Three dayster, Mr. Lu will be getting married, and the general should be free then. It¡¯s probably likely that he will be willing to take you back to Qingcheng County.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Wu Xingzi looked hesitant. He was now reluctant to interact with Guan Shanjin too often, afraid that his own feelings would develop further. However, unconsciously, he started to recall the day when the two of them had left his hometown after celebrating the Chinese New Year, and how they had agreed that they would return together to pay respects to the tombs of his ancestors.


    His gloomy feelings dredging up old memories, Wu Xingzi remembered how both his father and Guan Shanjin had said that he was indifferent by nature, never fighting for anything, and was someone who always reconciled himself to his circumstances. These words were tooplimentary for him.


    He went with the flow, only wanting to live a calm and peaceful life, but it was only because he understood how he had no qualifications to fight for anything with anyone.


    If they talked about his talents, he was already sixteen when he became the top schr in his vige. His father had achieved this at the young age of twelve, and even in the entire Great Xia dynasty, his father would be considered an astonishing genius. Although it was not sure why he did not continue to attempt the higher examinations, his father was still extremely talented as a teacher.


    As for his looks, what could even be mentioned? Wu Xingzi could only be said to look ordinary, and that all his features were present, with nothing missing.


    If it was his family background, throughout the county, they all said that he was a jinx who would live alone forever. His life was so ill-fated, that the deaths of his parents were because of his ursedeness, and he was not able to keep anyone by his side¡­ Wasn¡¯t it so?! If Yan Wenxin had not gone to the capital for the imperial examinations then, but had chosen to spend their lives together, who knew if he would still be alive now?


    With everythingid out like this, how could Wu Xingzi have the confidence to fight with others? Of course, when it came to something he could fight for, he would definitely do so! They only had to look at that grave plot of his, did he not fight for that?


    Recalling that grave, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mood improved greatly. He then thought about the pengornis drawings that he had tucked away. Recently, he had collected about seven or eight new drawings, but he did not dare bring them back, instead he asked Rancui to help hold on to them for him. Amongst them was the Pan An1 of pengornises, so very straight and thick. Wu Xingzi was not sure if it was specially instructed by Rancui, but this drawing was even coloured, a pinkish-tone shining through its fairness, like a precious stone gleaming in the light.


    Ah, it¡¯s truly good looking! It just loses to Guan Shanjin¡¯s by a little bit.


    Wu Xingzi had never wallowed in self-pity for too long. Time still carried on, and there was no point in thinking too much about things that had already been done. He might as well try to make his days pass a little happier.


    At least Guan Shanjin had not disappointed him, and he had even led him out of his well to take a look at the big wide world. Wu Xingzi should be satisfied.


    Watching how Wu Xingzi¡¯s brows gradually smoothened out from his original gloomy expression, Rancui could not help but be inwardly surprised. It could be said that he had never seen anyone with such a disposition before, as though no clouds could ever remain hanging long over their heads, and with such a weed-like tenacity. Wu Xingzi looked very shy and reserved, but his back was always more upright than anyone else, and nothing could make him bend.


    ¡°Manager Rancui, many thanks for your snacks. I¡¯ve disturbed you for quite some time already today, and so I shan¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Wu Xingzi stood up and cupped his hands towards Rancui, then slid another nce at the qin.


    ¡°If my qin-ying is eptable, shall I y a few more songs for you next time?¡± Rancui too stood up and returned the polite gesture.


    After some courteous smalltalk, Wu Xingzi bade his farewell and made his way out. However, just before he was about to turn and leave the pavilion, Rancui called out and stopped him. ¡°Adviser Wu, if you¡¯d like to return to Qingcheng County, and the general is not able to apany you, I¡¯m willing to make the journey with you. I happen to need to return to Goose City four dayster, and if you like, why don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Before Rancui had finished speaking, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes already turned bright, and he was nodding his head, expressing his thanks.


    ¡°If Manager Rancui doesn¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll make this journey together. We can also help and take care of each other along the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. You should ask the general first about his opinion, and I¡¯ll wait respectfully for when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Rancui wanted to see what Guan Shanjin would choose to do if Wu Xingzi was going to leave.


    He walked Wu Xingzi out of the Peng Society, and they shared a bit more conversation. Only when he watched Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin yet straight backed figure draw a distance away, did he then turn back.


    A towering, sturdy figure appeared in front of him. Rancui¡¯s lips curled up as heughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Commander Hei? Coming to the Peng Society to destroy the ce?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    It was Hei¡¯er. On that sharp, resolute face was a hint of anger. His brows were knitted tightly, and he red at the amused Rancui with fierce eyes, his hands that were hanging by his side clenching slightly.


    ¡°Oh? Coming to this little shop, dare I ask if Commander Hei has any instructions?¡± Rancui remained standing by the door. He was dressed like a rich young man of noble, privileged family today. Looking cid and agreeable, like a gently flowing river, his smile was beautiful, his eyes were charming, and his good looks were tinged with a trace of seductiveness. In this manner, he cast a sidelong nce at Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°Why did you goad Mr. Wu into leaving?¡± Hei¡¯er took half a step forward. He looked at the ravishing, yet untouchable beauty in front of him, his mouth drying up. Despite so, his loyalty stilly with Guan Shanjin, and he dared not dy his mission on hand.


    Snorting, Rancui replied. ¡°I knew it. How could it be possible that Guan Shanjin would allow Adviser Wu to roam about alone in Bastion City? You¡¯re definitely one loyal puppy, why don¡¯t you let me hear you bark a couple of times?¡±


    ¡°This is a private matter between the general and Mr. Wu, you shouldn¡¯t have put an oar in.¡± Although Hei¡¯er was not as smart as Man Yue, he could still tell that Rancui¡¯s actions had been deliberate, that he wanted to stir up trouble. He wondered, why was Rancui so against Guan Shanjin?


    ¡°I¡¯m putting an oar in just by arranging a visit home with my fellow townsman?¡± Rancui smiled mockingly as he walked past Hei¡¯er without a word, not even bothering to look at him.


    Hei¡¯er faltered for a moment, but still decided to follow. That salesman who came together with Rancui from Goose City watched the two of them, and after some deliberation, decided to pretend that he saw nothing. The manager had never been at a disadvantage before, and even if Commander Hei were to dismantle the ce entirely, it would still be difficult for him to gain an advantage over the manager.


    Rancui knew that Hei¡¯er was following behind him, but he did not seem to be bothered. He led him all the way to the pavilion where he had been chatting with Wu Xingzi just now. The qin had been packed away by his maidservant, and a new putuan had been added, the tea and snacks also refilled. With their seats on opposite ends, the distance greatly satisfied Rancui.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡± Rancui chose to sit down first on the side by theke. Compared to the elegance and dignity he had when meeting Wu Xingzi, towards Hei¡¯er he was clearly a lot more uninhibited and unrestrained. He sat with a knee bent, his leg folded up, and a faint wickedness could be seen gathered across his brows.


    ¡°Many thanks.¡± Hei¡¯er did not refuse.


    ¡°Tell me, have you been secretly following behind Adviser Wu for the past few days?¡± Rancui leant against the balustradezily, breaking apart the pastry in his hand piece by piece and feeding the fish. He did not stand on courtesy at all with Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°I was following the general¡¯smand.¡± Hei¡¯er did not deny it. It was his duty from dawn until dusk, and asionally, he even had to appear in front of others next to Man Yue to deal with matters, so as to better paint a picture of Wu Xingzi having lost favour. He had never asked about the n behind such actions, so even if Rancui wanted to probe him for any information, he would be unable to provide anything.


    ¡°What arge game of chess.¡± Rancui snorted coldly, eyeing him. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for Adviser Wu? In the General¡¯s estate, you¡¯re the one who has been next to Adviser Wu for the longest period of time. When you escorted the adviser to Bastion City for the first time, have you never ever thought about letting him go?¡±


    He did.


    Hei¡¯er¡¯s head hung low. Solemn and stiff like a stone, his breathing was so light that it could be barely heard.


    He had naturally thought about it before. After all, at that time, the only person the general had in his heart was Mr. Lu, and Wu Xingzi was nothing to him at all. As one of Guan Shanjin¡¯s trusted guards, of course he knew what was going on between Guan Shanjin and those dalliances of his. When he liked someone, he would dote on them excessively, and once his feelings faded, he would forget about them once they were out of his sight. In Hei¡¯er¡¯s opinions, Wu Xingzi would be no different as well.


    He had never thought that Wu Xingzi would unexpectedly be the one that took up space in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart. As such, that meant that Wu Xingzi was his master, and he naturally could not let his master be blinded by sweet words.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t have the courage to answer me?¡± Rancui dusted off the crumbs on his hands, then picked up a walnut candy and ced it in his mouth. He seemed to have no intentions on concealing the ridicule and annoyance in his eyes.


    Such a wolf-like man had always made Rancui shudder, and such people were also the only ones that he intuitively wanted to avoid. If not for obstructing Guan Shanjin, there was no way in hell that he would be willing to be alone with Hei¡¯er.


    Needless to say, Hei¡¯er could feel Rancui¡¯s distaste and rejection of him, and his eyes were filled with resignation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been months already,¡± Hei¡¯er sighed, swiftly shooting Rancui a nce. ¡°Manager Rancui is very incisive, and naturally should understand the sincerity of the general¡¯s feelings for Mr. Wu. What is happening right now is only a necessity, and the general is not willing to see Mr. Wu getting hurt at all.¡±


    ¡°Oho, what pretty words. Even I feel sorry for the general now.¡± Putting on a show, Rancui lifted his sleeve to wipe his eyes. The mockery in his words was even sharper than a knife.


    ¡°Why¡­ are you telling me this?¡± Hei¡¯er wondered, did Rancui want to persuade him not to report what had happened today to the general?¡±


    Very quickly, Hei¡¯er discovered that he had been too naive. These quick-witted intelligent people, all of them only made others worried, and each and every one of their words wasden with implications. Weren¡¯t they tired, living like this?


    Rancuiughed lowly, then his expression turned serious. ¡°Commander Hei, Adviser Wu can be considered your master as well, right?¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± Hei¡¯er straightened his back, responding with quiet solemness.


    ¡°Great. Then, what would you do if your master was met with injustice?¡±


    ¡°I would of course help them ovee the difficulties.¡±


    ¡°Could you be a little more specific in what you would do exactly?¡±


    Hei¡¯er watched Rancui for a moment. Rancui generously allowed him to size himself up, leisurely drinking his tea and eating snacks. It seemed like he especially liked eating the walnut candies. Rancui held a bunch in his hand, tossing them piece by piece into his mouth. With his straight, white teeth, he crunched on them. Some roguish crumbs would spill onto his lips, and he would swipe them away with his little pink tongue. It was unclear if it was deliberate or unconscious, but the way he licked his lips was rather tantalising.


    This image of him waspletely different from how he was previously.


    In the past, Hei¡¯er could only see Rancui when apanying Wu Xingzi. Rancui would be in his position as the manager of the Peng Society, looking both iparably reserved and elegant.


    He never appeared this lively, his every action and demeanour this unbridled, and this sparked an indescribable desire in Hei¡¯er¡¯s heart.


    His breathing sped up a little, but soon steadied. Without a change in expression, he stared straight at that pair of bright, shiny eyes.


    ¡°May Manager Rancui please let me understand exactly what you¡¯d like to know. I have much difficulty in answering that question of yours.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Commander Hei, you¡¯re not as dull as you seem.¡± Watching Hei¡¯er, Rancui¡¯s eyes curved along with his smile. The tip of his tongue dragged past his bright red lips, looking very much as though it was an invitation for a kiss.


    Hei¡¯er¡¯s eyes darkened. He again lowered his head, avoiding the sight, and his hands that were resting on his knees had already tightened into fists.


    ¡°What if your master has been made use of, and the person making use of him is not someone you can stand up against, what would you do?¡±


    This question could not be anymore direct.


    ¡°The general is not making use of Mr. Wu,¡± Hei¡¯er objected with no hesitation.


    ¡°You should be well aware about whether he¡¯s making use of him or not. He first doted on Adviser Wu, and now, he¡¯s so deliberately distancing himself from him. Yet, he still assigns you to protect him secretly, and you¡¯re telling me that there¡¯s no intention of making use of Adviser Wu?¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. If we go with what you, Manager Rancui, had said, the general is also making use of Mr. Lu.¡± Hei¡¯er had managed to avoid being dragged into agreeing with Rancui, but he inexplicably felt uneasy.


    It was as though he had still fallen into a trap.


    Rancui pped his hands together,ughing. ¡°That¡¯s right. Looking at the situation, the general is making use of Mr. Lu. This is true, and I¡¯m happy to see it happen.¡±


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why did you¡­¡± Hei¡¯er watched him uncertainly. The beauty in front of him had a certain reckless allurement when heughed. He was so brilliant, capturing the souls of others with hisughter, and Hei¡¯er was quite enchanted.


    ¡°But how are they nning on making sure that Mr. Lu thinks that the general still likes him?¡± Rancui¡¯s smile dropped abruptly. The change in his expression was swift and natural, momentarily making Hei¡¯er unable to give an answer.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Seems like Guan Shanjin himself hasn¡¯t realised it. He¡¯s making use of Adviser Wu to set Lu Zezhi¡¯s2 mind at ease, and let him misunderstand that in the end, Guan Shanjin still left the substitute and returned to him. In my eyes, this isn¡¯t a noble move at all.¡±


    Hei¡¯er discovered that he was now unable to say a word in reply.


    Thinking over it carefully, the general was making use of Wu Xingzi. Whether it was during their first meeting, or the current situation now, but¡­ it was different.


    ¡°Manager Rancui, you¡¯re being unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°So what if I am? What can you do about me?¡± Rancui again crunched on a piece of walnut candy.


    Hei¡¯er was truly at the end of his rope when facing Rancui. He sighed, and tried, ¡°Manager Rancui, will youe straight to the point about any issues that you might have? I¡¯m only a humble soldier, and I cannotpare to your quick wit.¡±


    ¡°Your mouth is pretty clever,¡± Rancui raised a brow. This time, his smile was a lot more genial, but Hei¡¯er dared not rx for even a little bit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want much, just two options. The first option, I¡¯d like you to close one eye, and let me take Adviser Wu back to Qingcheng County for a few peaceful days. We¡¯ll just see if the general has any intentions ofing for him.¡± Rancui held a hand out, raising one finger first.


    Next came his second finger. ¡°The second option ¡ª the adviser is your master. Now that he has met with such injustice, shouldn¡¯t you help him leave? The general would be heading back to the capital after Mr. Lu¡¯s wedding, wouldn¡¯t he? So, what would it matter if Mr. Wu goes first to the capital to enjoy himself, and take a break?¡±


    ¡°You want me to betray the general?¡± Hei¡¯er frowned deeply. He had to hold himself back from leaving straight away.


    ¡°Commander Hei is overstating it. Why don¡¯t you see it as a form of matchmaking? If there¡¯s not even a little setback between the general and Mr. Wu, I¡¯m afraid that the two of them wouldn¡¯tst long as well. Also, no matter which option is chosen, if the general has the mind to do so, he would be able to find Mr. Wu, wouldn¡¯t he? Where is the betrayal then?¡±


    Even if Hei¡¯er were to grow another seven or eight more mouths, he would never be able to win an argument against Rancui.


    Hei¡¯er remained silent for a moment, carefully pondering over every detail of Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi¡¯s rtionship. He also recalled Man Yue¡¯s instructions, and finally sighed.


    ¡°Alright then. If Manager Rancui can make a promise to not deliberately meddle with the rtionship between the general and Mr. Wu, I can help.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? Let¡¯s p our hands together and make an oath! I¡¯ll definitely not meddle deliberately with the rtionship between Guan Shanjin and Adviser Wu.¡± Rancui then held his hand out towards Hei¡¯er. His wide sleeve slipped down to his elbow, revealing a fair, slender and smooth arm. Hei¡¯er could not help but take in a deep breath. Only by relying on his inner force to suppress himself, did he not turn into a fool.


    Hei¡¯er too held out his hand, pping his hand with Rancui in the air three times, and that was their oath made. However, he did not notice the extra emphasis Rancui had given the word ¡°deliberately¡±.

 Chapter 56 - Your Good Friend Mr. Lu Is Back Online

    <h4>Chapter 56 ¡ª Your Good Friend Mr. Lu Is Back Online</h4>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Over at one side of the city, Rancui and Hei¡¯er formed a secret alliance, nning to help Wu Xingzi leave Bastion City early.


    On this side of the city, Wu Xingzi had just returned to Shuanghe Yard. Before he even had time to clean the dust off himself, Mint and Osmanthus had to wee an uninvited guest, and there was no time to hide her away from Wu Xingzi¡¯s view.


    Wu Xingzi did not know where this maidservant who looked rather gentle and refined came from, but the two young girls were well aware. She used to work as Guan Shanjin¡¯s maidservant, but when Mr. Lu returned to the general¡¯s estate a few days ago, she had been assigned to serve Mr. Lu instead.


    ¡°Han Xiao-jiejie.¡± Now that their master had seen her, the two young maidservants had no choice but to wee the visitor with a smile.


    ¡°Mint-meimei, Osmanthus-meimie, is Mr. Wu around?¡± To be able to work for Guan Shanjin for a number of years, and to receive his trust and favour, Han Xiao was naturally well aware of how she should behave.


    People always said, one should never hit a smiling face. Furthermore, the rtionship between Han Xiao and the two young girls was quite genial. The two girls exchanged a look, then Osmanthus ran over to Wu Xingzi, and dragged him into the house.


    As for Mint, she remained where she stood, giving a clever smile as she answered, ¡°Jiejie has seen it for herself too, our master is around. However, he¡¯s just returned from outside, and it¡¯s not feasible for him to meet anyone right at the moment. Jiejie, please wait for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, it¡¯s me who has disturbed Mr. Wu.¡± Not feeling the least anxious, Han Xiao, just like her name, was smiling. She stood quietly in the courtyard, waiting, and this instead made Mint rather embarrassed.


    However, Han Xiao now worked for Mr. Lu, so how could Mint and Osmanthu not be a little more cautious? Who knew what the general was thinking, Mr. Lu was soon about to be married already, yet he still purposely brought him back, and even abandoned their master, ignoring him. The deep affections and the non-stop apaniment from the previous days had been like a dream.


    Having seen Han Xiao, Wu Xingzi hurriedly wiped his face and hands. Afraid that the girl had been waiting for quite some time, he quickly left the house, and Osmanthus did not even have the time to get him to slow down.


    ¡°Sir, this is Han Xiao-jiejie, she¡¯s currently Mr. Lu¡¯s attendant.¡± Mint quickly went forward to stop her master, cing a greater emphasis on the words ¡°Mr. Lu¡±.


    ¡°M-Mr. Lu?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, momentarily at a loss for how to react. Only a while ago was Mr. Lu mentioned when he was in the Peng Society, and now that he was back, this person hade seeking him out. Did he want to invite him to another meal again? That was too courteous of him.


    ¡°Please excuse me, Mr. Wu. I came at the wrong time, and disturbed you.¡± Han Xiao bowed. ¡°Mr. Lu would like to invite you over for a chat. Mr. Wu, would you do him the honour?¡±


    Compared to Hua Shu¡¯s unconcealed contempt when presenting the invitation previously, Han Xiao was extremely polite, which instead made Wu Xingzi rather embarrassed.


    ¡°You¡¯re much too polite. Since it¡¯s an invitation from Mr. Lu, of course I¡¯m more than happy to meet him.¡± The matter about preparing a gift again popped up in Wu Xingzi¡¯s head. Although Rancui had said not to prepare one, and Wu Xingzi too understood the issue in doing so, Mr. Lu did invite him to lunch previously, and it would really be too rude of him to appear empty-handed this time. Preparing a small gift should give no cause for criticism, right?


    Having made his decision, Wu Xingzi then instructed Mint to fill up a basket with the eggnts, cucumbers and other vegetables they just harvested today. He nned on gifting them to Mr. Lu for him to have a taste. These cucumbers were fresh, sweet and crisp, and the eggnts too were tender, and their skin still thin. They could be eaten raw, and stir-frying them would only make them even more delicious. With such good cooks in the general¡¯s kitchen, this gift would definitely not go to waste. After all, everyone had to eat, right?


    Wu Xingzi had originally wanted to add a jar of pickled vegetables as well, but he thought about how Mr. Lu had been a vegetarian for so many years, and recalled that he did not eat scallions, ginger, garlic, pepper, etc. As such, he hurriedly removed the jar from the basket so as to avoid any unhappiness from urring.


    Watching the three people bustling about, Han Xiao did not hurry them. She stood quietly by the side, waiting with lowered lids.


    Only when Wu Xingzi finally stood up, lifting up the basket of carefully selected vegetables with satisfaction, did Han Xiao thene closer and take the basket, speaking gently, ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Wu. Now, Mr. Wu, please follow me.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ It¡¯s fine, I can carry the basket myself¡­¡± Wu Xingzi reached out, wanting to take the basket back. How could he allow a girl to lead the way with the basket in her hands, while he followed behind empty-handedly?


    However, Han Xiao¡¯s actions were nimble and swift. She pushed Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand away softly, signalling at Mint and Osmathus to attend to Wu Xingzi with her eyes, before turning around and leading the way.


    Wu Xingzi had no choice. The entire time, he stared at the basket, wringing his sleeves periodically. He could not snatch the basket, could he?


    Wu Xingzi had been to Wangshu Residence before. This time, the patch of mallow nts had already withered, and the leaves were rustling in the wind, adding a certain peace and serenity to the atmosphere.


    Han Xiao led Wu Xingzi and his two maidservants towards the courtyard at the back. The spring sun was perfect and the breeze was refreshing. A shallow stream appeared in front of them and near it, there was a bamboo pavilion. A figure dressed in white was seated within. Ethereal like a fallen deity, his clothes fluttered in the wind, looking untouched from the material world.


    ¡°Mr. Lu, I¡¯ve brought along Mr. Wu with me.¡± Han Xiao led the three people to the pavilion, bowing obediently to the person seated inside.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Naturally, the person dressed in white and seated inside the pavilion was Mr. Lu. He put down the book he was reading, standing up and weing Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Mr. Lu.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands towards him. Giving a few courteous greetings before he entered, Wu Xingzi sat down across Mr. Lu.


    ¡°This is a gift Mr. Wu has prepared for you.¡± Han Xiao lifted the basket in her hand. Mr. Lu swept a nce at it, a small smile appearing on his lips.


    ¡°Mr. Wu is much too courteous, I don¡¯t deserve it at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing. These are just some simple items, I grew them myself, and they¡¯re really delicious. Mr. Lu, you¡¯re vegetarian, aren¡¯t you? It just so happens that these vegetables are for you to try.¡± Afraid that Mr. Lu would refuse them, Wu Xingzi quickly instructed his maidservants, ¡°Mint, Osmanthus, help Han Xiao deliver these to the kitchen. It¡¯ll be just in time for dinnerter.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Mint took the basket over, and asked her younger sister to stay with Wu Xingzi while she sped off to the kitchen alone.


    ¡°Many thanks, Mr. Wu.¡± Only then did Mr. Lu take a seat again, pouring out tea for both of them.


    The tea was of a good quality, but Wu Xingzi was rather uneasy. He had already finished two cups of tea, but Mr. Lu still had yet to say a word. What exactly was going on here? It really made one perplexed.


    Probably because he noticed Wu Xingzi¡¯s awkwardness, Mr. Lu finally put his cup down and smiled faintly at Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi naturally responded back with a smile.


    ¡°What ns does Mr. Wu have for the future?¡± This question came out of the blue. Wu Xingzi froze, unable to provide an answer.


    Looking at Wu Xingzi¡¯s lost expression, Mr. Lu lowered his eyes, seemingly sighing. ¡°What I¡¯m asking is, would you remain in the general¡¯s estate, or are you thinking of returning home?¡±


    This question was too direct. Wu Xingzi shuddered violently, and his face paled. He was nning on returning home, as after all, it looked like Guan Shanjin was back again with Mr. Lu. Also, ording to Rancui, there seemed to be some uncertainty about the marriage with Miss Yue. Maybe Guan Shanjin had finally thought things through, and he might be even nning on snatching the groom during that wedding. As such, the entire matter really no longer had anything to do with him anymore.


    The only reason Wu Xingzi had yet to leave was his reluctance in leaving Guan Shanjin. In his heart was a vague anticipation to be able to see him again, as after all, he should at least make his farewells, right? Also, towards him, Guan Shanjin might¡­ even have some affections¡­


    ¡°Haiwang should have admitted this to you already. To him, you¡¯re only a shadow of me.¡± If Mr. Lu¡¯s previous words were considered to be beating around the bush, then this time, they were very direct, and the only thing missing was a straight invitation to scram.


    Wu Xingzi looked at him mutely. Was this person in front of him really Mr. Lu?


    The previous Mr. Lu was gentle and elegant, and his words were mild and tactful. Had he been agitated by something?


    ¡°Mr. Lu, you¡­¡± Just as Wu Xingzi wanted to express his concern, Mr. Lu interrupted him.


    ¡°In the past, it was my misgivings that prevented Haiwang and me from bing honest with each other about our feelings, causing suchplications to happen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had long been aware of what had happened between the two of them. In his opinion, Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu shared mutual affections, but for some reason, they had remained reserved with each other for too long a time, and hence missed the opportunity for any confessions.


    Wu Xingzi could not help rubbing his aching chest.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve known about it already,¡± Mr. Lu sneered. ¡°It seems like Mr. Wu is an understanding man.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, smiling wryly after a stunned pause. ¡°I don¡¯t have many strengths, but self-awareness is one of them.¡±


    His voice was full of sincerity, but Mr. Lu¡¯s fair face instead flushed violently, seemingly from a bout of anger. This made Wu Xingzi rather lost.


    Did he say something wrong?


    He watched as Mr. Lu opened his mouth, looking as though he was about to say something. But in the end, Mr. Lu only bit his lip, picking up his teacup and sipping from it, before opening his mouth again. ¡°This time, I¡¯ve fully understood my feelings.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, congrattions¡­¡± Wu Xingzi did not know what he should say. However, to not give a response seemed very rude, and so he could only give such a reply.


    Mr. Lu¡¯s brows creased slightly. A beauty, even when irate, had a certain ir to them. However, this anger seemed toe from nowhere, and it made Wu Xingzi rather apprehensive.


    ¡°Haiwang and I have known each other for many years. He¡¯s very gentle and considerate towards me, and has the utmost concern for me. However, in the past, I was always worried that he was young and frivolous, and was not someone who could settle down. As such, I could only feign ignorance about his feelings.¡±


    ¡°What a pity¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his nose, feeling even more confused.


    Shouldn¡¯t these words be said to Guan Shanjin instead? Why did Mr. Lu specially invite him over to say all this?


    ¡°Still, this time, I¡¯ve finally understood. I shouldn¡¯t continue letting down Haiwang¡¯s sincerity. To let him always seek out my shadow over and over again and to let him ce his affections on things so false, I¡¯ve been hurting him very deeply.¡± Anyone else could probably register the ridicule and insult in those words, but unfortunately, Wu Xingzi was not one of them.


    Convinced, Wu Xingzi nodded in agreement. ¡°For you to have such a revtion, it¡¯s a blessing for you and Haiwang.¡±


    It was basically like punching cotton! Mr. Lu frowned, unable to continue saying what he had already prepared. This person in front of him was really too hateful!


    How could Mr. Lu not know that Guan Shanjin¡¯s feelings for him were not entirely the reason why Guan Shanjin was currently keeping a distance from Wu Xingzi? How could he not notice that although he had once again returned to Wangshu Residence, back to the days where he was carefully doted upon by Guan Shanjin, such care and concern stillcked a trace of affection from the past?


    How could Mr. Lu not be anxious?


    Also, on the surface, Guan Shanjin had distanced himself from Wu Xingzi, but he had not sent him away. This person could still eat well and live well in the general¡¯s estate, and this was not how Guan Shanjin normally dealt with such matters! Mr. Lu could be considered to have a thorough understanding of Guan Shanjin¡¯s character. If he really got tired of Wu Xingzi, on the day when he had returned to the general¡¯s estate, Wu Xingzi would already have been sent out of Bastion City.


    Mr. Lu knew where the issue was, but he was unwilling to believe that he had lost to someone so ugly, so crude, and so poor! Guan Shanjin definitely still liked him, it was just that he still had some lingering affections for Wu Xingzi. Since this was the case, he should help Guan Shanjin make a decision! This student who had loved him for so many years would definitely not me him for it.


    They had let too many things slip through their fingers. There was no need to again let anyone else create furtherplications.


    ¡°Haiwang has let you down, and I¡¯ve let you down as well. We would be doing you more wrong if we were to keep you in Bastion City any longer.¡± Mr. Lu corrected his expression, and abruptly caught hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand. ¡°Mr. Wu, please don¡¯t me Haiwang. It¡¯s me who caused him to take such a misstep, and you ended up being caught up in this.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lu¡¯s words are too serious, too serious¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was in a predicament. He wanted to pull his hand back, but it was caught too tightly. Mr. Lu had even used quite a fair bit of strength, leaving faint fingernail marks in his hand.


    Next to them, Osmanthus had noticed it. She stepped up, wanting to help her master, only to be held back by Han Xiao, who shook her head towards the younger girl. Feeling very anxious, yet unable to pull herself out of Han Xiao¡¯s grasp, Osmanthus¡¯ eyes rounded, nearly about to cry.


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Wu. I¡¯ll apologise to you on Haiwang¡¯s behalf, we¡¯ve wronged you greatly. However¡­¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s eyelids lowered halfway, his brows tinged lightly with sorrow, and the image made others feel great sympathy for him, and Wu Xingzi was no exception. Feeling helpless, he allowed Mr. Lu to continue holding his hand, but it felt like there was a brand pressing onto his heart, and the searing pain spread across his chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lu. I¡¯ve never¡­ med Haiwang before¡­¡± This was the honest truth. Guan Shanjin had not let him down, and the only thing to me was Wu Xingzi himself for falling for him, and there was no need to cry over it. ¡°I¡¯ve already nned on leaving.¡±


    Osmanthus¡¯ eyes widened further, nearly crying out. She quickly covered her mouth tightly with her hands, but her eyes had already reddened.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The curve of Mr. Lu¡¯s lips quirked up slightly, his smile tasting of pity.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, barely managing to force a smile upon his face. ¡°So Mr. Lu, please do not worry. I will not make things difficult for Haiwang and you.¡±


    Not having expected such grace, Mr. Lu was now in a little disbelief.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ really willing to leave?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Between Haiwang and me, it was only a tryst in the first ce.¡± This was despite his feelings having deepened. Having made a decision, Wu Xingzi¡¯s smile only became more earnest. ¡°It has been difficult for you, to have missed so many years between Haiwang and you. I hope that the two of you will be able to stay happy together until you¡¯re old and aged.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Mr. Lu had originally wanted to cow Wu Xingzi into submission, but he had not expected that things would go this way, and it made him feel at a loss instead. He was unable to decide if Wu Xingzi was honest or sincere. How could there be someone this direct and frank in this world?


    ¡°However, Mr. Lu, you¡¯ll be getting married three dayster. Have you spoke about this to Miss Yue as well?¡± Wu Xingzi was truly uncertain. After all, Guan Shanjin was still busy with the wedding matters. Could Mr. Lu be afraid, and have yet to clear up all doubts? Wu Xingzi could not help but worry for Mr. Lu.


    This blow went straight to Mr. Lu¡¯s heart. His face paled, and he was speechless.

 Chapter 57 - That Frog in The Well

    <strong>Chapter 57 ¡ª That Frog in The Well</strong>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    A silence descended upon Wangshu Residence. Wu Xingzi looked at Mr. Lu¡¯s ashen face worriedly, wondering if he should ask the physician over to take a look.


    Wu Xingzi too understood that Mr. Lu probably had not thought about how to break off this engagement. After all, Miss Yue was very sincere about the rtionship. Even though Wu Xingzi had only met her once, he could still sense that the young girl¡¯s love for Mr. Lu was not muddled or unclear.


    Sighing lightly, while feeling somewhat apologetic to Mr. Lu, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart too ached for Guan Shanjin.


    It seemed that these two people still had a long way to go.


    ¡°This is a matter between Haiwang and me, there¡¯s no need for Mr. Wu to worry over it.¡± Mr. Lu spoke coldly after a pause. ring at Wu Xingzi, his eyes were filled with mes.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve overstepped. Mr. Lu, please forgive me.¡± Wu Xingzi stood up frankly, cupping his hands together in apology. He reflected on himself, whether he spoke too much. This matter, after all, wasn¡¯t something he had the right to worry about.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired now, so I won¡¯t be entertaining Mr. Wu any longer. I hope that what Mr. Wu promised me today, will not be easily forgotten.¡± Mr. Lu did not bother standing up. With lowered eyes, his tone was weary, and it seemed like he truly was exhausted. ¡°Han Xiao, send Mr. Wu back.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mr. Wu, please.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for having disturbed you, Mr. Lu.¡± ncing at Mr. Lu, Wu Xingzi sighed again, before stepping out of the bamboo pavilion and following behind Han Xiao¡¯s back.


    On the way back to Shuanghe Yard, they happened to meet Mint who was speeding back from the main kitchen. When Mint saw her elder sister, she pursed her lips, grabbing onto her and started muttering away. Mint diverted her attention to listen to her sisterin, frowning and sighing intermittently. Finally, she looked at her master in disbelief. Her mouth opened, as though she wanted to say something, but when she caught sight of Han Xiao¡¯s quiet figure, she suppressed it.


    Back in Shuanghe Yard, Han Xiao did not withdraw. Instead, she bowed and then watched Wu Xingzi calmly, making him extremely anxious. Only then, did she speak. ¡°What Mr. Wu said just now, was it all from your heart?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Which line are you referring to?¡± Wu Xingzi looked lost. He could not understand why Han Xiao would ask this question.


    ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re nning on leaving Bastion City?¡± Han Xiao decided to just be direct. Hearing this, Mint and Osmanthus too hurriedly stared at their master, holding their breaths and waiting for the answer.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched the fleshy tip of his nose, hesitating slightly before he gave a wry reply. ¡°There¡¯s also no point in me staying here.¡±


    Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu had finally confirmed their feelings for each other. So, there was no longer a need for him, this substitute, anymore, right?


    Han Xiao nodded. ¡°Mr. Wu is bright and clever, just like how Vice General Man had described.¡±


    Next, she took a couple of steps forward, and continued with a lowered voice. ¡°Does Mr. Wu n on returning to Qingcheng County?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Of course Wu Xingzi had nned on returning home. However, with Han Xiao¡¯s abrupt question, he now hesitated. Although he did not believe that Guan Shanjin would go all the way there searching for him, just in case¡­ Wu Xingzi suddenly registered the quiet anticipation within his heart, and his face paled involuntarily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fortunate enough to be able to serve the general for many years, so I would daringly like to give Mr. Wu some suggestions.¡± Han Xiao drew even closer. Afraid that their master would be bullied, Mint and Osmanthus too came closer. Wu Xingzi could only take half a step back to avoid any gossip. Han Xiao shot a look at the two young girls, her gaze amused. Next, she continued respectfully, ¡°The general does not like things to not go his way. For Mr. Wu to leave like this, I¡¯m afraid that this will deeply anger the general.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi paused. ¡°How about I inform him? He should be able to understand.¡±


    For some reason, Wu Xingzi recalled the previous incident when he wanted to go home for the New Year. At that time, when he said that he wanted to leave, Guan Shanjin had even been angered to the point of vomiting blood. However, now that he had Mr. Lu, things should have changed.


    The only thing was that Guan Shanjin had no longer sought him out since half a month ago. This ¡°informing¡± seemed like it would be rather difficult.


    Han Xiao observed Wu Xingzi for a moment, then nodded, her slight smile rather ambiguous. ¡°This is a good idea. Why don¡¯t I help you invite the general over?¡±


    ¡°Could you? I¡¯ll be very grateful to you.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes brightened as he smiled happily. ¡°Miss Han Xiao, it¡¯s so fortunate that you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°No, no. This is part of my duties.¡± Having done what she was supposed to do, Han Xiao too felt relieved. She gave Wu Xingzi an ambiguous yet sympathetic look, then bowed and withdrew.


    As Guan Shanjin¡¯s trusted maidservant, she naturally was not someone Mr. Lu could order about, and did not truly take Mr. Lu as her master. However, Man Yue was different. In the general¡¯s estate, or rather, the entire Bastion City, right below the general was Vice General Man. This seemingly plump and honest-looking Man Yue, if he were to dere being the second best at being a mastermind, no one would dare call themselves the best. Whether it was Han Xiao or Hei¡¯er, these close subordinates would always listen to Man Yue.


    Despite not understanding what Man Yue was nning, Han Xiao dared not treat his instructions lightly.


    After sending Han Xiao off, Mint and Osmanthus came back with pouts, asking what were Wu Xingzi¡¯s intentions. Upon confirming that he really wanted to leave, the shoulders of the two young girls fell. They were almost about to cry, but managed to hold their tears back.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ached greatly! He had doted on these two girls as though they were his nieces. Suddenly saying that he was going to leave, he too was very upset. However, Bastion City was not the ce where he could stay forever, as one always had to return home.


    That day, all three of them looked very gloomy. Wu Xingzi even had two less bowls of rice during lunch, while he did finish all the dishes. Lazily, he leant in the chair next to the cucumber rack, dozing on and off, taking the opportunity to decipher his own feelings.


    Mint and Osmanthus too dragged a stool each and sat down not too far from Wu Xingzi, sewing away as they apanied him.


    The spring sun was warm and not too scorching. The wind brought along with it the scent of nature, carrying a breeze that made one feel veryfortable. Somehow or another, Wu Xingzi fell asleep.


    Noticing that he was sleeping, Mint deftly covered him up with a cloak. However, in the next moment, it was taken away by arge and elegantly pretty hand. Nearly screaming out in shock, Mint quickly covered her mouth. Widened eyes trailed up that hand, and she looked up to see Guan Shanjin¡¯s wless face.


    ¡°General!¡± Osmanthus too registered his presence, hurriedly tossing away the needle in her hand and running over. The two of them greeted Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°You may stand.¡± Guan Shanjin casually waved at them, returning the cloak to Mint. ¡°How long has he been asleep?¡±


    While asking them, his eyes were glued to Wu Xingzi, just like a man finally finding water in a desert.


    ¡°General, Mr. Wu has just fallen asleep.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin nodded slightly, bending over and carefully lifting Wu Xingzi in his arms, his motions steady and nimble. Wu Xingzi only made a quiet sound, his head falling onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder. Nuzzling into it, he then smiled and fell deeply asleep again.


    Looking at his trusting actions, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart softened. He desperately wished to tuck this person into his arms and never be apart, but was also worried that his actions would be too jerky and disturb the man¡¯s sweet dreams. As such, he somewhat clumsily shifted about before he managed to seat the two of them together in the chair.


    ¡°The cloak.¡± He quietly called out, holding out a hand to Mint. The young girl was in a daze, and only handed Guan Shanjin the cloak after a nce from him. ¡°You can withdraw now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Both Mint and Osmanthus were not very willing. However, Guan Shanijn¡¯s gaze was too frightening, and they had no choice but to leave reluctantly.


    After the two girls were a long distance away, Guan Shanjinughed lightly. He carefully covered Wu Xingzi with the cloak, afraid that he would be chilled. Although it was warm in Bastion City, the wind of early spring still carried with it traces of a chill. If one was not careful, they could catch a cold, and how could Guan Shanjin bear to let Wu Xingzi suffer?


    However, Wu Xingzi was sleeping veryfortably. His warm breaths exhaled on to the crook of Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, and the heat sent tingles throughout Guan Shanjin¡¯s body. Only by repressing his desire did Guan Shanjin manage not to take this person and have his way with him. Bearing the torture, he patted the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips.


    Snuggling into each other, Guan Shanjin was unable to see the old fellow¡¯s face. Unsatisfied, he pulled Wu Xingzi deeper into his arms, and decided to just close his eyes and rest as well.


    Having slept for some time, when Wu Xingzi woke up, the sun was already descending down the horizon. The air he breathed was mingled with the scent of sandalwood and orange blossoms. Regretfully, he huffed out a breath, thinking that he truly had a pleasant dream, to be able to even dream about Guan Shanjin¡¯s scent.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± A familiar voice came from above Wu Xingzi. Freezing in the act of nuzzling into the surface that he was leaning on, Wu Xingzi jerked his head up, narrowly missing Guan Shanjin¡¯s chin.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± The arms around him were too tight, and even when looking up, all Wu Xingzi could see was Guan Shanjin¡¯s elegant chin and neck. Only then did Guan Shanjin rx a little, with a faint, mischievous smile, and the two were finally able to look at each other directly.


    ¡°Were you shocked?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded slowly. He suddenly recalled that before Han Xiao left, she said that she would request for Guan Shanjin toe over. However, he had not expected that Guan Shanjin woulde so quickly. Wasn¡¯t he busy preparing for Mr. Lu¡¯s wedding? There were barely three days left!


    Without thinking, Wu Xingzi asked, ¡°Mr. Lu has told you about it?¡±


    There could only be this possibility, or why else could Guan Shanjin have this free time toe?


    ¡°About what?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s smile faded away, an indifferent iciness hanging over his brows.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Just as he was about to answer, Wu Xingzi fortunately managed to cover his own mouth, preventing himself from revealing Mr. Lu¡¯s feelings. Even though most people knew that Mr. Lu had feelings for Guan Shanjin, there was still the matter of the wedding, and so, Wu Xingzi should not be the one disclosing this to Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin pulled his hand down. Looking at that half-opened mouth, he could not stop himself from leaning down and kissing those lips, entangling their tongues together and teasing it.


    Only after leaving Wu Xingzi gasping for breath did Guan Shanjin pull away reluctantly, brushing Wu Xingzi¡¯s kiss-swollen lips with a finger.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was a blushing red from the kiss, feeling both embarrassed and intoxicated. ording to everyone, Guan Shanjin had finally managed to win Mr. Lu over already, and so he should no longer be so enchanted with himself. However, why was he still so passionate?


    ¡°Why are you falling into a daze again?¡± Guan Shanjin had never known that just by looking at someone, he could be this satisfied. He wished deeply that they would forever be able to cling onto each other like this. Even Mr. Lu had never been able to make him feel this way before. Exactly what was so special about Wu Xingzi? Guan Shanjin too could note to a conclusion, and only knew that he never wanted to be apart from this old quail.


    For this couple of weeks, he had endured and suppressed his desires greatly. To make Mr. Lu feel at ease, to make the Yue family feel at ease, and also to make the people behind the Yue family focus on Mr. Lu, Guan Shanjin had no choice but to distance himself from Wu Xingzi. He refused to even sneak a look at him, deeply afraid that it would cause a shift in the situation.


    However, when Han Xiao passed a message saying that Wu Xingzi wanted to see him, Guan Shanjin could no longer hold himself back. Fortunately, the results of the past couple of weeks were pretty decent, good enough to let him ck off for half a day, and for him to spend time with this old fellow.


    Squinting at him, Wu Xingzi opened his mouth, hesitant. ¡°Is Mr. Lu¡­ really getting married three dayster?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing another man¡¯s name from Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, Guan Shanjin could not help but frown. ¡°Why are you asking this?¡±


    Han Xiao had reported to Guan Shanjin that Mr. Lu had invited Wu Xingzi for tea today, and his words to Wu Xingzi had been rather grating, and Guan Shanjin felt unavoidably distressed. Was Wu Xingzi about to air his grievances to him? When this thought popped up in his head, Guan Shanjin was inexplicably delighted. Even his brows had rxed, and embracing Wu Xingzi, he rocked him slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about¡­¡± His decision to leave was at the tip of his tongue, but Wu Xingzi swallowed it back down. Bowing his head, he wrung the ties of the cloak unconsciously. When Guan Shanjin saw it, he caught that hand, ying about with it.


    Their fingers entwined together, then separating and stroking along each other, finally interlocking with each other. It was as though mes were trapped in Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm, so heated that Wu Xingzi¡¯s palm itched. The warmth spread up to his face, a flush following it, and even the tips of his ears reddened. Still, he obediently allowed Guan Shanjin to hold his hand, but he still did not have the courage to look up at that gorgeous, bewitching face.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Ai, I¡¯m wondering, should I prepare a gift?¡± Once the words left his mouth, even Wu Xingzi himself felt that he was acting rather perfunctory. This matter had long been decided, and also, to mention the wedding now, he felt as though he was grinding away at Guan Shanjin¡¯s ego.


    ¡°A gift?¡± Guan Shanjin raised his brows, and tapped on the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose. ¡°What gift? Are you close to Mr. Lu?¡±


    How could they be close? Some of the words spoken by Mr. Lu had been conveyed to Guan Shanjin by Han Xiao, and even he was unhappy after hearing them. If not for the fact that they had came from Mr. Lu¡¯s mouth, Guan Shanjin would definitely have dealt properly with that person.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ after meeting three times, there¡¯s bound to be fate between us¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, his shoulders drooping slightly. In Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, he curled himself up into a ball.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a gift. Keep the allowance the estate has provided you well, there¡¯s no need to waste it on others.¡± Thinking about Wu Xingzi¡¯s pitiful bucket stash of slightly more than nine silver taels, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Weren¡¯t you also nning on treating me to amb feast?¡±


    ¡°Ah, if you didn¡¯t remind me, I¡¯d have nearly forgotten about it.¡± Silently, Wu Xingzi counted the bnce in his money pouch. Together with this month¡¯s allowance he had just received a few days ago, he estimated that there should be nearly a hundred and twenty silver taels. The general¡¯s estate was truly too generous. Wu Xingzi could not, nor should he take the money along with him, but he should also treat Guan Shanjin to a meal.


    ¡°After Mr. Lu¡¯s wedding, you can treat me to a meal.¡± Guan Shanjin had only said it casually, but the expression on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face had changed.


    ¡°After the wedding?¡± If that was the case, there was no longer the opportunity to do so.


    After all, by then, he would be on the way back to Qingcheng County with Rancui.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why does your expression look so bad?¡± How could such a change be concealed from Guan Shanjin? A chill suffused his heart, and he pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek. ¡°What did Mr. Lu say to you?¡±


    ¡°Naye, naye¡­¡± Nervous, Wu Xingzi slipped into his local ent. Although Guan Shanjin did not understand, he could grasp that he was denying it, and so, it was clear that something did happen.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi, don¡¯t take to heart whatever Mr. Lu told you, and there¡¯s no need to take it seriously.¡± Guan Shanjin lifted Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin, looking at him solemnly. ¡°When Mr. Lu is married, let¡¯s go to the capital.¡±


    ¡°The capital?¡± That was a ce miles away. ¡°What about visiting my ancestors¡¯ gravesites on Qingming?¡±


    Guan Shanjin raised a brow,ughing. ¡°I knew you¡¯d worry over such needless worries, alright! I¡¯ll wrap up everything in the capital before Qingming, then we¡¯ll go back to Qingcheng County for the tomb-sweeping.¡±


    Unthinkingly, Wu Xingzi nodded, and lost the opportunity to bid Guan Shanjin farewell.


    This was the Great Southern Garrison General after all, and he would need to return to the capital soon to make his reports. Together with the wedding three dayster, he was so busy that he barely had time to stop, and could not even have dinner together with Wu Xingzi. After hugging and kissing Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin had to leave.


    Wu Xingzi sent him off in a daze. Pressing his fingers against his tingling, kiss-swollen lips, even his tongue felt numb from the action, and it seemed to feel rather clumsy.


    Should he still return to Qingcheng County? Hmm¡­ Under the setting sun, a tall,rge, dark figure appeared out of nowhere right in front of Wu Xingzi. Shocked, Wu Xingzi retreated a few steps, nearly shouting out in rm with a hand pressed on his chest.


    Only after looking carefully did Wu Xingzi realise the neer was Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er?¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu.¡± Hei¡¯er cupped his hands at him, a certain determination in his swarthy, resolute face.


    ¡°Why are you here? Would you like a cup of tea?¡± The person in front of him seemed a little different from usual, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart inexplicably skipped a little.


    ¡°Would Adviser Wu like to return to Qingcheng County?¡± Hei¡¯er took a couple of steps forward, his tone slightly agitated.


    Wu Xingzi was silent for a few moments, before quietly replying, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    No matter what ns Guan Shanjin had, even though Wu Xingzi had wavered just now, Wu Xingzi was still that Wu Xingzi, that little frog in a well.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Hei¡¯er fell to one knee, his right hand on his heart. ¡°You¡¯re my master, I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±

 Chapter 58 - So Many Pengornises In The Capital, Of Course I Should Go Take A Look!

    <h4>Chapter 58 ¡ª So Many Pengornises In The Capital, Of Course I Should Go Take A Look!</h4>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Hei¡¯er¡¯s words stunned Wu Xingzi.


    Was this¡­ fleeing, or were they eloping? The words spun around in Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, and he could not help but take a couple of steps backwards, uneasily turning his head towards the direction Guan Shanjin had taken.


    He only just wanted to go home, and had already agreed with Rancui to go back together. Why did the journey sound so dangerousing out from Hei¡¯er¡¯s mouth?


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve spoken to Rancui already, that we¡¯ll be going back together¡­¡± Hei¡¯er was, after all, one of Guan Shanjin¡¯s men. For him to continue apanying Wu Xingzi, whether based on logic or feelings, it was not quite suitable.


    ¡°Where my master goes, I¡¯ll follow, and make sure that you¡¯re safe.¡± Hei¡¯er still had a knee on the ground, looking at Wu Xingzi with his dark, swarthy face.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was at a loss. He wanted to pull Hei¡¯er up, but who knew that he would not be able to move even a hair on Hei¡¯er. Instead, he nearly fell down himself, and needed Hei¡¯er¡¯s help to support him. ¡°I¡¯m just going home.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu, please pardon my directness. If there¡¯s an opportunity, would you be willing to spend the rest of your life together with the General?¡± Hei¡¯er looked up, his tanned face almost blending into the sky. Although thenterns had yet to be lit, the intense gaze in his eyes was like stars.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi could not give an answer. If there was a possibility, he would most probably look forward to bing life partners with Guan Shanjin. However, he was already so old and had long abandoned such unrealistic hopes. With Hei¡¯er¡¯s sudden question, he could only smile wryly and not answer.


    Wu Xingzi, however, was unaware of how much his expression had revealed. Hei¡¯er watched him calmly for a few moments. ¡°Mr. Wu, if the General were to find out that you¡¯ve left Bastion City, he would immediately search Qingcheng County. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll not be able to withstand his fearsome wrath.¡±


    Fearsome wrath? Wu Xingzi shuddered. He had never seen Guan Shanjin angry before, and for some reason, he could not help but feel a little guilty.


    ¡°Umm¡­ But he¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed. ¡°Mr. Lu and him finally have a happy ever after, so why is there a need for this substitute to be an eyesore?¡±


    Cleverly, Hei¡¯er did not answer this question, instead asking another question on his own initiative. ¡°Why not let me take you to the capital for a holiday? First, it can be a distraction from your feelings, and second, it¡¯ll be giving the General time to calm down. Maybe this matter will be glossed over in a couple of months?¡±


    The capital? No, that did not seem right! Wasn¡¯t Guan Shanjin returning to the capital to report on his work? If they bumped into each other¡­ was it not just stabbing himself with a spear?


    Hei¡¯er naturally understood his concern, and continuedfortingly, ¡°Everyone says that it¡¯s easier to hide in a big city. The General would definitely never guess that we¡¯ll be right under his nose.¡±


    Putting it like this, it made sense¡­ Wu Xingzi nodded his head unconsciously.


    He had never been to the capital ever in his life, and had heard from others that the roads in the capital were paved with stone bs, the city extremely prosperous and bustling. There were tons of delicious things to eat, and fun things to y. The most talented and good looking people too gathered in the capital. For example, there was that gongzi who was good at the qin. For all Wu Xingzi knew, he might even have the opportunity to listen to that gongzi y? They could even be friends!


    Was the gongzi¡¯s pengornis also handsome, graceful and bewitching?


    Although Hei¡¯er was not aware of what Wu Xingzi was thinking, he knew that Wu Xingzi had agreed. Only then did he stand up, patting away the dust on his knee. Cupping his hands towards Wu Xingzi, he spoke, ¡°Mr. Wu, I¡¯d definitely assure your safety during this trip to the capital. To avoid the General¡¯s suspicions, and the subsequent chase, let¡¯s depart on the day Mr. Lu gets married.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks for your attentiveness.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s head bobbed continuously, his thoughts a little distracted. The world was so big, were there not pengornises everywhere? Maybe after a couple of years, he might again meet another peng¡ª man whom he could spend a lifetime with. Even if there wasn¡¯t, by then he would have reaped in quite arge harvest in that rattan case of his!


    Thinking of it like this, Wu Xingzi was even quite delighted!


    ¡°Then, I shall take my leave first. Three dayster, I¡¯ll take you away. Mr. Wu, if there¡¯s anything you need to bring along with you, please start quietly packing them up during the next few days.¡± Done speaking, Hei¡¯er¡¯s shadow shed past, and he vanished into the night.


    Dazed, Wu Xingzi stood where he was for a moment. He pressed a palm against his heart, returning to his bedroom and dug out the rattan case that stored all his pengornis drawings. Taking them out one by one to admire them, he even skipped dinner.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    After leaving Shuanghe Yard, Hei¡¯er slipped away into Man Yue¡¯s residence. Before he even knocked, Man Yue¡¯s voice drifted out. ¡°Come in, Hei¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°Vice General Man.¡± Pushing the door open, Hei¡¯er entered. The two had known each other for many years. Other than their forms of address, they normally did not stick to having too many formalities with each other. A casual nod of the head was considered sufficient as a greeting, and Hei¡¯er took a seat on a chair by the side, pouring out a cup of tea for a drink.


    ¡°Is Mr. Wu willing to leave now?¡± Man Yue put his brush down, asking with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, just as you said, Mr. Wu agreed without asking too many questions.¡± However, Hei¡¯er¡¯s words were apanied with a sigh, and his face was gloomy.


    Looking at him, Man Yueughed aloud. ¡°Are you feeling that I¡¯m helping Lu Zezhi to bully Mr. Wu?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Was this not the case?


    ¡°Let me ask you, when did you start feeling that Lu Zezhi had no good intentions towards the General?¡± Man Yue was still buried in scrolls of reports. He had to return with Guan Shanjin to the capital to make their reports, and these few days, he had been so busy that he had no time for any proper sleep. The time for this conversation with Hei¡¯er had been forcibly squeezed out.


    ¡°When¡­¡± Hei¡¯er frowned, muttering to himself after a moment. ¡°Probably the third year when Mr. Lu came to Bastion City. Was that only two years ago?¡±


    Hei¡¯er counted on his fingers, a little surprised.


    ¡°Before that, didn¡¯t you too think that Mr. Lu was noble and unsullied, and very well matched with our general? Although none of us knew why they would always refer to each other as teacher and student, in your heart, did you not think that it was because our general loved him too deeply, and dared not use his name in vain?¡± Man Yue nced at him, derision curling around his smile.


    ¡°Yes, at that time, that was what everyone in the general¡¯s estate thought too. Only when the General saw Mr. Lu did he truly start to feel content. At that time, didn¡¯t you quite like Mr. Lu as well?¡± Hei¡¯er went through his memories. Two years ago, everyone in the general¡¯s estate had believed that Mr. Lu would be the future spouse of the General. After all, Mr. Lu¡¯s appearance was so outstanding, his aura so peaceful, when standing next to the General, the two of them were like a drawing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never liked Lu Zezhi right from the start,¡± Man Yue snorted. He tightened his grip on the brush, and the handle snapped into two. Getting fed up, he pursed his lips, changing to a new brush.


    ¡°But you¡¯ve always been biased towards him. Just these two years alone, all your actions have been helping him.¡± Hei¡¯er finally put the questions that he had in his heart into words. Actually, most of them knew about the matter of Man Yue not liking Mr. Lu, as Man Yue had never concealed his disdain for the man in front of them.


    Still, whenever Mr. Lu needed something, or had any idents, Man Yue always wanted them to attend to him immediately, and settle any issues as soon as possible. This made all of them very confused, unable to understand why he chose to do so. Even this time, after Mr. Lu returned to the estate, Man Yue had instructed Han Xiao to provoke Wu Xingzi as much as possible, erasing any of his intentions to remain in Bastion City, and that she needed to chase him away.


    If this was not a plot conceived for Mr. Lu¡¯s benefit, then who else was it for? For fun? There was no need for that!


    Man Yueughed, then asked, ¡°How did all of you manage to see through Mr. Lu?¡± Rather than saying that they saw through him, it was more appropriate to say that they finally understood that Mr. Lu was only leaving Guan Shanjin hanging. Although they did not understand why, people always tend to be biased, and so no one could stand Mr. Lu¡¯s behaviour.


    As for exactly how they finally saw through him¡­ Shocked, Hei¡¯er looked at Man Yue with sudden enlightenment.


    Yes, in the past, Man Yue did not have any interaction with Mr. Lu. He was very indifferent towards him, treating him lukewarmly, and only observed everything from the sidelines. At that time, none of them could understand why Man Yue always kept a distance from Mr. Lu, who was so very good. However,ter on, Man Yue¡¯s attitude had changed. He was vocal about his detest for Mr. Lu, but was very conscientious over Mr. Lu¡¯s matters, and even helped to bring Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu together. With such developments, it took no time for most of the people toprehend the situation. It was true that Mr. Lu had feelings for Guan Shanjin, but his attitude towards him was rather indifferent. Rather than saying that Guan Shanjin, due to his love, was unwilling to profane by using Mr. Lu¡¯s name, it would be better to say that it was the attitude Mr. Lu put on that made Guan Shanjin unable to get closer.


    As such, everyone¡¯s attitude gradually changed.


    ¡°It was you¡­ I see¡­¡± Hei¡¯er nodded his head a few times, unsurprised. He just did not expect that Man Yue could have done this without leaving a trace. ¡°So, that time when Mr. Lu fell from the horse and broke his leg, you refused to let me suppress the information, and wanted me to make the General return as soon as possible?¡±


    ¡°If all of you had suppressed the news, do you know what would have happened?¡±


    What could have happened? Hei¡¯er watched Man Yue give a frankugh, and dared not answer too easily.


    ¡°Here, let me exin it to you. No matter how Mr. Lu had fallen from the horse, whether it was deliberate or not, in the end, he still had fallen. Could the general¡¯s heart not ache? Breaking a leg is, after all, no small matter.¡± Man Yue crooked his finger at Hei¡¯er, and Hei¡¯er immediately handed him a cup of tea to wet his throat. After a few sips of tea, Man Yue continued, ¡°At this time, if you were to suppress the news, and inform the General a few dayster, would his heart not ache even more over Mr. Lu? He¡¯d even punish all of you.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± Enlightened, Hei¡¯er nodded his head continuously, but a frown appeared on his face the next moment. ¡°Then this time, why did you have to urge Mr. Wu to leave in such an indirect manner?¡±


    ¡°Number one, it¡¯s because of something to do with the capital. Don¡¯t ask about this now, once Mr. Lu¡¯s wedding is over, I¡¯ll exin it to you. As for the second reason¡­¡± Man Yue¡¯s round, fleshy chin wobbled, and he spoke wearily, ¡°At the end of the day, it¡¯s still for the benefit of our general. Did Rancui mention that the General now still hasn¡¯t had any true affection for Mr. Wu?¡±


    Rancui did. Hence, Hei¡¯er could only nod.


    Exactly how did the brains of these smart people develop? Every one of them had suchplicated and twisty thoughts, and they could even stir up a storm despite the very simple matter.


    ¡°I grew up with the General, and I can be considered to understand what sort of person he is very well. In his life, he had never taken any love or feelings to heart. He knows how to pamper a person, but there¡¯s a motive for his pampering. Look at how he pampers Mr. Lu, what is he trying to do? If he really wants to be with Mr. Lu, do you think that Mr. Lu can resist? He¡¯s just ying around!¡± Man Yue then sighed, ¡°Let me put it this way for you. When Wu Xingzi falls for the General, and only has him in his heart, the General would very quickly lose interest in him.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s going to be like this, then why don¡¯t we just separate the two peoplepletely?¡± An image of the slight sorrow upon Wu Xingzi¡¯s face shed past Hei¡¯er¡¯s brain. How could he let this honest adviser¡¯s heart be hurt?


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Man Yue waved his hand. ¡°Guan Shanjin has already liked him. Do you dare snatch a person away from him? How many lives do you have? Huh?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m happy to do these things? Why must I make myself so exhausted?¡±


    ¡°Yes, why?¡±


    ¡°Let me put it this way. The General is truly outstanding and talented, and well versed in both military and literary affairs. However, that¡¯s only with regards to court matters as well as the battlefield. His brain has never been open to anything else, and has always been tightly shut since birth. Hence, hecks a little of the emotions ordinary people should have. I¡¯m only helping him chisel open that brain of his.¡±


    Hei¡¯er gasped slightly. ¡°We¡¯re breaking his head open?¡±


    Man Yue choked, ring at Hei¡¯er. ¡°Put your words better! This is called opening his eyes! If he doesn¡¯t experience a freezing winter, would he be able to understand why the scent of a plum blossom is so lovely? He likes Wu Xingzi, but doesn¡¯t know that he has already fallen for him. Are you willing to drag down Adviser Wu?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hei¡¯er sighed, recalling the words Rancui had spoken to him.


    Was all this done to bring the two people together?


    That exquisite smile of Rancui made Hei¡¯er shudder violently.

 Chapter 59 - The Past Is Over, There’s No Turning Back

    <h4>Chapter 59 ¡ª The Past Is Over, There¡¯s No Turning Back</h4>


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wangshu Residence was a ce Guan Shanjin had specially constructed for Mr. Lu. Brick by brick, room by room, and that wide swath of mallow nts, every single detail described the affections and doting that Guan Shanjin showered upon Mr. Lu. Whatever Mr. Lu needed, Guan Shanjin was able to have it ready, showing exactly how considerate and meticulous he was.


    As for the name of the residence, it evidently expressed Guan Shanjin¡¯s feelings.


    Wangshu was another name for the bright moon. In Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, Mr. Lu was like the moonlight ¡ª noble, pure and perfect, like a wless piece of jade. If Guan Shanjin had no love and admiration for him, why else would he see Mr. Lu in a different light?


    Guan Shanjin stood in front of Wangshu residence, staring at the signboard that he wrote himself. The characters were bold and forceful, the strokes strong and smooth, and they seemed to give a tinge of bloodthirstiness to the moon. It was as though he had finally profaned this clear, shining moonlight, and was revelling over it. Recalling his deep affections then, Guan Shanjin could not help but give a smile full of self-mockery.


    It would soon be 9pm. Hazy light clouds covered the starry night sky, and the view was dim and dark. This was a moonless night, and fewmps were lit in Wangshu Residence. There was only a small, lit path, extending towards the mallow nts.


    The night breeze was slightly cool, rustling through the mallow nts, and caused Guan Shanjin¡¯s ck robe to swirl around his feet.


    He was here, to fulfill the appointment he had with Mr. Lu.


    Not too long after noon today, Han Xiao had sought out Guan Shanjin with a request from Mr. Lu to see him. She said that Mr. Lu was missing the General, and hoped to invite the General for a chat in the night.


    Guan Shanjin agreed immediately. For the past few days, he had been deliberately ignoring Mr. Lu. Surprisingly, Mr. Lu was able to endure the cold shoulder, even managing to tolerate it and only giving in on the night before the wedding. As such, how could Guan Shanjin disappoint Mr. Lu? He was extremely curious, what exactly did Mr. Lu want to say to him?


    At the end of the path that was studded with white pebbles, there stood a pavilion with a thatched roof. That pavilion was one of Mr. Lu¡¯s favourite ces to spend time in. It looked very in, yet it was built ingeniously. Melding with the mallow nts, in its simplicity was the delightful serenity of seclusion. It was also the only ce in Wangshu Residence that Guan Shanjin did not have a hand in, but was constructed by Mr. Lu himself.


    To arrange specifically to meet in this location, the intentions behind it made Guan Shanjin unable to stop himself fromughing lowly.


    Even up until now, Mr. Lu was still trying his best to maintain his image of being pure and unsullied. Proudly, he stood there with his back upright, as though he did not sneak a look at Guan Shanjin to observe him, as though he was not feeling upset and uneasy.


    This was truly interesting!


    Guan Shanjin spent an entire fifteen minutes before he finally made his way to the pavilion.


    Themps flickered in the pavilion, and the imagery was that of a white orchid-like figure in the midst of a hazy gold light. The picture was ethereal, and the surrounding atmosphere was serene. It made people afraid to even breathe too loudly, for the fear that the dream-like scene in front of their eyes would dissipate in an instant.


    In the center of the pavilion was a putuan1 and a low table made of bamboo. Seated cross-legged, Mr. Lu¡¯s posture was upright and willowy, and his head was raised, looking up at the stars in the sky. His exposed skin was like pale nephrite, cool and smooth, looking as though it could give off a gentle glow.


    The beautiful and elegant face looked as though it had been further polished by running water. It could easily be carved deep into one¡¯s heart, and one would not forget it easily.


    From a short distance away, Guan Shanjin watched him for a moment, before greeting him. ¡°Laoshi.¡±


    After hearing that, it seemed as though Mr. Lu had received a shock. His shoulders curled up slightly, and after a short period of silence did he then slowly turn to look at Guan Shanjin, a smile concealing his sadness appearing on his face.


    ¡°Haiwang.¡±


    ¡°Laoshi, why isn¡¯t there anyone attending to you?¡± Guan Shanjin walked into the pavilion. Arranging his robes, he sat down on the putuan, the table between them.


    In the midst of the mallow nts, other than the two of them, there was no one else. Except for the rustling of the wind, there was no chirping from any insects. It felt as though they were in another world, cut off and alone.


    ¡°I asked all of them to withdraw,¡± Mr. Lu answered with his gaze lowered.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin was not in a hurry. He turned his head, looking at the sky beyond the pavilion.


    Silence descended upon them. Mr. Lu waited and waited, but Guan Shanjin still did not speak. Gritting his teeth, Mr. Lu suppressed the panic within him. However, he did not realise that his clenched fists had not been hidden from Guan Shanjin¡¯s sight, and because of his lowered eyes, he did not see the trace of mockery on Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Do you¡­ still me me?¡± In the end, the one who ended up giving in was naturally Mr. Lu. His words faltered at the end, his voice trembling slightly. It was as though he had suffered the greatest indignity and misunderstanding, yet he still needed to restrain himself and maintain his integrity, refusing to bow.


    Such a bearing had truly once greatly attracted Guan Shanjin.


    Guan Shanjin frowned slightly, putting on an act and replying as he sighed, ¡°Laoshi, why would you say something like that? I had thought that it was you who still refused to forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to forgive you?¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s gaze jerked up, looking directly into the charming, alluring eyes that were seemingly filled with emotions. Even in the flickering light, those eyes still made people¡¯s hearts palpitate. ¡°Why would I refuse to forgive you?¡±


    ¡°Because of Wu Xingzi.¡± Guan Shanjinughed wryly, his long, slender, elegant fingers dragging along the surface of the table, brushing past Mr. Lu¡¯s fingers insignificantly. The heat of that touch was like that of star fire, ming at one¡¯s heart.


    However, the name Wu Xingzi was like a douse of cold water upon his head, causing a shudder to run through Mr. Lu. His face, that had a rare blush on it, turned ashen again.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re doing it to agitate me.¡± After a moment of silence, Mr. Lu sighed. ¡°Do you still remember the Lantern Festival of the year you returned from the northwest?¡±


    ¡°I do¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart was slightly moved, and he reached out to hold onto the hand Mr. Lu had ced on the table. That skin felt slightly cool to touch due to the temperature, and Guan Shanjin could not stop himself from holding the hand more tightly.


    That day, because he saw Mr. Lu, he finally felt solid, that he was no longer in a dream. It was also from that moment on that he no longer held the feelings a student had for their teacher, but his affections for Mr. Lu gradually increased. After that, he invited Mr. Lu to live in his estate again, giving him the status of a guest. Despite Mr. Lu¡¯s average intelligence, and how Mr. Lu was of no use by his side, as long as he was by his side, Guan Shanjin could feel himself calming down and bing steady.


    Exactly when did they start walking on separate paths?


    ¡°I had sought you out deliberately.¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s voice was slightly husky, and not waiting for a response from Guan Shanjin, he continued. ¡°That day you returned, I saw you on the streets as well. You had changed so much. Although you were still very vibrant and extravagant, your eyes were empty.¡±


    ¡°My eyes were empty?¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Lu watched him, then smiled wryly. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, right? You don¡¯t believe that I was able to notice it. Haiwang, I¡¯ve been by your side since you were ten, I know what sort of child you were. Days in the northwest were very difficult, and you had to sacrifice so many lives before gaining these recent years of peace. How could I not know all that? At that time, you were on Zhuxing, and you were parading the streets with your soldiers in victory. There you were, right behind the Great General Weiyuan, but it was as though you weren¡¯t there at all. That bustling and prosperous crowd, to you, they were like a joke, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s superficial smile faded away, his expression turning cold, and he looked at Mr. Lu, silent and expressionless.


    He had truly never thought about it, that Mr. Lu had actually managed to see into his head. Even his parents, even Man Yue, had never been able to see through him then, that it was so very difficult for him to remain in the capital. Everything in front of him was familiar, yet strange. In his blood, the desire for bloodshed still ran rampant, but he had no way of venting his desires.


    Watching those foolish people who had never suffered a day, it was as though he was counting down the days in a dream, yet the day he was supposed to wake up never came. Guan Shanjin was not suitable for those prosperous and peaceful days in the capital. He knew that he was a savage beast, and now that he had experienced the taste of freedom on the battlefield, how could he endure the shackles of such ordinary days?


    ¡°I thought about it for many days. During that time, there would be news of you stirring up trouble in the capital every day. There were some people who said that the Protector General¡¯s family was valiant and heroic, yet this devil incarnate had to be from their family, and how pitiable their family was.¡± These words caused Guan Shanjin to burst outughing. His charming, alluring eyes curved up along with hisugh, and they were like little hooks, scratching away at Mr. Lu¡¯s heart.


    ¡°The devil incarnate? Those days of being young and wild and free, your words do make me miss them.¡± How could Guan Shanjin not know how the citizens of the capital had been talking about him? Some of the names and words they used even came from himself. ¡°As such, you took that opportunity to meet me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wanted to meet you, to see how you were doing. I had always been thinking about you.¡± Mr. Lu¡¯s expression was a little hesitant, and his hand on his knee, which was free from Guan Shanjin, moved. In the end, he still could not help himself, and he cupped Guan Shanjin¡¯s face with the hand. ¡°When I lured you over to meet me, at that time, I had no confidence at all. After all, so many years had passed, and I was no longer that youth of those years. For all I knew, you might not even remember me anymore.¡±


    ¡°I remembered.¡± This reserved, elegant, graceful man that was always dressed in white, looking just like the reflection of moonlight on water, had deeply carved himself into Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, and Guan Shanjin could never forget him.


    Mr. Lu¡¯s eyes brightened suddenly, seemingly filled with both delight and shyness. ¡°Yes, you remembered¡­ Under the revolvingmps, you called out to me.¡±


    Although Guan Shanjin was dressed entirely in ck, looking both proud and aloof, his image still stirred up the emotions within Mr. Lu¡¯s heart.


    They were clearly within the swath of mallow nts in Bastion City, but it was as though they had returned to that day of many years past. Under the countlessmps, they only had each other in their eyes.


    Guan Shanjin sighed lightly. He pressed onto Mr. Lu¡¯s hand that was caressing his face, closing his eyes and stroking it gently. It made Mr. Lu¡¯s heart beat faster, his face blushing red.


    Their hands were currently interlocked together, and were difficult to be split apart.


    ¡°Laoshi, did you look for me today to reminisce about the past?¡± A momentter, Guan Shanjin let go of Mr. Lu¡¯s hand, his tone abruptly turning somewhat icy.


    The past was still the past, the previous joy and tenderness only made things now look even moreical and foolish.


    With the sudden dissipation of warmth, Mr. Lu looked at Guan Shanjin mutely, as though he had not expected that he could change so quickly.


    ¡°Laoshi, don¡¯t you have anything else you¡¯d like to say to me?¡± This question sounded rather aggressive. Mr. Lu pulled his hand back, rubbing at the warmth that had yet to fade away. Momentarily, he seemed a little tearful.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mr. Lu gritted his teeth, and it seemed as though he had finallye to a decision. ¡°Haiwang, I understand that the reason you were previously so good to Wu Xingzi was because you saw my shadow in him. I¡¯m the one who let you down. Because of the teacher-student rtion between us, I was unwilling to let our rtionship change. All these years, I¡¯ve known all along that you like me, yet I didn¡¯t dare to return your affections.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s face darkened further. These words could not make one feel relieved, but even seemed as though they were adding salt to the wound.


    ¡°Haiwang, actually, at that time, I¡¯ve already¡­ already¡­¡± Mr. Lu looked very conflicted, his eyes reddened, yet he was unable to continue. Biting his lip, he gave up, bowing his head and refusing to speak anymore.


    Faltering like this only caused Guan Shanjin to feel annoyed. Keeping his silence, he stared at Mr. Lu, and he had no intention to help him out.


    Such silence endured for more than a quarter of an hour. Again, it was still Mr. Lu who had to give in. Comining and grumbling internally, Mr. Lu felt uneasy. He was unable to surmise exactly what Guan Shanjin was thinking, and anxiously, he tightened his fists, leaving marks in his palms.


    ¡°Haiwang, I do like you¡­¡± Finally admitting to his feelings, Mr. Lu seemed to have gained courage from it, and he met Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes again.


    He saw Guan Shanjin first freeze, then reveal an expression of disbelief, and finally smile lightly, like spring blooming upon his face.


    ¡°Laoshi, do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Mr. Lu quietly reached out and held onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand that was on the table, then nodded his head vigorously. ¡°I mean itpletely and sincerely.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Guan Shanjin turned his wrist, twining his fingers together with Mr. Lu¡¯s, looking just like he was cherishing something valuable. ¡°Then, let¡¯s cancel the wedding tomorrow! Since we have finally mutually confirmed our affections for each other, then, there¡¯s nothing to do with that Yue girl anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Mr. Lu had not expected that Guan Shanjin¡¯s brain would work so quickly. He did not lose himself in ecstasy at all, and this reaction made Mr. Lu¡¯s tone turn anxious.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin tilted his head at him in iprehension, as though he did not understand why he had to be stopped.


    ¡°Haiwang, the wedding has to happen.¡± This was the true objective of Mr. Lu for having chosen this day to talk to Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Laoshi, you mean¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows knitted. It was evident that he was unhappy.


    ¡°Haiwang, you know that I¡¯m the only one left in my Lu family. Before my parents departed, their only wish was that I could continue our family¡¯s line.¡± Mr. Lu held onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand tightly, afraid that he would free himself from his grip and leave.


    ¡°This means¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s words tasted of bitterness. ¡°Laoshi, you still want to marry that Yue girl, and carry on your family line? Laoshi, exactly where am I in your heart?¡±


    ¡°Haiwang, the two of us belong to each other, but there are some things that cannot be settled with just affection alone. I understand that I¡¯m selfish, and if you¡¯re angry with me, then it¡¯s best that we part. From now on, we¡¯ll go our own way, and just forget about me.¡± Mr. Lu then dropped Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand, turning his head away. Under the flickering light, there seemed to be a tear stain on his cheek.


    ¡°Laoshi¡­¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was filled with pain. His warm fingers stroked that tear stain, and the action was followed by a sigh. ¡°Then Laoshi, what would you like me to do? Watch as the person who is supposed to belong to me marry someone else and have a child with them?¡±


    ¡°Haiwang, just wait for me. When Miss Yue gives birth to a child, I¡¯ll definitely return to your side. Believe me, alright?¡± Mr. Lu turned and threw himself into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, nuzzling into his chest, reluctant to leave. ¡°You also need a child yourself. The Protector General¡¯s family has always had only one descendent for so many generations, and your family line cannot end at you. When you return to the capital, you should marry a wife and have a child as well, then we¡¯ll be able to spend the rest of our lives together.¡±


    Guan Shanjin hugged Mr. Lu tightly, burying his face in his hair. His voice was muffled as he spoke, ¡°Laoshi¡­ as long as you like it, I¡¯ll do everything just as you say.¡±


    Just like the past, as long as Mr. Lu said it, Guan Shanjin would be able to fulfil all his desires.


    Sprawled in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, Mr. Lu exhaled heavily, finally at ease. As for Guan Shanjin, he concealed his own feelings, his lips quirking up coldly.

 Chapter 60 - The Will-o-Wisp Turning Into Dust Only Needed The Blink of An Eye

    Chapter 60 ¡ª The Will-o-Wisp Turning Into Dust Only Needed The Blink of An Eye


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    They remained where they were for a while more. It was soon about to be 11pm, and Lu Zezhi finally put on a tired expression. He exchanged vows of love and loyalty with Guan Shanjin, finally feeling at ease, then sent the man out of Wangshu Residence.


    Guan Shanjin naturally put on a show, exuding gentleness and consideration, with deep affections. Dragging out their farewell for as long as possible, he was unwilling to part. Only until Lu Zezhi could finally no longer keep a tight hold on his expression, did Guan Shanjin then reluctantly turn to leave.


    Once he was out of Lu Zezhi¡¯s sight, Guan Shanjin immediately put away his affectionate expression and snorted coldly. With no regards for whether his action was polite or not, he removed his outer robe.


    It was suffused with Mr. Lu¡¯s scent, refreshing and gentle. This was the fragrance of the incense that he had sought specially for Mr. Lu. The clean, cold scent had a gentle yet aloof characteristic to it, just like the silver moon in the sky, poles apart from where he was.


    By now, all these matters, these things, were nothing but jokes. The person whom he had cherished for so many years, whom he dared not dally about with, and whom he had loved so deeply, was actually so selfish and unscrupulous.


    In the past, Mr. Lu was not this stupid. Was it due to the many years of doting that Guan Shanjin hadvished on him that made him forget himself?


    If Lu Zezhi¡¯s methods were a little more skilful, Guan Shanjin could still admire him, and could even consider giving him a helping hand aspensation for having apanied him for the past eight or nine years. However, he had not expected that the years of ease andfort had made the current capability of this seemingly bright person lesser than half of his previous abilities, and he had even be somewhat stupid.


    As the Great Southern Garrison General, during the years that he lived in the capital, numerous daughters of noble families had sought to gain a marriage with him. Without giving them any modicum of dignity, he had rejected them all. Did Lu Zezhi forget about this? Could it be that he could not see the reason why the emperor on his dragon throne turned a blind eye to Guan Shanjin being a local tyrant out here in South Xinjiang, even indulging him and allowing him to do whatever he wanted, was because the only child of the Protector General was a homosexual? That his position and power were gained with his deration of never marrying a wife and having any children, and that his family line would end with him?


    Guan Shanjin pressed a palm to his forehead,ughing quietly. What a mockery this was.


    Look at the sort of idiot that ensued from the result of his doting.


    ¡°Burn this.¡± Guan Shanjin casually tossed the outer robe to the ground. A shadow shed out from the dark. They acknowledged Guan Shanjin respectfully, and just as they picked up the robe and were about to leave, they were stopped by Guan Shanjin. ¡°Tell Man Yue that there¡¯s no need to respect anyone¡¯s dignity tomorrow. Such a little bit of dignity, I can still afford to have it be stomped upon.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± There was no sign of falter from the dark figure. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared, leaving no trace.


    Guan Shanjin stood in the dark for a long while. It was a moonless sky, and the stars were rather dim as well. It was alreadyte into the night, and the spring wind brought with it a chill. His clothes swirled in the wind, yet he stood there motionless like a statue. No one knew what he was looking at, nor what he was thinking about.


    Finally, he exhaled a slow breath. Seemingly possessed, he walked towards Shuanghe Yard.


    Originally, after the matter was concluded, he did not want to seek out Wu Xingzi so simply. Furthermore, at this time, Wu Xingzi was definitely already asleep. Guan Shanjin could not bear to wake the person up from his sleep, but there was a peculiar restlessness within him, and he could not stop himself from wanting to see that old quail.


    It took him no time to reach Shuanghe Yard. Unlike the tranquility of Wangshu Residence, the chirping of insects could be heard in Shuanghe Yard, and the fresh scent of the earth wafted around. Combined with the air smelling of the nts and trees, it was more soothing than any expensive incense or fragrance.


    Guan Shanjin slowed his footsteps, heading to the vegetable plot first.


    The vegetable plot, just like usual, was very neat and tidy. Vines of the nts twirled around the trestles ordingly, all luxuriant and green. Every leaf was tender and fresh, the stems all thick and strong. Some had blossomed, others had just bore fruit, and there were also some that were covered by lush leaves of various nts. They all looked very adorable and pleasant to the eye.


    Unknowingly, a small smile appeared on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face. It was as though he could see how joyfully and meticulously Wu Xingzi had taken care of these nts. That old fellow, even when tending to the plot, would still be dressed in his Confucian-schr robe, only tucking the bottom of his robe into his belt. When preparing the soil for nting, he would remove his shoes and socks, rolling his pants up and revealing his slim and fair calves. A pair of pale feet would step upon the soil, the ten toes round and adorable, asionally curling up, trying to get rid of the soil between the toes.


    Guan Shanjin had happened to see this scene before. At that time, inside his chest, it felt as though a butterfly was pping its wings rapidly, and he could not decipher exactly what sort of feeling this was. He remembered that he was entranced, watching Wu Xingzi farm busily. When Wu Xingzi bent over, his round, smooth buttocks would raise up, making his waist seem even more slender. Guan Shanjin knew how flexible this body was, how he could bend him in half with no pain or injuries.


    A bead of sweat on Wu Xingzi¡¯s forehead had slid down to the tip of his nose, before it fell. Mint and Osmanthus wanted to help him wipe his sweat away, but how could the old fellow allow them to do so! Smiling brightly, he refused their help, instead wiping his forehead himself with his sleeve. In the process, he left a few traces of dirt on his face, looking just like a dirty cat. Even though this was an old cat, it still made one extremely fond of it.


    After that, when Wu Xingzi was done with the work, Guan Shanjin had helped him wash his feet. He cleaned every toe carefully, causing a blush to suffuse Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire body.


    Walking one round around the plot, Guan Shanjin had almost forgotten about all his troubles and dismay, including the fury and the stifling pressure on his chest previously. It was not because Lu Zezhi was stupid, rather it was himself who had not been able to see it all these years.


    Unconsciously, Guan Shanjin made another round around the plot, before heading towards Wu Xingzi¡¯s bedroom.


    Upon pushing the door open, Wu Xingzi¡¯s steady breathing could be heard. Guan Shanjin perked his ears, listening to it for some time. Deliberating over it again, in the end, he still could not resist the inexplicable longing welling up inside him. Guan Shanjin walked into the room with light steps, afraid that he would identally disturb Wu Xingzi¡¯s sleep.


    On the bed, Wu Xingzi was covered with a thin nket. Lying on a soft pillow, his cheek was pushed a little out of shape. His lips were slightly apart, the corner of his mouth slightly wet. asionally, his mouth would move, as though he was chewing on something, then he would reveal a foolish smile. Wu Xingzi looked entirely like a fool, but this image only made Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart soften so much that it was as though it could melt away.


    This old fellow evidently was greedy, and loved his food. However, he would never gain any weight. Now, even in his dreams, he was thinking about eating? Guan Shanjin had been too busy these days. When they would return to the capital, he would take Wu Xingzi to try all sorts of famous snacks and restaurants. The old fellow would definitely be extremely delighted.


    Guan Shanjin sat by the bed. Enchanted by Wu Xingzi¡¯s sleeping face, he reached out and yed with Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft, silky hair. Wu Xingzi was thin and fair; when he had his hair down, he did not look like an old fellow already past his prime. Instead, he looked even younger, and in his ck and white clothes, he seemed even more delicate, always having a rather pitiable air surrounding him.


    The way Wu Xingzi looked only made Guan Shanjin like him more and more. Guan Shanjin could not help himself from bending over and kissing him on his eyes, his nose and the corner of his mouth, before catching those slightly parted lips with his own.


    This kiss was not domineering, instead it was extremely gentle. Even so, it still woke Wu Xingzi up from his dreams. Blearily, he opened his eyes, only to feel that he could not catch his breath, and all he could smell was an intoxicating scent. It was a clinging, elegant scent of sandalwood mingled with the fragrance of orange blossoms¡­ Suddenly feeling a suction on the tip of his tongue, Wu Xingzi could not help but respond as well.


    After all, there was no way he could resist such a familiar scent.


    ¡°You woke up?¡± Although reluctant, Guan Shanjin forced himself to stop the kiss. Removing his shoes, he climbed onto the bed, pulling the person tightly into his arms.


    He was afraid that if he were to continue the kiss, he would not be able to stop himself from doing Wu Xingzi. However, tomorrow was a big day, and he needed to be extremely alert. The only thing he could do now was to wait for the matter to be dealt with, and he would return to settle this desire with interest.


    ¡°Haiwang?¡± Wu Xingzi was still groggy. However, a me had been lit within him due to the kiss. Unconsciously, he ground himself against Guan Shanjin¡¯s thigh.


    ¡°Not tonight¡­¡± Guan Shanjin hugged him tightly, capturing Wu Xingzi¡¯s slowly moving limbs, and pressed aforting kiss on his forehead. ¡°Go back to sleep, I shouldn¡¯t have woken you up.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi struggled a little, but could not free himself. Instead, he became a little more alert, and huddled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest shyly, not moving again.


    The two of them remained in each other¡¯s embrace for some time, and Guan Shanjin looked at Wu Xingzi. ¡°You¡¯re not going back to sleep yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m now awake, it¡¯s hard to go back to sleep¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed. It wasn¡¯t his choice either! He would be leaving Bastion City for the far away capital tomorrow, and he even slept earlier to make sure that he would be well rested! Who would have known that while sleeping, he would be kissed awake by Guan Shanjin, and now, there was no way he would be able to fall asleep immediately.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Guan Shanjin gave a proper apology, swaying the person in his arms. ¡°Why don¡¯t I recite a book to coax you to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Recite a book?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, thenughed out loud. He had never heard anyone use such a method to coax another person to sleep before.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t believe that I¡¯ll be able to coax you to sleep?¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow, staring at Wu Xingzi¡¯s smiling face.


    At the very start, he had thought that when Wu Xingzi smiled, he looked like Mr. Lu. However, Wu Xingzi had to be a very reserved person, and rarely smiled. Instead, he would always fall into a daze as he looked at Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin did not know what he was always thinking about, but such an image looked rather foolish, yet pure and innocent. It made Guan Shanjin unhappy, as it felt that this was desecrating Mr. Lu.


    The one who was the most foolish was him, Guan Shanjin.


    Looking at him now, how could there have been a trace of Mr. Lu on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face at all? Guan Shanjin had never wanted to kiss Mr. Lu when he was smiling.


    ¡°Which book are you going to recite?¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but feel curious. He knew that Guan Shanjin excelled in both the martial and literary areas, and the books that he had read were definitely a hundred times more than he, himself, had ever read. However, Wu Xingzi was a schr! How could he listen to a book and fall asleep?


    ¡°Qingcheng County¡¯s Records.¡±


    Wu Xingzi trembled, his eyes widening in shock.


    ¡°Y-y-you, when did you read the records?¡± The Qingcheng County¡¯s Records, exactly like its name, were the records kept about Qingcheng County. It was just like the records of most counties, the only difference being the people whopiled it. Coincidentally, Wu Xingzi happened to be one of thepilers, and he was also the main person doing so. After all, in such a small ce like Qingcheng County, there were only so many people who could read and write. The highest educated person was usually the magistrate, and next, would be the adviser.


    The magistrate was busy with his official duties. How would he have the time to prepare the records? As such, the responsibility naturally fell to the adviser.


    Wu Xingzi knew that his literary skills were ordinary, and he was not concerned if others read it. However, knowing that Guan Shanjin had read it, he inexplicably felt very anxious. For his ability to be seen so simply, it was even more embarrassing than not wearing any clothes!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a set in your ce? I was feeling bored at that time, so I read all of them.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot that I had a set¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulders sagged, and he shrunk into Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace. ¡°Eh? You can actually remember everything? My writing was bad, it¡¯s very embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Your words were truly not borate, but they were simple and direct. You did introduce Qingcheng County very well.¡± Guan Shanjin smiled as he kissed Wu Xingzi¡¯s forehead. ¡°How about it? If I recite the records, would you be able to fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t work. Hey, just forget about it, alright?¡± How could he be able to sleep? He would be embarrassed to death instead!


    ¡°Qingcheng County is a good ce.¡± Guan Shanjin did not respond to his request. In any case, chatting casually with Wu Xingzi was pretty nice as well.


    ¡°That it is.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. Although Qingcheng County was barren and prone to floods, it was still the ce that nurtured him. One would always have a love for their hometown, and would never be able to give it up. Also, a single factor could not be the only thing that contributed to its conclusion, and there were good ces everywhere.


    ¡°When Mr. Lu is married, shall we go back and stay for a few days?¡±


    ¡°A few days?¡± Wu Xingzi shuddered violently, and Guan Shanjin looked at him, puzzled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to return to the capital for work?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly came up with an exnation, but all he could think of was his journey tomorrow, and he inexplicably felt guilty.


    ¡°A dy of a few days is nothing.¡± Guan Shanjin thought that Wu Xingzi was worried for him, and so wanted to refuse him. Calmly, he smiled, trying tofort Wu Xingzi. ¡°The emperor is not hurrying me to return. We have ample time, and it doesn¡¯t matter if we dy our return for a few days. Heading to Qingcheng County first is on the way as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi forced out a smile, nodding his head. He then immediately hid his face away, afraid that he would reveal something from his expression.


    ¡°This time, Mr. Lu would definitely return to the capital with us as well.¡± Guan Shanjin spoke suddenly, and slight nervousness and tentativeness could be heard in his tone. However, Wu Xingzi did not register it, and nodded again, unbothered.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that the two of you have made things clear.¡± In Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart, Mr. Lu had most definitely confessed his feelings to Guan Shanjin already. After all, tomorrow was the wedding, and things could not drag out anymore.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s calm tone instead made Guan Shanjin unhappy. Did Wu Xingzi have no intentions of even asking why?


    ¡°Huh?¡± Why would he mind? Right from the start, he was the outsider. Now, Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu would have a happily ever after, and he no longer had anything to do with it.


    Could it be that Guan Shanjin was afraid that he would me Mr. Lu? This thought shed past Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, and he quickly reassured Guan Shanjin. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, I understand why Mr. Lu did so.¡± As they said, a casual remark may sound significant to a suspicious listener. Those words probably described this situation.


    The expression on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face changed abruptly. He gritted his teeth, ¡°Oh? So you also wish to marry and have a child?¡±

 Chapter 61 - The Various Emotions of Life, And So It Goes

    Chapter 61 ¡ª The Various Emotions of Life, And So It Goes


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Marry a wife and have a child? Stunned, Wu Xingzi stared at Guan Shanjin¡¯s foreboding, dark expression, and shook his head stupidly.


    Why would he marry a wife? Why would he have a child? What he liked were big pengornises! Even if he wanted to find someone to spend the rest of his life with, he would only seek out a pengornis that appealed to him!


    He dared not even touch a finger of any females. In his life, the only females that Wu Xingzi ever had physical contact with were his mother and Auntie Liu.


    Looking at Wu Xingzi¡¯s dazed expression, Guan Shanjin registered that he had vent his anger on someone innocent. Scrubbing his face, he sighed deeply, and his voice was apologetic. ¡°I was wrong, don¡¯t be angry with me.¡±


    Right, Wu Xingzi and Lu Zezhi were different. Right from their first meeting, it had been evident that Wu Xingzi cared for the pengornis and not the man. Could an old fellow like this even marry a wife and have a child? It was more probable that he had never even thought about it.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Naturally, Wu Xingzi would not be angry with Guan Shanjin. He was only curious. Logically speaking, Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu had finally confirmed their affections for each other, and so he should be happy! Yet why was he¡­ a little weary?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ached a little. Pulling at Guan Shanjin, he sat up, then after a moment of thought, he carefully pressed Guan Shanjin¡¯s head into his chest, patting that satin-like hair gently.


    ¡°Tell me about it?¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes fell half-lidded, leaning into Wu Xingzi¡¯s armsfortably. The old fellow was thin, and his chest barely had any muscles on it. However, it still felt very warm, and the scent was mild and enchanting. Taking in a few breaths, the stifling in Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest dissipated.


    He reached out, wrapping his arms around Wu Xingzi¡¯s slender waist, enjoying the rare warmth. Thinking about it, it was rather funny. When the two of them were together, they were always either eating or having sex. Among the desires of life, they neglected neither food nor sex, but both did not confide much in each other. Guan Shanjin had yet to even be aware of what exactly Wu Xingzi¡¯s ancestors used to do. He only had a vague idea that Wu Xingzi¡¯s father should not be just a simple schr. Ignoring how a schr from a tiny, rural ce could y the qin and write poetry, as though there was nothing he could not do, it was impossible that people like him who were the cream of the crop would just remain at a provincial level, willingly staying in his hometown and bing a teacher, while raising a family on the bare minimum.


    In the past, Guan Shanjin had no interest in knowing. Now, he had lost the opportunity to ask after him.


    It was just as well. In his life, Guan Shanjin had met with countless dilemmas, and this was nothing big. He could n slowly, and once things in the capital were settled, he would have lots of time to spend with Wu Xingzi.


    Still, there was something that he had to find out right now.


    ¡°Are you the only descendant left of the Wu family? Do you still have any other rtives?¡± It was rather amusing if he thought about it. Whether it was Guan Shanjin, Lu Zezhi, or Wu Xingzi, all three of them were thest one in their family. Yet for them toe together in such a situation, it could only be said that the heavens were making a fool of everyone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any other rtives anymore,¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head. Tilting his head, he frowned, ¡°My father¡¯s parents had passed away before I was born, and my mother¡¯s parents too kicked the bucket when I was young. After they departed, my uncles left Qingcheng County, and I don¡¯t know where they went. When my parents passed away as well, they did not return to take a look. I¡¯m the one who has been taking care of my mother¡¯s parents¡¯ graves, and I¡¯m afraid that my uncles, during that great flood, too¡­¡±


    Sighing, Wu Xingzi dared not continue.


    No wonder there were some in the county who did not like him and said that he was bound to a hard life, behind his back. He might really be the only one left alive in this family of around a dozen people.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Guan Shanjin noticed his mncholy, and turned around to pull Wu Xingzi into his arms. Leaning against the bed¡¯s headboard, he let Wu Xingzi sprawl across his chest and listen to his steady, strong heartbeat. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Fate is out of the hands of people. Rather than thinking about those who have passed, why don¡¯t you allow yourself to live a little better.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi closed his eyes.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s body was sturdy and full of inner strength. His heartbeats were steady and extremely strong. Through his seemingly slender yet powerful chest, it was as though his heart was knocking directly on Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear, and tingles ran through him. Wu Xingzi¡¯s face blushed a little. He wanted to shift his position, only to have Guan Shanjin hold him tighter. Unable to move, he had no choice but to remain lying where he was.


    ¡°Then¡­ have you ever thought about how you¡¯re going to continue your family line?¡±


    These words came as a surprise to both people. Guan Shanjin had not thought that he would actually ask out loud, while Wu Xingzi had never thought that he would ever be asked a question like this.


    Wu Xingzi kept silent for a moment. He was a little hesitant, unsure about why Guan Shanjin would ask about something so private. The two of them had always been more like strangers than friends, and were only together for their trysts. In the interactions of the past few months, although they had paid respects to his ancestors and spent the New Year together, and he had also fallen for Guan Shanjin, Guan Shanjin had never asked him many things about himself. Now, they were about to go their own ways, why would he choose a time like this to ask something so private?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Wu Xingzi murmured to himself and finally sighed. ¡°I had originally nned on ending my life on the day I was forty.¡±


    He had never mentioned this intention to anyone before, and he did not understand why he would speak of it now.


    The man, who was originally hugging him, gently stiffened abruptly, giving him a harsh pinch. The pain made Wu Xingzi cry out, and the man quickly gentled his strength. However, Guan Shanjin¡¯s breaths seemed to be burning, like an enraged panther, exhaling hotly as it paced around him.


    ¡°Why?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s normally gentle and soft voice was now hard, as if it was a sharp de gleaming with cold light. Wu Xingzi shrunk into himself, shuddering, and nuzzled his cheek into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, cating. Timidly, he wrapped his arms around Guan Shanjin¡¯s well-defined and slender waist.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Wu Xingzi swallowed, his throat inexplicably dry. He struggled over whether he should tell the truth or not. Guan Shanjin looked to be angered, but Wu Xingzi did not understand why.


    ¡°Be honest. I can see through your lies.¡± Lowering his head, Guan Shanjin could see Wu Xingzi¡¯s panicked expression. Everything Wu Xingzi thought about would be revealed on his face, and Guan Shanjin was suddenly somewhat amused. Still, he forced himself to harden his tone, and continued scaring him.


    Hearing that, Wu Xingzi trembled again. Like this, he was just like a real quail, huddling into a tiny ball.


    ¡°I¡­ at that time I¡­ was very lonely.¡± These words only came out after much difficulty. Thinking about those days, the only thing Wu Xingzi could remember was loneliness.


    An endless and infinite loneliness, it was as though there was no limit to it.


    At that time, he was still the Adviser Wu of Qingcheng County. The only two ces he would ever go to were his home and the magistrate¡¯s office, and asionally he would go to the market to buy some vegetables and have a bowl of beancurd. For festivities and celebrations, he would make a trip to Goose City to purchase some items, then return to his empty and lonely home, eating the meals he made for himself.


    For Yan Wenxin, he borrowed a sum of money from the magistrate¡¯s office. Paying it off bit by bit, he had cleared the debt only five years ago, including the interest. At first, he still heaved a breath of relief, as this burden in his heart had finally been settled. However, it did not take him long to discover that without this burden, why exactly was he living like this, all alone and by himself?


    As such, he bought a grave site, and what a wonderful grave site it was! With such a splendid location, of course it had to be apanied with a top quality coffin. As such, Wu Xingzi started to save for his bucket stash. This was a true bucket stash, the sum of money for him to purchase a coffin for his use when he kicked the bucket.


    The coffins in Liuzhou were the best. Wu Xingzi probably could not afford the top tier ones, but a reasonably priced and good quality coffin should not be out of his budget. He had already nned it out. He would have a Liuzhou coffin made of fir wood, and his shroud would be the set of clothes his mother made for him the year he took the examinations. The clothes had not been washed away in the floods, and they had been meticulously taken care of over these years.


    Unknowingly, Wu Xingzi had spilled the beans about these matters to Guan Shanjin. His soft voice was very serious and earnest, but to Guan Shanjin, it was like a thousand needles piercing into his heart, the pain hurting him terribly.


    ¡°Do you hate Yan Wenxin for deceiving you?¡± This was the first time that Wu Xingzi mentioned Yan Wenxin while sober. For him to be so open about it, it seemed that this painful past was no longer important anymore.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked a few times, only realising now that he had identally talked about Yan Wenxin in front of Guan Shanjin. He nced at Guan Shanjin carefully, his lips quirking up wryly yet earnestly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but at least because of him, I¡¯ve lived all the way until today.¡±


    If not for having to pay the sum of money back, Wu Xingzi felt that he would not have been able to endure the loneliness for so long.


    However, he had never considered that the person to me for his loneliness was that Yan Wenxin.


    Naturally, Guan Shanjin did not enlighten him. It was a rare opportunity for them to confide in each other, so there was no need for an extraneous third party to be involved here.


    ¡°When you pass away as well, what would happen to your ancestors¡¯ graves?¡± Although Guan Shanjin was rmed that Wu Xingzi had once thought ofmitting suicide, thinking about the existence of the Peng Society as well as the pengornis drawings, this old fellow most probably could not bear to die, and so he was somewhat assured.


    Ah¡­ This is a big issue¡­


    Wu Xingzi had thought about it before. There was a Guanyin Temple in Qingcheng County, and no matter how hard life was for the county folk, they would still spare some of their harvest and offer them to the monks in the temple. Their objectives were like Wu Xingzi, even if they had no more descendants after them, there would still be people taking care of their family graves during Qingming.


    Their sincere prayers and offerings to the Guanyin Temple and the monks were enough for at least twenty years. Wu Xingzi had already nned on making more offerings on behalf of his ancestors to the temple before his death. As for himself, it did not matter.


    ¡°I¡¯m a lot younger than you.¡± Not hearing a response from Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin swayed the man in his arms, patting his back.


    ¡°Ah? That¡¯s true. You¡¯re not even thirty.¡± Wu Xingziughed lightly. He had almost forgotten that Guan Shanjin was this young. This act of robbing the cradle, it was rather enjoyable and satisfying!


    ¡°That it is. My body is stronger than yours too. For someone like me, who is adept at martial arts, as long as I don¡¯t die on the battlefield, it¡¯s no surprise for me to live until seventy.¡± Guan Shanjin crooked a finger under Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin, smiling at him.


    This smile was like an enlightenment, like the suning out after the rain. Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red, and he could not hide away despite wanting to. With no other choice, he could only stupidly watch that smile, his heart pounding so rapidly as though it would burst.


    ¡°How amazing to be able to live until seventy.¡± It had to be said that a person rarely made it until the age of seventy. For most rich families, it was already considered to be excellent for them to reach the age of sixty. In Qingcheng County, a fifty year old person would be considered very old already. For Old Uncle Liu and Auntie Liu, who were over the age of fifty and still so fit and healthy, it was truly a rare sight.


    ¡°So, in the future, you will definitely leave earlier than me. Such matters of paying respects, I can even help you take care of it for a few more years.¡± As Guan Shanjin spoke, he pressed a few kisses onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips. Like a dragonfly flitting across the water surface, the kisses left glowing sparks in their wake.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s attention had been taken away by these kisses. Unconsciously, he pursed his lips together and responded by kissing back. Whatever Guan Shanjin said, he did not register.


    If not for Guan Shanjin having no intentions in deepening the kisses, instead pulling him back into his arms and patting him gently, Wu Xingzi would definitely not ponder over the meaning of what he had said. Now that he was no longer distracted, Wu Xingzi then got a shock from Guan Shanjin¡¯s words.


    He would help him take care of the matters of paying respects? This¡­ this meant that after he died, not only did Guan Shanjin want to manage the matters of his funeral, he even wanted to help him tidy up the graves and make offerings? This, this¡­ Complicated emotions ran through Wu Xingzi. Never in his life had someone made such a solemn promise to him before.


    He lived in loneliness, and when he died, there would definitely be no one who would bother about him. At the most, Auntie Liu and her family wouldy him in his coffin and deal with his funeral, and Wu Xingzi too did not wish to trouble other people with anything more than that.


    Exactly what was it between him and Guan Shanjin? Why¡­ Joy, doubt and confusion all tumbled together. In the end, they converged to form Mr. Lu¡¯s face. A shiver ran through Wu Xingzi, and his brain immediately became alert.


    Guan Shanjin and Mr. Lu were the ones who would be together. No matter if it was the matters to do with life or death, Wu Xingzi had nothing to do with them. Perhaps, in their current rtionship, there would be promises made. However, they wouldter be going on their own paths. If someone were to ask Wu Xingzi what was the thing that left him the greatest impression after being an adviser for so long, it would be that one could not leech onto anyone else for their entire life.


    There were even times when a family could fall out and turn on each other. A husband and wife may be together, but if a disaster were to happen, they could still abandon each other. There was no friendship between Guan Shanjin and him, and they did not even know each other for a year. Such sweet and sentimental promises might not hold forever. When people were in the midst of such affections and tender feelings, whose words would not be so moving?


    Even so, because of Guan Shanjin¡¯s promise, Wu Xingzi felt sweetness welling up within him. Still, the sweetness also made him feel rmed.


    He really had to leave.


    Even if Hei¡¯er and Rancui did not urge him to do so, he could not continue staying here any longer. Every word and action of Guan Shanjin was like the spring rain, a quiet drizzle upon his heart, slowly submerging it. Unconsciously, without a sound, they had taken away his heart that he had kept guarded for twenty years. However, this man would soon be spending the rest of his life with another in the blink of an eye.


    Wu Xingzi pressed on his heart lightly. Bowing his head, he was unwilling to expose himself and his thoughts to Guan Shanjin. Today¡¯s heartache was something he had sought out himself, and he could not me anyone for it. Just like in the past when he liked Yan Wenxin, it was something he was willing and happy to do.


    However, why did they all refuse to bid him farewell properly? When it came to their separation, why did they always choose to leave him with such sweetness and promises? Wu Xingzi could not understand, and he knew that he no longer needed to think about this anymore.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Guan Shanjin frowned. He noticed that the person in his arm had suddenly distanced himself, but he could not understand why it came about. He could only tightened his arms fiercely, desperately wishing that he could absorb every inch of this person into his blood and body.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡± Wu Xingzi replied gloomily. After a few struggles, he finally freed himself from Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. Rolling onto the bed, he pulled up his nket. ¡°Haiwang, you should go to sleep too. It¡¯s going to be a busy day tomorrow.¡±


    Guan Shanjin frowned, a vague sense of unease stirring his heart. However, Wu Xingzi had always been very meek, and this was not a good time to exin the matters of Mr. Lu. He thought that after the wedding, he would take Wu Xingzi to the capital. There, he would prepare delicious food and fun things to y, and he would be able to appease him. It would not be toote to exin everything to Wu Xingzi once tomorrow¡¯s matters were dealt with.


    Having made a decision, Guan Shanjin did not move to pacify Wu Xingzi, but turned around and hugged him to sleep.


    Early next morning, not long after Guan Shanjin left Shuanghe Yard, Wu Xingzi too got off the bed. In a daze, he sat by the bed for a long time.


    From a distance, he seemed to hear the joyful music of a marriage happening, as well as the firecrackers going off. It must be a bustling scene.


    He did not know why Mr. Lu would still be getting married, but this no longer had anything to do with him!


    Checking over his luggage one more time, Wu Xingzi changed into clothes that were more suitable for horse riding. Nervously, he paced around the room, even unable to eat his breakfast. As such, he shoved a few buns into his luggage, thinking that he would be able to have them on the roadter.


    An unknown amount of time passed. Wu Xingzi¡¯s palms turned sweaty, then dried, and sweaty again. Suddenly, the half-open window creaked, and Wu Xingzi was so frightened that he jumped on the spot. His heart had nearly leapt out of his throat, but what appeared in front of him was a familiar tall figure.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, shall we go?¡± This person was naturally Hei¡¯er. Dressed in a shuhe, he looked just as though he was about to depart on an ordinary journey. On his shoulder was a small bag, and he walked forward to grab the luggage in Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all the masters of the General¡¯s estate are heading to the Yue family¡¯s manor now. No one will notice that you¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded continuously, gulping hard a couple of times before he asked, ¡°Would Mint and Osmanthus be reprimanded?¡±


    He was worried that by leaving like this, without giving any notice, the two young girls would get into trouble.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Mint and Osmanthus will be going to the capital as well.¡± Pointing outside, Hei¡¯er was a little surprised. ¡°They¡¯re both waiting for you in the courtyard.¡±


    Hearing that, Wu Xingzi quickly ran to the window. The two young girls were really standing there, bags in their hands, looking over in his direction. Wu Xingzi felt relieved, but at the same time, he felt rather apologetic. Previously, he dared not ask if the girls would like to follow him. After all, he was not sure when they would be able to return home, but he was also worried about leaving them back in the General¡¯s estate. The thing that he had been worried over the entire morning was this exact issue.


    Who would have thought that the girls of Bastion City were so much more decisive than him? The world was so big, there would definitely be somewhere for them!


    Furthermore, the two girls were still young, and they did not have much concerns and reluctance about leaving their hometown. Treating the journey like a holiday to gain various experiences, they were extremely delighted. Also, they could not bear for their own master to have no one to take care of him in the capital! Fortunately, they would be there, and they could also chat and while away the time with him, could they not?


    As such, thest worry Wu Xingzi had in Bastion City was gone. With Hei¡¯er¡¯s help, he tumbled out through the window. The master and three servants secretly left the General¡¯s estate from the back door, and no one was alerted.


    After a few minutes, under the urging of a dark skinned man, a simple carriage left Bastion City, flying down the road towards the capital¡­

 Chapter 62 - It’s Time For Plot: Trouble at a Wedding!

    Chapter 62 ¡ª It¡¯s Time For Plot: Trouble at a Wedding!


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The marriage alliance of Mr. Lu, the teacher of the Great Southern Garrison General, with the Yue family, was one of the biggest happenings in Bastion City in the past six months.


    On the day of the wedding, the road from the General¡¯s estate to the Yue family manor was decorated festively with splendid and beautiful ornaments. Many of the flowers used in decorations had never been seen by themon folk before, and the beautiful sight was more than enough for them to feast their eyes upon.


    When the auspicious timing arrived, the group of people fetching the bride left the General¡¯s estate, making their way to the Yue family manor in a formidable arrangement.


    Right at the front was a tall and huge horse, its entire body a snow white with no blemish or discolouration at all. Its coat seemed to gleam under the spring sun. With a bright red saddle on it, not only did it look festive, it also looked extremely elegant.


    Riding atop the horse, Lu Zezhi looked very graceful yet stern, his back very straight. He was just like a meticulously carved jade statue, and his red wedding attire made him seem like a deity of the high heavens.


    Although his name was well known in Bastion City, not many people had actually seen him in person before. For many of themon folk joining in the revelry from the sidelines, this was their first time seeing this famous Mr. Lu.


    He definitely lived up to being a person being fought over by the General and Miss Yue. He truly was really good looking! It was rare for them to be able to see someone so attractive in their life.


    This big parade slowly made their way towards the Yue family manor.


    The wedding gifts had already been sent over, and their significance was that the couple must be of one mind and inseparable. The ceremony went as follows: the obstruction of entry by the bridal family, people knocking on the door urging the bride to get onto the sedan, the groom entering the doors to greet his inws, and the bride bidding farewell to her parents, etc.


    Finally, Miss Yue was led into the sedan, and with the apaniment of music and the boisterous crowd, they returned to the General¡¯s estate by another path.


    Shooting three arrows at the bride to chase away any evil spirits, crossing the saddle and a basin of fire, these ceremonies were also aplished sessfully. Atst, they arrived at the wedding hall, and it was time for the part of the ceremony when the bride and groom would pay respects to both the heavens and the parents.


    The scene was lively and bustling, everyone celebrating. The seats in the main hall were reserved for the groom¡¯s parents, but Lu Zezhi¡¯s parents were no longer around. Together with being from another part of the country, his status allowed him to invite a local official to be an official witness for the wedding. This official of Bastion City was a man of around forty years of age. He usually carried a smile on his face, looking very warm and friendly. Well qualified to represent the elder of the Lu family, he was seated in the main hall, looking at the well-matched couple with a bright smile.


    The master of ceremonies was about to start, only for the official to hold his hand up, putting a pause to everything.


    ¡°Young man, would you like to reconsider this marriage?¡± This change in the situation made the originally joyous, lively hall descend into silence.


    Who would have expected that the official witness would be asking the groom if he wanted to consider breaking his engagement?


    Lu Zezhi was very surprised as well. His brows creasing, he looked up and nced at the official, before turning to look at Guan Shanjin.


    As a great general, Guan Shanjin was in the second most important seat. He happened to be holding his teacup, sipping lightly at it. Towards the actions of the official, he seemedpletely unbothered, and looked as though he had no intentions of stopping the official, or rebuking him.


    ¡°Official Fang, what do you mean by this?¡± Recovering from his stupefaction, Old Mister Yue could not restrain himself. His eyes widened to the size of coins, and he red at Official Fang angrily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I just don¡¯t wish to see Mr. Lu taking the wrong step. After all¡­ Hai, there are some things that you¡¯ll never be able to wash off yourself once you¡¯re stained by them.¡± Official Fang¡¯s words were spoken reasonably, and he was still all smiles. However, the implication in them was rather profound.


    Listening to him, Old Mister Yue¡¯s face flushed in anger. He was basically stating that their Yue family had issues! As he leapt to his feet, his wife next to him hurriedly tugged at his sleeves. The other party was a court official, and furthermore, there was a Great Southern Garrison General present in the hall as well. How could the Yue family be the first to stir up this ho¡¯s nest!


    However, Yue Dade was the unreasonable sort. Counting on the support of his rtionship with the General¡¯s estate, he swung away his wife¡¯s grip, pointing at Official Fang and scolding him directly, ¡°Fang Chongguang! Just because I¡¯m calling you Official Fang, you really think you¡¯re all that?! In front of the Great General, who gave you the guts to try and stir up trouble!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Old Mister Yue, you¡¯ve said it yourself. In front of the Great General, who gave me the guts to try and stir up trouble?¡± Fang Chongguang was not the least bit angered. Instead, he looked at Yue Dade somewhat sympathetically.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Although Yue Dade was a little reckless, he was not a fool. After a moment of consideration, his finger that was pointing at Fang Chongguang started trembling slightly, and his voice also turned hoarse.


    Yes, the Great Southern Garrison General did not speak up at all, so who else could be the one behind this matter? Faltering, he looked towards Guan Shanjin. Despite this being a joyous asion, the graceful and charming man was still dressed in ck. Other than the gleaming jade pendant hanging down from his belt, there was no other colour to be found on him.


    The way he was dressed, how was he attending a wedding? It seemed more like he was participating in a wake. Yue Dade trembled when that thought ran through his mind, and he quickly wiped away the rage on his face, exchanging it with an ingratiating smile.


    ¡°Great General, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin interrupted Old Mister Yue¡¯s iplete question. With a small smile, he looked at the bride and groom standing frozen in the hall. ¡°Laoshi, Official Fang is asking you a question. Aren¡¯t you going to reply to him?¡±


    Only at this moment did Lu Zezhi seem to have woken up from sleep. With an ashen face, he turned towards Guan Shanjin. Looking as though he had suffered a great shock, his lips moved silently.


    ¡°Hmm? Laoshi, I can¡¯t hear what you just said.¡± Guan Shanjin was still seated imposingly at his original position. With his teacup in his hand, he was skimming the tea scum off the top with the lid. ¡°Laoshi, please take note that you should think it over properly before you respond.¡±


    His tone was just as gentle and soft as normal, yet Lu Zezhi shuddered violently. Stumbling, he took a couple of steps backwards, nearly tripping himself.


    ¡°Great General, pardon my stupidity, but this is a wedding! Why, why¡­¡± Yue Dade wrung his hands, looking especially at a loss for what to do. The change in the situation hade too abruptly, and despite having experienced various storms, right now, he did not know how to handle this incident.


    Also, right from the start of the ceremonies until now, there had been no idents at all! Why did this trouble have to ur during the part when they were supposed to be paying respect?


    ¡°A wedding?¡± Guan Shanjinughed quietly, and he could not be bothered to even look in Yue Dade¡¯s direction. His alluring, charming eyes were fixed entirely on Mr. Lu. ¡°Laoshi, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? This is, after all, your wedding.¡±


    ¡°Hai- Haiwang¡­¡± With much difficulty, Lu Zezhi finally found his voice. However, it was not as gentle and pleasant sounding as usual, but rough and scratchy instead. The words sounded as though they had been produced with the greatest effort.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice made him seem as though he was very joyful.


    ¡°What are you doing? Last night, I already exined everything to you. Miss Yue is a good match for me, and you don¡¯t have to keep testing it out like this.¡± Lu Zezhi¡¯s voice was a little unsteady, and traces of pleading could even be detected within it.


    Lu Zezhi was the sort with an outstanding appearance but no actual capability. On the outside, he looked broad-minded and warm, and able to make good judgement. In actual fact, he was actually toozy to even use his brain, and had never spent enough time considering how to properly maintain his position and status.


    At the beginning, he had only simply wished to gain a position as an official from Guan Shanjin, so as to be able to support himself. He was not someone especially talented, and although he once had literary fame in his vige, it was based upon his attractive appearance.


    When it was time for him to actually rely on his own talents to support himself, Lu Zezhi discovered that he would at most be a seventh-grade official, a mediocre official of some small town.


    If he had never entered the residence of the Protector General, he might have been willing to contentedly walk down this path of mediocrity. However, having seen glory and opulence, he could no longer live without the luxury that he had already experienced.


    When Guan Shanjin returned to the capital, he had been happy. As such, in the crowd of themon folk, he was then able to keenly detect Guan Shanjin¡¯s issues.


    The heartache he spoke ofst night was not a falsehood. He had meant it truly and sincerely. After all, he had once seen Guan Shanjin being wild and high-spirited. However, even more so, he could not suppress the thoughts inside him. He knew how he could get to this man.


    Later on, the reunion on Lantern Festival was probably the one thing that he had ever spent the most effort on. Just like this, Guan Shanjin started feeling an attachment towards him, and as he expected, started doting on him. Lu Zezhi understood the thought processes in this child¡¯s mind. Guan Shanjin was heartless and cold, just like a wolf cub. He was extremely guarded and highly intelligent, and in his heart, everyone had a specific position. He had a clear idea on how to treat everyone, like his father, his mother, his friends, his confidants¡­ they all had their own positions.


    At that time, Lu Zezhi was no longer able to return to his position as a teacher, as Guan Shanjin no longer needed one. As such, he took a risk, and relying on Guan Shanjin¡¯s disjointed feelings for him at the age of 12, he took over the position of his beloved.


    This was a very special position, and he knew that he needed to put in all his efforts to maintain this position. Only then would he be able to spend his days under the wings of Guan Shanjin with no worries.


    Before long, he forgot that this child was a wild beast hiding in the dark. Guan Shanjin was able to hide away his savageness and bloodthirstiness, and treat others very gently; yet he was also able to tear into the throat of a prey in the blink of an eye.


    Guan Shanjin had no limit to how much he doted on Lu Zezhi. Lu Zezhi was intoxicated with this devotion, and he was always afraid that someone would rece him. As such, despite his gradually developing love towards Guan Shanjin, he still kept a distance, treating him lukewarmly.


    A man may throw away a love that was in his hand, but he would forever long for the will-o-wisp in his heart whom he desired but was never able to attain.


    Last night, Lu Zezhi thought that he had managed to appease Guan Shanjin. Compared to that old man, he had truly thought that after staying by Guan Shanjin¡¯s side for so long, and having received his sole pampering for so many years, as long as he expressed his willingness to submit, Guan Shanjin would be willing to continue doting on him.


    Could he have guessed wrongly?


    ¡°Yes, Laoshi did exin itst night.¡± Guan Shanjin observed the way Lu Zezhi panicked, yet tried to maintain his ethereal image, and heughed quietly, then sighed. ¡°However, Laoshi, you also have to understand that even the sun and the moon can stand witness to my affections for you.¡±


    Hearing such words, how could Miss Yue tolerate it?


    Before Lu Zezhi could speak to pacify Guan Shanjin, next to him, Yue Mingzhu yanked off her bridal veil. Her beautiful face, further enhanced with makeup, had twisted slightly in rage.


    She threw the veil to the ground. Her fingertips that had been dyed a cardamom red pointed unwaveringly at Guan Shanjin, and she started scolding, ¡°Guan Shanjin! I knew it! I know that you hold filthy thoughts towards Zezhi-gege! Who in Bastion City doesn¡¯t know that you see Zezhi-gege as your own private property, and kept him confined in the General¡¯s estate. You¡¯ve made him unable to seek his own ambitions, and be the joke of the city! My Zezhi-gege dotes on you, saying that ever since you were a child, you¡¯ve always been very self-important, arrogant and domineering, and that as your teacher, he wants you to change for the better, and that¡¯s why he stayed by your side! Hmph! Now that I¡¯m around, how can I let you continue bullying Zezhi-gege?¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve bullied Mr. Lu?¡± Guan Shanjin burst outughing. He looked at the panicking Lu Zezhi with feigned doting and resignation, and asked emotionally, ¡°Laoshi, have I bullied you?¡±


    Towards this question, Lu Zezhi gritted his teeth after a moment of deliberation. He put on a stern expression, ¡°If you¡¯re not a bully, why did you instigate Official Fang to disturb my wedding?¡±


    He had so many years of affection and feelings shared with Guan Shanjin, he would be able to pacify him after this.


    However, the Yue family was different. If he wanted to grab onto this family, he would need to protect the Yue family¡¯s reputation first.


    Having immediately discerned his thoughts, Man Yue, who was standing behind Guan Shanjin, burst outughing. Hisughter was not loud, but in this wedding hall where everyone was jittery, no one daring to make a sound; it was like a stone cast in a pond, rippling hatefully through the crowd.


    Who was Yue Mingzhu? She was a girl born and bred in Bastion City! She was overly blunt, and had been spoilt by Yue Dade. Ripping off her hair pin, she even threw it at Man Yue, scolding at the same time, ¡°Man Yue, what guts you have!¡±


    As a military official, how could Man Yue be hit by a hair pin weakly thrown by a girl? He gave a simpleugh, catching hold of the hair pin. How befitting of the Yue family¡¯s eldest daughter, the hair pin had four pearls the size of a thumb, and they were dazzlingly radiant.


    ¡°Many thanks for your gift, you needn¡¯t go to this trouble.¡± Man Yue tucked the pin into his clothes, epting it openly.


    Yue Mingzhu did not expect that he could be this shameless. Her eyes widened in anger, and her finger that was pointed at him shook non-stop, yet she could not say a word.


    ¡°Mingzhu, you¡¯re too rude! Quickly apologise to Vice General Man and offer him a gift inpensation!¡± Yue Dade was more experienced, and he finally recovered from his shock, bitterly denouncing his daughter¡¯s recklessness. Next, he smiled, giving himself a subservient attitude and bowing to Guan Shanjin, ¡°Great General, Mingzhu has been spoilt by me. Although she¡¯s not careful enough, her feelings for Mr. Lu are evident to all! I¡¯m very aware of your teacher-student rtion with Mr. Lu, and our entire Yue family will definitely not allow Mr. Lu to suffer the slightest. Please, Great General, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    This wedding ceremony definitely had to bepleted! No matter what sort of rtionship Lu Zezhi and Guan Shanjin shared, Yue Dade did not mind at all! What he had been eyeing from the start was the limitless pampering Guan Shanjin showered on Lu Zezhi, and that was the reason why he had worked so hard to make sure that this marriage happened.


    Guan Shanjin suddenly creating trouble at the wedding hall only further confirmed Yue Dade¡¯s spections. It seemed like the Great General truly held deep affections for this teacher in name. If the Yue family was able to hold on to Lu Zezhi, in the future, who in Bastion City could make a ruckus in front of him?


    ¡°How amusing, Old Mister Yue.¡± Guan Shanjin turned his head, shooting Man Yue a look. The plump, smiling Vice General Man then undid the package under his arm. He shook the contents out at the hall, and letters scattered across the air.

 Chapter 63 - Not Sure What Title to Give This, Bursting Their Bubbles?

    Chapter 63 ¡ª Not Sure What Title to Give This, Bursting Their Bubbles?


    Edited By DancingDolphinsYo


    The attention of the crowd was drawn to the letters fluttering across the room. Other than Guan Shanjin and Man Yue, they all could not help but stare at the scattered papersnding slowly on the ground.


    It still could not be seen for whom these letters were written. However, the name on the envelope was very big and clear, it was the name of the eldest son of the Yue family.


    Whether veiled or direct, the gazes of the guests all fell onto the eldest Young Master Yue. Some could not help themselves, muttering to each other behind their hands, while Young Master Yue¡¯s face turned ashen. It was evident that he knew where these letters were from, and he definitely knew they were not something that could be shown to the public.


    ¡°Hua¡¯er! What¡¯s going on?¡± The palms and back of Yue Dade were soaked in sweat. His ears were buzzing, and he could not conceal the trembling in his voice.


    He could notpletely deny the fact that he knew what his son had done privately, and he even allowed him to do so. After all, as a businessman, profits were the most important thing. As long as there was a benefit for him, why would he reject any backing or support?


    In the future, this business would belong to his son. For his son to know how to seek profits for his family, Yue Dade was at first extremely gratified. However, he had never expected that this matter would be something that could be held against him.


    Young Master Yue looked lost. He stared at the letters covering the floor, and did not say a word.


    Yue Mingzhu was, however, the first person to pick up a letter and read it. She had always been spoiled and did not care to show any respect to Guan Shanjin. Furthermore, the person Lu Zezhi loved was her, and he also needed the Yue family. His position in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes was high above the rest, and she did not believe that Guan Shanjin could really do anything to their Yue family.


    Who would have guessed that after reading only a few lines, Yue Mingzhu¡¯s daintily made-up face would actually turn pale, and even under her blush, the grey-tone of her skin could be seen. She looked at her elder brother in disbelief, her hand that was holding the letter shaking tremulously.


    ¡°D-dage, t-this¡­ this must be fake, right¡­.¡± This letter was written by Young Master Yue, and from the name of the other party, it was very clear that he was a Southern Barbarian. The contents of the letter talked about smuggling saltpeter and salt, and even mentioned mercury. From the letter¡¯s narrative, this was not their first contact; they had beenmunicating with each other for quite some time already.


    In the Great Xia dynasty, there was not arge quantity of saltpeter, and it was mainly used in fireworks. However, during the rule of the previous emperor, someone had invented a weapon called a cannon, and although it still could not be officially used on the battlefield, the country had kept a tight control over saltpeter.


    The Southern Barbarians managed to producerge quantities of saltpeter, and Yue Mingzhu had heard her father and brother mention it before. At that time, her brother had a lot ofints about Guan Shanjin. Because of Guan Shanjin¡¯s control, the saltpeter could not enter the country at all. The Southern Barbarians had no clue as to what it could do, and hence piles and piles of money were basically sitting there, unable to be used. This made one¡¯s heart truly itch to do something about it.


    As for salt, smuggling salt could really earn a lot of money. However, the country had very strict control over it, and if one was caught smuggling salt, the punishment ranged from being banished to the borders, to being executed. Although it was said that people had a tendency to pursue benefits and their own desires, and news could be heard about people selling smuggled salt, there had been a specific department set up to watch over the trade over a decade ago, and the news slowly petered out. Worse still was that Yue Zhonghua chose not to sell the smuggled salt to the country, instead selling it to the Southern Barbarians, and it was clear how much he was willing to risk to seek profits.


    These two things were usually under Guan Shanjin¡¯s control. The Southern Barbarians produced little salt, and most of it was rock salt. By exchanging these two items, the Yue family could be considered to have earned an enormous fortune, to the point where even lives were worthless to them.


    Seeing how awful his daughter¡¯s expression was, Yue Dade quickly picked up a letter himself. Before he could finish reading it, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he nearly fainted dead away.


    ¡°You vile spawn!¡± Yue Dade could barely breathe. Recovering from his giddiness, he threw the letter into his son¡¯s face. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! The Yue family¡ª The Yue family doesn¡¯t have a descendent like you!¡±


    The letter actually mentioned the cannon!


    ¡°Father, no! Listen to me! I didn¡¯t do this! I didn¡¯t!¡± Yue Zhonghua¡¯s knees crashed to the ground, desperately trying to exin to his father. Crawling on his knees, he went to Guan Shanjin, kowtowing non-stop as he pleaded his innocence. ¡°Great General, please investigate this clearly! Although I don¡¯t dare to say that I haven¡¯t done anything against my conscience, I have absolute loyalty to Great Xia! The heavens can bear witness to this! I would never have such an exchange with the barbarians in the south! I¡¯ll never jeopardise the country!¡±


    His head pounded loudly into the ground, breaking the skin on his forehead. Blood dripped its way down, contrasting against his face that was white in fear, the whole image was terrifying.


    ¡°Then who wrote these letters?¡± Guan Shanjin did not call a stop to the proceedings. He extended his foot to step on the letters that had been spread open. On one of them showed themunication between the two, discussing how to smuggle seven horse carts of unrefined salt, eight horse carts of saltpeter, and ten jars of mercury.


    In the letter was written explicitly, how they should avoid the Bastion City troops, where they should make the trade, what were the catchphrases used, how many people were there altogether and other information. Everything was listed clearly on the letter, and it showed how daring and meticulous the person who wrote the letter was.


    There was a fairlyrge number of troops stationed in Bastion City, and to avoid them was not an easy task. The difficulty was only furtherpounded with therge number of goods they were transporting. However, one was willing to die for the aim of seeking riches, and when thinking about ways to make money, the brain would be very intelligent.


    The path they took was through the river.


    There was a river between Bastion City and the Southern Barbarians, and the closest spot of the river to the city was two miles away. Travelling upstream, there was arge swath of forest, and very few people were present there usually. During battles and war, as it was not easy to traverse through the woods, the army would also often detour around it. The forest grew along with the steep mountainside, and the trees grew in aplicated manner. If one did not pay attention, they would lose their sense of direction within.


    This was where Bastion City¡¯s defense was the weakest.


    Yue Zhonghua too was well aware of this. Hiring some hunters and woodcutters, he slowly carved out a spot in the mountain, and built a few huts and docks for storing goods and transporting them. In this manner, he managed to earn quite arge sum right under Guan Shanjin¡¯s eye in secret.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything! I didn¡¯t do anything! I was framed!¡± Yue Zhonghua did not say anything else, but repeated these phrases in tears. It was as though he had suffered the greatest grievance, and it seemed as though he desperately wished he could m his head into the ground and die to prove his innocence.


    Guan Shanjin stared at him icily, and did not move to stop him. It was only until Yue Dade too fell to his knees tearfully as he begged mercy for his son, did Guan Shanjin then lightly sigh. ¡°Stand up, all of you. It¡¯s a day of celebration, and I don¡¯t wish to see blood as well.¡±


    He then nced over to Lu Zezhi, and the confused man, who waspletely at a loss, finally returned to his senses, and opened his mouth falteringly.


    ¡°H-Haiwang, there must be a misunderstanding somewhere¡­¡± Lu Zezhi¡¯s voice was feeble. How could he not understand what was happening here? For Guan Shanjin to toss out this evidence at this time, he must already have been very certain of the matter, and was only making a joke out of these people.


    A chill spread through Lu Zezhi. Biting his bloodless lips forcefully, he did not even look at Yue Mingzhu who was silently pleading with him with tearful eyes. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Guan Shanjin, and in them was undeniable beseeching.


    This beseeching was not for the Yue family, but himself.


    ¡°Why wouldoshi think that it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡± Guan Shanjin looked at him with soft eyes, implying that as long as Lu Zezhi was able to exin it, he would be willing to solve everything for him.


    Lu Zezhi clenched his fists tightly, almost pricking his skin with his fingernails. His mouth fell open, and he hurriedly closed it again. Watching the Yue father and son kneeling on the ground carefully, he finally lowered his lids. ¡°No, I don¡¯t understand such matters. However, Haiwang has always been meticulous in doing things, and has never maligned anyone before. This, I¡¯m well aware.¡±


    ¡°Lu Zezhi, what did you say?!¡± Widening her eyes, Yue Mingzhu started crying uncontrobly.


    The motive in his words had been too obvious. It meant that he was drawing a clear line between himself and the Yue family, and even recriminating them, believing that the Yue family had truly done something against their conscience.


    Yue Mingzhu shook her head continuously. Pressing her hand onto her chest, she stumbled two steps back, only to trip over the veil on the ground. If not for the matchmaker¡¯s deftness, she would definitely have fallen unsightly in this wedding hall that she had been anticipating for half a year. Even so, it seemed as though she had lost the strength to stand up straight, and with a pale face and trembling body, she copsed, leaning onto the matchmaker and her maid.


    She stared straight at Lu Zezhi. This man, with his ethereal face, dressed in bright red wedding clothes, looked just like the highest of all immortals. With his lovely face, he seemed unmatched in this world. She had always loved this man and believed every word he said. For him, she even stood up against the Great Southern Garrison General and her own family.


    And now, when the Yue family was on the brink of danger, in their wedding hall, this man did not even look at her a single time.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi¡­¡± Yue Mingzhu would never forget the day they met for the first time. Her discourteousness, abandoning all manners to meet this man, how her heart pounded, and how everything in her sight seemed to brighten up in beauty, as though flowers had bloomed all around.


    Those bright colours, now, had all faded.


    Her father and brother were still proiming their innocence and their loyalty to the country to Guan Shanjin. With half-lowered eyes, a smile curled around Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips, and he did not respond at all. Man Yue seemed to have lost interest in the scenepletely. Yawning, he picked at the te of snacks next to Guan Shanjin and started eating. As for Lu Zezhi¡­ Lu Zezhi¡­ Yue Mingzhu shut her eyes. Two drops of tears fell, staining her wedding dress. She took in a deep breath, pushed away the matchmaker and her maid who were supporting her, and yanked off her phoenix cor. Apanied by the exmations of guests, she removed her bright red wedding dress, and threw it forcefully to the ground. Without blinking, she walked across them, to where Lu Zezhi was standing.


    p! The wedding hall descended into silence. The voices of Yue Dade, Yue Zhonghua and Madam Yue stopped, while Man Yue watched her eagerly with bright eyes. Even Guan Shanjin lifted his lids and looked over, but remained motionless.


    Next came another p. This time, Lu Zezhi was left bleeding from the corner of his lips, and red hand imprints quickly surfaced on both his cheeks. He seemed to be unable to recover his wits as he watched Yue Mingzhu speechlessly, and he even could not remember to dodge the third p.


    A p resounded, and Lu Zezhi was forced two steps back.


    ¡°I, Yue Mingzhu, must have been blind to have treated you like a treasure! From now on, we¡¯ll go down our own separate path! Even if I were to be a nun, I would never marry such an ungrateful ingrate like you!¡± Yue Mingzhu had used a lot of strength in her ps, and even sprained her own wrist. However, it was as though she could not feel it. Pushing Lu Zezhi aside, she walked over to Guan Shanjin, and knelt behind her father and brother.


    Whether her father and brother actually did those matters, as a daughter of the Yue family, she could never embarrass herself and her family. Honour one and you honour them all, harm one and you harm them all! This sort of backbone was still ingrained in her!


    Guan Shanjin watched her for some moment, and chuckled lowly. ¡°That¡¯s some backbone you have. Mr. Lu can be considered to have a good eye. Enough, stand up now, all of you.¡±


    The Yue father and son exchanged a look, neither daring to not stand up. Yue Dade hurriedly helped up his son, whose face had already been dyed a tragic red from his own blood, but did not dare to thank the general at this point in time. He felt uneasy, and that today¡¯s matter could no longer be resolved so easily. Guan Shanjin would not let the Yue family off so easily, and the evidence in his hand definitely was not just these letters.


    ¡°As a general, I¡¯m after all not a government official, and I only know a little about the criminalw. Hence, how your case would be judged would be entirely up to Official Fang.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s smile and tone was still gentle, as though he was only chatting casually.


    ¡°I will definitely not cause any dishonour.¡± Official Fang stood up, cupping his hands respectfully.


    The Yue father and son were a little more at ease. Against Guan Shanjin¡¯s wrathful means, they had nothing but fear. However, now that the case was in the hands of Official Fang, they could be a little more relieved, and could even make some moves privately to their benefits.


    ¡°Right, Man Yue, don¡¯t you still have another great gift prepared for Young Master Yue?¡±


    How could Guan Shanjin allow them to catch their breath? He matured on the battlefield, and was raised in an aristocratic family in the capital which teemed with political intrigue. He was deeply aware of the importance of following up on his victory. It was just that he was only ying with the Yue family, like a cat teasing a rat.


    ¡°Aiyah! Just look at my memory, I nearly forgot about it! Young Master Yue, we do have some friendship between us. This present is from me to you, and there¡¯s no need to be courteous about it.¡± Man Yue smacked his own head, smiling brightly as he bowed at Young Master Yue. With a wave of his hand, two tall, sturdy men dressed in the Guan family¡¯s army uniform dragged a man into the hall.


    Young Master Yue¡¯s expression originally looked quite natural. Although his misery and grief looked a little affected, it was still enough to fool many people.


    However, after seeing this man, he could no longer maintain his expression. His entire body shuddered, causing him to nearly fall, and his eyes were opened so wide, it seemed they were about to fall out of their sockets.


    ¡°This person is named Liao Chunqiu, and he¡¯s from the capital. As for who his master is¡­ heheh, Young Master Yue is definitely aware. He¡¯s been telling some rather interesting stories, and the General has been listening with relish. He even forwent a few nights of sleep, and just wanted to listen to those stories.¡± Man Yue signalled his subordinates to lift up the man¡¯s face. The man¡¯s face was nk, and his eyes were bloodshot, looking just as though he would break downpletely with just one more step.


    The moment he saw Guan Shanjin and Man Yue, fear immediately overcame him. With trembling lips, he mumbled hoarsely, ¡°I-I¡¯ve told you everything already¡­¡±


    Guan Shanjin did not look at him. It was Man Yue who pulled out a letter of confession from his chest, and handed it over to Official Fang with a smiling countenance. ¡°Official Fang, as they say, every profession has its experts. I¡¯m only an army ruffian, and I don¡¯t know anything about thew, but I am somewhat skilled at getting confessions. Don¡¯t worry, our general has never maligned anyone before, and has never forced anyone to say anything against their conscience. All the words in this letter have been expressed willingly by him, and this can be said to help you save some effort.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks to the General, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Official Fang did not reject the letter. He had long known what was going on, and now, he was only putting on a show with Man Yue in front of the crowd, so as to be fully ountable.


    Yue Dade and Yue Zhonghua looked at that letter of confession being tucked into Official Fang¡¯s chest, and they both copsed onto the ground.


    In their hearts, both of them knew that there was no longer any way to make a turn around. The Yue family was now done.


    And all of this¡­. Yue Mingzhu red hatefully at Lu Zezhi, wishing desperately that she could yank out all his tendons and peel off all his skin, biting into his flesh and blood.


    The muttering crowd that had fallen silent thought, this time, the general is in a rage all because of a beauty.


    Not knowing that, Guan Shanjin looked at the looks ofprehension in the crowd, covering his satisfied smile with his teacup.


    What he wanted was exactly this.

 Chapter 64 - The Agreed Upon Blood Vomiting

    Chapter 64 ¡ª The Agreed Upon Blood Vomiting


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    A wedding that was supposed to be jubnt, finally ended with being surrounded by the troops and people from the magistrate¡¯s office.


    They did not make things difficult for the women of the Yue family, and Official Fang only took away the men of the Yue family, not leaving a single one behind. The wedding hall was in bleak silence, and all the guests felt antsy. They wanted to leave, but dared not do so without any authorisation. After all, the General was still seated in the hall, drinking tea as he looked perfectly calm.


    Lu Zezhi was still dressed in his bright red wedding attire, but his headdress had already been removed. Miss Yue was standing next to her mother, quietly consoling the dazed, tearful woman.


    Unlike her daughter, Madam Yue was a female so gentle that she was a little weak. Both her son and her husband had been taken away, and she had lost all her mainstays in the blink of an eye. It seemed as though she had aged a lot in this short period of time, and her hand that was grasping onto her daughter was trembling.


    ¡°Laoshi.¡± After a period of time, which seemed like years to the guests, Guan Shanjin suddenly called out.


    His voice was soft and sweet, as though it carried endless affection within. Lu Zezhi, standing in the center of the wedding hall, shuddered violently. The tips of his ears turned slightly red, yet on his face was anger, and he looked over with a frown.


    ¡°You don¡¯t me me, right?¡± Guan Shanjin asked, his voice gentle and low. Towards the vicious re shot at him by Miss Yue, he feigned ignorance, as if there was only Lu Zezhi in his eyes.


    ¡°Now that things are at this stage¡­¡± Was there still a point in asking him that? Lu Zezhi¡¯s head sagged, exposing his pale, slender neck from his bright red clothes, smooth and unusual like a beautiful piece of nephrite jade.


    He could not distinguish whether he was feeling resentful or prideful. Although in the end, he was unable to establish a connection with the Yue family, it seemed clear that his position in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart was unshakeable. At the end of the day, the Yue family was only a merchant family. Compared to the Great Southern Garrison General, they were like ants to a giant, and Guan Shanjin could easily rece them with another noble family.


    Previously, Lu Zezhi had thought that the Yue family could be his support, but it seemed like he had overestimated Yue Dade.


    ¡°Laoshi, let¡¯s return.¡± Guan Shanjin stood up, dusting off his robes. Walking forward, he sped onto Lu Zezhi¡¯s shoulder, his voice doting, ¡°I¡¯ll have to go back to the capital to submit my reports in a few days. Laoshi, you haven¡¯t been back in a while, I believe you miss your hometown as well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The capital?¡± Lu Zezhi blinked. After sighing lightly, a small smile surfaced. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    It was evident that Miss Yue was still in front of him, and where they were standing was their wedding hall, but Lu Zezhi seemed as though he did not see any of it. His past gentleness and affections were so phoney that itpletely disgusted Yue Mingzhu.


    She watched this man frostily, not even willing to spare an iota of energy on cursing him.


    Guan Shanjin tenderly straightened Lu Zezhi¡¯s clothes for him, and just like this, he led his people back home.


    It was until they could no longer hear a single sound did the guests all gasp in relief, hurriedly bidding their farewells and leaving. The Yue family was clearly on the brink of copse, and the power in Bastion City was about to make a huge shift. The ones who were invited to the wedding were all smart people, and they all now had to quickly return home ande up with ns. If they were lucky, they might be able to swallow this territory left empty by the Yue family, and feast upon the benefits that came along with the Great Southern General!


    Yue Mingzhu looked at the wedding hall that had emptied out in a second. Gritting her teeth, she stubbornly did not shed a single tear.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    The wedding hall was not within the General¡¯s estate, but two streets away, in a new residence that they had prepared for Mr. Lu a few months ago.


    Leaving the ce, Guan Shanjin immediately stepped away from Lu Zezhi. Swinging himself up his horse, he sprinted away without a word.


    Man Yue grinned as he waved Mr. Lu up the carriage. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Mr. Lu. It¡¯s inevitable that the General is a little unhappy, just let him cool down and he¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Mn.¡± Lu Zezhi looked at the ck figure that quickly disappeared in the distance. Lowering his eyes, he concealed the uneasiness that was swiftly welling up in him. He could feel that there was something wrong with Guan Shanjin¡¯s attitude.


    As for what was wrong with it, for now, he could not describe it.


    He had clearly destroyed the Yue family for him in front of half of the noble families in Bastion City, and this showed evidently how unique Lu Zezhi¡¯s position in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart was. However, this was different from his deep affections in the past¡­ It seemed as though he was too indifferent?


    No, it could not be! Haiwang might only still be angry with him, that was it! Lu Zezhiforted himself in his heart, with a growing determination that his spection was not wrong.


    However, what he did not know was that while he was trying his best to reassure himself, Guan Shanjin who had first returned to the General¡¯s estate did not head for Wangshu Residence, but went to Shuanghe Yard.


    The fresh scent of earth could still be traced throughout Shuanghe Yard like usual. The vegetables in the garden had nearly been harvestedpletely, the only things left being inedible stems and leaves. A few yellow flowersy scattered across the dirt, most of them showing signs of having been crushed under one¡¯s feet.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes darkened. A sense of rm ran explicably through him. With great strides, he cut through the courtyard and mmed the door open. As he did not control his strength, the carved wooden door almost split apart.


    There was no presence of people in the house at all, and the air was cool and still. With a grim face, he entered the house, and step by step, he walked into Wu Xingzi¡¯s bedroom.


    The nket was folded on the bed, so neat as though it was a piece of dried beancurd.


    Abruptly, Guan Shanjin felt that he could barely breathe. His footsteps did not have their usual steadiness and resoluteness, and he made his way to the bed, his pace disordered.


    At this time, Wu Xingzi should not still bezing in bed. Guan Shanjin¡¯s slender fingers smoothed across the soft nket, the coolness diffusing right into his blood. A quiver, uncontrolled, ran through him.


    The bedroom seemed no different from the past. Wu Xingzi had lived here for a few months, but he did not have many belongings. The things Guan Shanjin had asked others to deliver to him were all carefully kept in the storeroom, untouched, and the room looked as simple as the one in Qingcheng County.


    Finally, despite the unusually cold bed, Guan Shanjin recovered from his shock and slowly surveyed the bedroom.


    The qin he had given to Wu Xingzi a while ago was ced neatly on its stand. If one did not pay close attention, they would have missed it, as it was ced in the corner of the room.


    All the windows were closed. The rays of the sun made their way through the tiny gaps, scattering light and shadows on the round table in the center of the room. There was something on the table.


    Guan Shanjin went closer, discovering that it was a pile of silver taels, about a hundred and twenty in total. A note was tucked under a corner, and the words on it were very familiar to him ¡ª the clear and distinct yet somewhat feeble handwriting of Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Haiwang, I¡¯ve left. These taels are the monthly allowances given by the General¡¯s estate, and there¡¯s a total of a hundred and twenty of them. After apanying each other for so long, we have to say our farewells atst. Don¡¯t look for me, and live well together with Mr. Lu. ¡ªWu Xingzi.¡±


    Clutching the note, Guan Shanjin was speechless. He recognised every single word written on it, but the sentences they formed, he could not understand them at all. Reading it over and over again, as though insane, he wished desperately that he could peel every word apart and read them even more carefully.


    Guan Shanjin could still remember the confidences he shared with Wu Xingzist night while hugging him. He had promised Wu Xingzi that once he passed on, he would bury him, and pay respects to his family. One¡¯s life was decreed by the heavens, and he would not dread it. Even if it was just one more day, Guan Shanjin would try his best and survive, and take care of Wu Xingzi¡¯s grave.


    He had thought that once he pushed Lu Zezhi out to the foreground, he would be able to bring Wu Xingzi to the capital, taking him to eat all the delicious food and explore all the fun things the capital had, and show him all sorts of different sights. Once he was done with all the misceneous duties he had in the capital, they would be able to spend the rest of their lives together at ease.


    However, Wu Xingzi did not wait for him.


    This old fellow, who had always been thinking about leaving him ever since the first time they met, had really ran away this time!


    Guan Shanjin felt an abrupt wave of dizziness crashing over him. He staggered to a stool by the table, looking at the hundred and twenty taels in a daze.


    He thought that he should be furious, that he should be in a towering rage because Wu Xingzi left without saying goodbye. There had never been anyone who had stamped upon his true affections like this before. Guan Shanjin felt that he had regarded Wu Xingzi like the ultimate treasure, and because he was afraid that Wu Xingzi would be dragged into a political dispute, he had even pushed Lu Zezhi out to the foreground as a shield.


    Were the promises he had given insufficient? Guan Shanjin registered how lost and dazed he was. After Wu Xingzi had left, he actually did not know what he should do.


    Should he look for him? Wu Xingzi had Hei¡¯er with him. It was almost impossible for him to have left so silently, and the only exnation was that Hei¡¯er was the person who helped him flee. There were only the two girls taking care of Shuanghe Yard, and they were truly loyal to Wu Xingzi. Now, there was no sight of them, and it was likely that they had left together.


    This was definitely not a moment of impulse, and they most certainly had been nning this for a while.


    When he was confessing his feelings to Wu Xingzi and giving him his promises, that old fellow was actually thinking about how to leave him?


    Guan Shanjin abruptly burst into lowughter,ughing until his shoulders were quaking. His eyes had turned bloodshot, and he could not catch his breath, yet he still continuedughing non-stop.


    When Man Yue came to Shuanghe Yard, he happened across Guan Shanjin¡¯s disordered, maniacughter.


    ¡°General?¡± Realising in rm that something was wrong, Man Yue shot forward. When he ced his hand on Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder, he immediately felt his inner force pulsing out of control under his skin, as though he was a man that was losing his sanity.


    ¡°Haiwang-gege!¡± rm shot through Man Yue. Just as he wanted to use his own inner force to calm Guan Shanjin¡¯s churning inner force, theughter came to a sudden stop. Guan Shanjin turned and nced at him. His alluring, emotional eyes seemed as though they were bathed in blood, the whites streaked deeply with red. His pupils looked like dim, dull ck crystals, and they were fixed tightly onto Man Yue¡¯s face.


    ¡°Man¡­ Yue¡­¡± Gurgles escaped Guan Shanjin¡¯s throat. His voice was hoarse and bizarre, sounding as though he had spent all his efforts to squeeze out the smidge of sound from his chest.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­¡± Man Yue stared at Guan Shanjin in horror, watching as a trail of red spilled past his lips. His brain nked out. Before he could reach out to help him, blood sprayed out from Guan Shanjin¡¯s open mouth, and dots of red stained both their clothes.


    Before the first spray of blood had even cooled down, Guan Shanjin spat out a second and a third mouthful. His fairplexion paled so quickly that it seemed almost transparent, and he exuded a vague aura of death. Finally, after he vomited out his fourth mouthful of blood, Man Yue jabbed at some of his pressure points, forcing his blood back into his body.


    Guan Shanjin released a groan, copsing right into Man Yue¡¯s arms. His robes had long been soaked in blood, now dripping slowly onto the ground.


    Seeing this situation, Man Yue was extremely anxious. Yelling at the personal guards that had followed him in to call for the physician, he pressed his palm onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s back, sending his own inner force through him, barely managing to protect his visceral organs. Still, Guan Shanjin¡¯s inner force was much greater and more advanced than his. This loss of sanity had affected his pulse, and Man Yue¡¯s aid was inadequate.


    The physician arrived very quickly, and chaos overtook. Both needles and medication were applied, and it took many hours before the ghastly, deathly look on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face faded away. He was still very pale, and his breathing was difficult, but they could finally be a little more relieved.


    Guan Shanjin had a strong physical foundation, and once he woke up and directed his inner force back into its ce, there would be nothing left to worry over.


    After seeing the physician off, Man Yue returned to the bedside, studying Guan Shanjin with a conflicted gaze. The bloodstained clothes of the man on the bed had already been reced. Wearing a silk inner robe, Guan Shanjin looked even paler than the snow white clothes.


    Although unconscious, Guan Shanjin was still holding tightly onto the note that Wu Xingzi had left. With spatters of bloodstains on it, it somehow looked a little despairing.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Man Yue sighed. He tried a few times, but could not get the note out, and had no choice but to give up. ¡°Did I¡­ go overboard?¡±

 Chapter 65 - The Long Journey to The Capital

    Chapter 65 ¡ª The Long Journey to The Capital


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    On this side, the General¡¯s estate was in chaos due to the General vomiting three litres of blood, while on another side, Wu Xingzi, who had been on his way to the capital for some time already, finally felt at ease, and even had the mood to pull up the curtains of the carriage and look around.


    Rancui had originally said that they would be leaving together, but at thest moment, he suddenly said that he could only leave two dayster. It was an easy matter to catch up with them on a horse, so they arranged to meet in a little city called Lishui four dayster.


    Wu Xingzi had been on this very path a few times already, and the scenery was fairly much the same. However, perhaps because his mood was different, the scenery this time was so much more brilliant and enchanting than the previous times. The rays of the sun were like gold, scattering its light across the gravel, the grass, the trees and the brook.


    ¡°Wow, sister, take a look. There¡¯s a field of flowers over there, what flower is that?¡± Osmanthus was also seated by the window, pointing at the colourful scene dancing in the wind.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Mint and Osmanthus shared simr knowledge, and she naturally did not recognise the flowers as well. After all, they rarely saw such delicate and pretty things in Bastion City.


    ¡°Those should be irises,¡± Wu Xingzi answered, turning to look at them.


    Hearing that, the two girls looked at Wu Xingzi with worshipful eyes. They listened to him exin gently, ¡°In The ssic of Herbal Medicine, it says: The iris is bitter and bnced. It mainly treats gu toxins and evil qi, demonic influx and various toxins. It breaks concretions and conglomerations, umtions and gatherings, removes water, and precipitates the three kinds of worms. It grows in mountains and valleys.1 For a ce like this with no mountains or valleys, someone must have nted them intentionally.¡±


    ¡°Master, you know everything!¡± Mint¡¯s eyes shone brightly, almost about to treat Wu Xingzi like a god.


    ¡°It¡¯s only something that I read when I was younger, and didn¡¯t forget.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled. Inside his bag were a few books that his father had left behind, and one of them was The ssic of Herbal Medicine. There was only an old physician back in their hometown, and so his father had always dealt with any of their small ailments and pains himself.


    It was now March, and the spring weather was perfect. The temperature down south turned warmer earlierpared to the rest of the country, the warm breeze drifting past their skin, leaving behind a pleasant heat.


    Hei¡¯er drove the carriage steadily. In the carriage, Wu Xingzi and the two girls only felt a slight swaying, and it was not ufortable at all. Along with the spring wind, drowsiness descended upon them.


    Unknowingly, Wu Xingzi closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    Osmanthus carefully covered him with a cloak. After exchanging a look with her sister, the joy on her little fair face swiftly faded away.


    They were a little apprehensive. Although they did not face any obstruction or trouble when leaving and their departure was unbelievably sessful, when they thought about how they would be dealt with when the General finally found them, chills ran down their spines. Unable to control themselves, they shuddered.


    ¡°Commander Hei, say, how long can we hide from the General?¡± Afraid of waking Wu Xingzi up, Mint and Osmanthus climbed out of the carriage and sat next to Hei¡¯er, quietly asking him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. When it¡¯s time for the General to find us, he will find us.¡± Hei¡¯er turned to calm the two girls down. He himself was also unsure, as at the end of the day, the entire matter had been orchestrated by Rancui and Man Yue. He was only a puppet, listening to instructions and following his orders. His main duty was still to protect Wu Xingzi from any danger.


    The girls¡¯ little faces twisted even more after listening to him, as though they had just taken the most bitter medicine.


    ¡°I hope the General won¡¯t be too angry with Master.¡± In the end, this was the only thing Mint could say. They had seen before how the General, bathed in blood, cut through his enemies. He was still very good-looking, simr to a beautiful statue. However, his aura was like that of a demon climbing up from hell, and one look could make a person tremble with fear, afraid that their souls would be sucked away and swallowed down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Hei¡¯er thought that no matter what happened, there would still be Man Yue to block the blows.


    Four dayster, Wu Xingzi and the rest met Rancui in the ce they had agreed upon. Under Rancui¡¯s suggestion, they stopped there temporarily to browse the flower-and-bird market. This market only happened once every three years in Lishui. Every time, there would not only be strange and rare flowers, even the species of birds that could be seen were very exotic. The market was held for ten bustling days, and it could be called the most famous event in the south.


    No wonder Rancui had specially chosen this city to meet. He probably wanted to help improve Wu Xingzi¡¯s mood.


    When Wu Xingzi made the decision to leave, he had long thrown everything about Bastion City to the back of his head. He could not say that he did not miss anything about it, but he did not feel the slightest bit of regret. Even though Guan Shanjin¡¯s image was still very much vivid and present in his heart, he had never thought about the what-ifs if he were to stay.


    It was just that sometimes, while sleeping at night, Wu Xingzi would have the mistaken impression that he was in a warm and familiar embrace. He would then wake up in surprise from his dream, unconsciously reaching out next to him. Shuddering from the coolness of the sheets, he would toss and turn for the entire night before finally managing to doze off.


    However, he thought, sooner orter, this would pass as well. After all, he had left Bastion City for some time already, and Guan Shanjin should have already brought Mr. Lu along with him to the capital, right? Would there be a possibility that they would bump into each other along the way? As Wu Xingzi thought, he could not help but feel a little worried.


    Rancui seemed to have seen through his bewilderment, and did not hurry them along on their journey. He had always been capable of handling anyone, and he was good at treating people cordially. Although Lishui was only a small ce, it had many scenic spots to explore. Unwittingly, they stayed in Lishui until the market was over, and all the tourists had left as well. Only then did Wu Xingzi realise that he had stayed there for so long, and that after walking through the entire city, his longing for Guan Shanjin too decreased considerably.


    When they continued on their journey again, it was nearly the end of March.


    There was some slight embarrassment during this period of time. They had very quickly packed up all their belongings, continuing on their way to the capital, and they estimated that they would arrive in about two or three months. Rancui gave Wu Xingzi a few versions of The Pengornisseur, wanting him to make more friends.


    Speaking about making friends, Wu Xingzi of course was more than happy to do so. The capital¡¯s edition of The Pengornisseur was truly amazing! Skimming through the many great people listed within, they all had impressive family backgrounds, education and careers!


    Clearly aware of Wu Xingzi¡¯s preferences, Rancui smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Wu. I¡¯ve specially gone through this edition of The Pengornisseur, and they¡¯re all exceptional and mighty pengornises with great ability. Just send them letters all you want, no matter where we are, I¡¯ll be able to get all the replies back to you, and increase your hoard of pengornises.¡±


    Ignoring the hoard of pengornises Rancui mentioned, the embarrassment of having been seen through caused Wu Xingzi¡¯s blush to spread to his neck in an instant. For the next few days, he dared not read The Pengornisseur at all. He was afraid that his thoughts would be obscene. While looking at all the good, handsome or beautiful men, all he could think of were the exceptional and mighty pengornises.


    However, what troubled him were not these pengornises, but that Qingming would soon arrive.


    For Wu Xingzi, paying respects to his ancestors and the rites involved was a great matter. After all, both his paternal and maternal ancestors only had him as a descendent left. Whether it was Qingming or other asions, he could not miss a single one out. If not, his ancestors would definitely visit him in his dreams and scold him.


    Qingcheng County was on the way to the capital, and it would not be troublesome to stop by and pay his respects. It was just that¡­


    Spiritless, Wu Xingzi curled up in one corner of the carriage.


    He still remembered that Guan Shanjin had said that he would apany him back to Qingcheng County for Qingming. However, before the day could arrive, Wu Xingzi had long fled. Still, Wu Xingzi¡¯s roots remained in Qingcheng County, and he believed that Guan Shanjin would not deliberately seek him out. Now that he captured his will-o-wisp, why would he still need its shadow?


    For some reason, Wu Xingzi inexplicably felt a little guilty. The night before he left, Guan Shanjin had made such promises to him, and even if they were not sincere, to have embarrassed him like this, would Guan Shanjin be angry with him? If that was the case, Guan Shanjin might even be waiting at Qingcheng County for him to return and pay his respects to his ancestors¡­ And Guan Shanjin would definitely seed, as no matter where Wu Xingzi ran off to, he would never forget about his ancestors.


    Feeling anxious, there were a few times he wanted to discuss the matter with Rancui, only for him to swallow it back down when it was on the tip of his tongue. Dragging it on and on like this, before he could say anything, they had already reached the outskirts of Qingcheng County.


    ¡°Mr. Wu,¡± Rancui suddenly spoke up. ¡°It¡¯ll be Qingming in a few more days. Do you n on returning home to clean up your ancestors¡¯ graves?¡±


    Not expecting this question, Wu Xingzi froze, then nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes yes yes! Ai, I¡¯ve been wanting to discuss this with you!¡±


    ¡°Discuss?¡± Rancui tilted his head, thenughed. ¡°Are you afraid that Guan Shanjin would be waiting for you at Qingcheng County?¡± He had hit the nail on the head.


    Wu Xingzi scratched the back of his neck, secretly looking around. He confirmed that the two girls weren¡¯t in the carriage, and heard their clear voices travelling through the curtains from outside. They seemed to have seen something interesting, and were insisting that Hei¡¯er exin it to them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a joke of myself.¡± Wu Xingzi was shame-faced, and he hung his head. ¡°I know that I¡¯m thinking too much as well. Haiwang has Mr. Lu now, and he¡¯s currently enjoying his sess, so how would he have the time to spend on someone like me? But¡­¡±


    Guan Shanjin had said that he would help Wu Xingzi take care of his grave. Wu Xingzi felt a pang in his heart, and he rubbed at his aching chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking too much. We¡¯ve all seen what the Great Southern Garrison General is like.¡± Sarcasm could be heard in Rancui¡¯s tone. He snorted, ring at the curtains.


    ¡°The General has always doted upon the people he liked, and we¡¯ve definitely seen this for ourselves.¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s cid voice could be heard from beyond the curtain.


    Despite knowing that he would have nothing gooding to him if he was caught by the General, Hei¡¯er still could not allow Rancui¡¯s periodic insults about the General to pass.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Rancui spat, then reced his expression with a smile when he looked at Wu Xingzi. ¡°How about this, we¡¯ll go two days after Qingming, and you can pay your respects at night? Mr. Wu, would you be scared?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head. He still felt a little apologetic, whether it was towards Rancui, Hei¡¯er, Mint and Osmanthus, or to his ancestors.


    However, it seemed like this was the safest n. If he were to return to Qingcheng County in broad daylight, who knew what sort of difficulty would befall upon him?


    Havinge to a decision, Rancui calcted the time. He asked Hei¡¯er to make a slight detour to the nearby Xingyi County for a short trip. Xingyi County produced tung oil, and so tung trees were nted everywhere. Right now, it was the season when they would bloom. The petals of the tung flowers were a snowy white, their receptacles a light red and their centers a bright yellow. The flowers grew in clusters, and looking from afar, it seemed as though the trees were covered in snow. Many literary men would make a special trip to Xingyi to admire the tung flowers.


    Even though Qingcheng County was not far from Xingyi County, they would still need 3 days to arrive on an ox carriage. With a horse, they only needed about a day and a half. Wu Xingzi had naturally heard about Xingyi¡¯s scene of snow in spring, but never had the fortune to see it before. Hearing Rancui¡¯s arrangement, he could not help but be delighted, and his previous unease had dissipated by a great amount.


    Xingyi County was truly a nice ce, and the tung flowers were really a feast for the eyes. Carrying a bamboo basket filled with snacks, Rancui led Wu Xingzi into the mountain.


    Hei¡¯er trusted Rancui very much, and did not follow. He only instructed Mint and Osmanthus to take care of Wu Xingzi, before turning and disappearing.


    Towards this, Rancui snorted coldly. Some disapproval and anger appeared on his beautiful face, but the expression was quickly wiped away. With great familiarity, he brought Wu Xingzi and the girls around the mountain, spending the entire day there. When the sun was setting, they returned to the inn, but Hei¡¯er had yet to be back.


    ¡°I should have sewn this fellow¡¯s mouth shut,¡± Rancui snorted. It was clear that he was aware of where Hei¡¯er went. Due to the ugly expression on his face, Mint and Osmanthus dared not ask him anything, and instead dragged Wu Xingzi back to his room to wash up.


    This disappearance of Hei¡¯ersted for nearly four days. When he returned, he looked a lot paler, and seemed to be exhausted.


    Seeing that he was back, Rancui went forward and hit him. Although he was tired, Hei¡¯er was still very alert, twisting his body and dodging him. No one guessed that Rancui was only feinting, and he ended up kicking the back of Hei¡¯er¡¯s knee. The tall, sturdy man swayed, nearly falling over.


    ¡°What an exceptional dog, with your staunch loyalty,¡± Rancui spat with a smiling face. He reached out, grabbing Hei¡¯er¡¯s chin with narrowed eyes. ¡°If you spoil my ns, don¡¯t me me for being vicious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Hei¡¯er was so tired that his footsteps were weak. He no longer had the energy to handle this fox-like manager of the Peng Society. Calmly, he removed Rancui¡¯s hand, and walked over to Wu Xingzi who had been shocked silly. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve checked it out. The General has been in Qingcheng County for the past few days, and it seems like he¡¯ll be staying there for at least a couple more weeks. There are also people guarding the cemetery at night. I think¡­ it¡¯s going to be very difficult for us to go back.¡±


    ¡°He really has too much time on his hands.¡± Rancui pursed his lips. They were currently eating, and Rancui picked up a peanut from the kung pao chicken dish, cing it in his mouth.


    ¡°Take a seat first, Hei¡¯er. Have you eaten?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly invited Hei¡¯er to sit, and Mint and Osmanthus smartly ced another set of bowl and chopsticks on the table.


    ¡°Many thanks, Master.¡± Hei¡¯er picked up his bowl and started eating. Whatever they would do next, Rancui naturally would be the one making the decisions, and he did not n on saying anything else.


    This meal still progressed very carefreely. After all, it was very difficult for Wu Xingzi to think about matters that were too difficult when eating. He would normally finish eating before he would consider such matters.


    Rancui looked at Wu Xingzi, then looked at Hei¡¯er. The corner of his lips quirked up, no one knowing what he was nning.

 Chapter 66 - If He Doesn’t Belong to Anyone, Would You Want Him?

    Chapter 66 ¡ª If He Doesn¡¯t Belong to Anyone, Would You Want Him?


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After the meal, Wu Xingzi walked a few rounds around the courtyard to aid his digestion. They were currently living in one of the properties owned by the Peng Society in Xingyi. It was a small and exquisitepound. The courtyard had been taken care of exceedingly well, and there was also a small patch of tung trees. The snow-white petals had fallen down gently, as though covering the ground in ayer of snow.


    Rancui had originally wanted to apany him as well, taking the opportunity to sow discord. It would be best if Wu Xingzipletely gave up all affections for Guan Shanjin.


    Who would have guessed that Hei¡¯er would first step forward and stop him, shaking his head with an unfriendly expression and exuding a faintly threatening aura? Hei¡¯er was very clear that Rancui did not like Guan Shanjin, and he was not naive enough to believe that this little fox would not take the chance to sow discord.


    Fine, just let him stop me! Rancui snorted, bad-tempered. Pulling his hand back, he gave a fake smile. ¡°Tell me, what ns does Man Yue have?¡±


    ¡°Man Yue?¡± Hei¡¯er frowned. He was not surprised that Rancui knew he had met Man Yue, but he was astonished that Rancui knew Man Yue wanted to send him a message.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met him already. It¡¯s impossible that he doesn¡¯t have any messages he wants to pass on to me. That fellow is like a mooncake filled with bean paste. It looks sweet, but when you bite into it, you end up biting into knives,¡± Rancui sneered.


    ¡°He does have a message for you¡­¡± Hei¡¯er sighed. He recalled, what did Man Yue say about Rancui? Was it not that the manager looked as though he was like a water lily, rising up unsullied from the mud, but his core was entirely ck. In Hei¡¯er¡¯s eyes, neither were easy to deal with. ¡°Man Yue says that he hopes the manager would not go back on what you¡¯ve agreed upon. How the General treats Mr. Wu has nothing to do with the manager at all, and he also hopes that you¡¯d consider how delicate your neck is. If you go too far, you¡¯d best be prepared.¡±


    This was an undisguised threat and reminder. Rancui¡¯s face darkened. ring at Hei¡¯er, he did not speak.


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t like the General, but the General truly likes Mr. Wu.¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s heart could not help but soften when he saw Rancui huffing with anger. ¡°Why must you take the responsibility of Mr. Wu¡¯s matters?¡±


    ¡°Hah! I¡¯m happy to do it,¡± Rancui spat. He thought about the ten years he spent, going all out to matchmake the members of the Peng Society. Now that he had met Guan Shanjin, this bandit, how could he not be angry? People who already had someone in their heart, but still went on to flirt with and provoke others were all scumbags!


    What was even more frustrating was that in truth, Rancui knew that he was powerless. At most, he could vex Guan Shanjin a little, but he was not able to protect Wu Xingzi.


    Hearing him, Hei¡¯er could only sigh secretly.


    Over on another side, Wu Xingzi was not aware of the surging tension between the two people standing on the porch. There was a deep frown on his face. He was very worried over Guan Shanjin staying on guard in Qingcheng County, yet he was at a loss as to what he could do. Like this, he walked one round after another, and he only stopped after his clothes were soaked in sweat.


    ¡°Is Mr. Lu in Qingcheng County as well?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s sudden question caught Hei¡¯er by surprise, and it took him a moment before he hurriedly nodded.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Lu is also in Qingcheng County, apanying the General¡­ Mr. Wu, don¡¯t think too much about it. You¡¯re still the one whom the General misses the most.¡± Guan Shanjin had only used the pretext of bringing Mr. Lu on a tour and keeping him by his side to prevent any slip ups.


    Unfortunately, this was something Hei¡¯er could not say, and he could only worry over it in silence and anxiety.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, wiping his forehead with his sleeve as he sat down on a wooden bench by the side. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on Mr. Lu.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so hard for him? He¡¯s the General¡¯s beloved, and who in the world doesn¡¯t know that the entire bloodline of the Protector General, all of them believe in and only have their one true love? There would no longer be anyone fighting over the General¡¯s affections with him anymore.¡± Rancuizily fanned himself with a Chinese K¡¯o-ssu fan, and he did not hold his vicious tongue back despite Man Yue¡¯s warning.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, convinced. He seemed to not think any deeper about the reason why Guan Shanjin was trying to intercept him at Qingcheng County, and even had the time to worry over Lu Zezhi.


    This made Rancui a little surprised.


    Anyone could see what Wu Xingzi felt towards Guan Shanjin, to say nothing of Rancui, whose eyes were very sharp. Not only could he see that Wu Xingzi liked Guan Shanjin, he even noticed that Wu Xingzi had ced Guan Shanjin in the most important position in his heart. If the timing, the people, and the ce were right, it would be no exaggeration to say that he would remember Guan Shanjin forever, and would even live and die for him.


    In principle, in such a situation, learning that the person he liked was able to do something so extreme for him, and even express a determination to once again keep him by his side, who would not be moved? Who would not have multiple thoughts running through their head, imagining a future where the two were mutually set on each other?


    Or else, he should at least be unsettled, and believe that he held a rather weighty position in the other person¡¯s heart. Even if Wu Xingzi was a person who never took anything to heart, and was the happy-go-lucky sort, he should not bepletely unmoved and secretly pleased.


    However, right from the start, the only thing Wu Xingzi was concerned about was cleaning his ancestors¡¯ graves.


    He was anxious and upset, but he was only worried that he would not be able to perform his filial duties to his ancestors, as though no matter what Guan Shanjin did, it was not as important as Qingming. It was fine if he liked him, and it was also fine if he did not. Wu Xingzi waspletely not bothered by it at all.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, don¡¯t you think that the General still holds affection for you?¡± Unable to repress his curiosity, Rancui hesitated for a moment, then disyed a concerned front and asked Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°He still holds affection for me?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, and unexpectedlyughed. ¡°Naturally, but it will all be in the past.¡±


    Rancui suddenly realised that he might not understand Wu Xingzi as well as he thought he did.


    Gracefully, he sat down next to Wu Xingzi. Pulling open the brocade purse tied to his waist, revealing the melon seeds within, Rancui invited Wu Xingzi to share them.


    Did he want to have a casual chit chat? Wu Xingzi looked a little distressed. He grabbed a handful of the seeds, and after eating a few, he finally could not bear Rancui¡¯s curious gaze any longer. Furthermore, they could now be considered friends, and it was fine for them to share confidence.


    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to say this, but although I¡¯m not talented, I¡¯ve still worked in the magistrate¡¯s office for over twenty years.¡± Wu Xingzi did not know where to start. Unconsciously, he straightened his back, and ate a few more melon seeds.


    ¡°Qingcheng County is a small ce, but just like every ce that has humans living there, how can there not be any conflicts or various mean acts?¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, and finished up all the melon seeds in his hand, not knowing how he should share his thoughts. He had always buried his matters deep within his heart, and had never shared them with anyone before. For him to suddenly share such confidences, he really did not know where to start.


    Rancui was not in a hurry either. Seeing that Wu Xingzi had finished his melon seeds, he passed him another handful. He then turned his head, raising his delicate chin at Hei¡¯er, ¡°Prepare some tea.¡±


    Hei¡¯er nced at him apathetically, then instructed Mint and Osmanthus to brew some tea and prepare some snacks.


    Clicking his tongue, Rancui spoke, ¡°It seems like you wouldn¡¯t have any issues bing a manager.¡± He then flicked the shells of the melon seeds at Hei¡¯er.


    Frowning, Hei¡¯er caught the shells and ced them one by one on the railing.


    Rancui pursed his lips and ignored him, turning back and silently eating the melon seeds with Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°In the southern part of Qingcheng County, there¡¯s a family with the surname Mao. The eldest son in the family, Master Mao, is a merchant, and he can be considered the richest person in the county. Both rich and good-looking, he¡¯s polite and modest, as well as a filial child, and a good brother. He takes care of everything very well, and whoever speaks about him will always praise him,¡± Wu Xingzi suddenly spoke. His voice was gentle and pleasant-sounding.


    ¡°Master Mao and his wife could be considered a pair made in heaven. Both of them grew up next to each other, and Madam Mao had married him before she was even of age. At that time, the Mao family had yet to make their fortune. Their family wealth was truly built upon their own efforts. As for me, I¡¯ve met Madam Mao before. We are close in age, about 4 to 5 years apart, and I used to call her jiejie as a child. Master Mao was very good to his wife. He invited a teacher to teach her how to read, and so my father would go to their house every few days, bringing me along.¡± Wu Xingzi seemed to have fallen back in time. The distress on his face had faded away, and recing it was a joy of reminiscence.


    By then, the two girls had brought over the tea and snacks. Rancui deftly poured out a cup for Wu Xingzi, and he also stopped eating melon seeds, so as not to disturb Wu Xingzi from his recollections.


    There definitely was no happy ending to the story, or else the magistrate¡¯s office would not have been involved.


    Sure enough, Wu Xingzi continued, ¡°Later on, Madam Mao took over the ounts for Master Mao, and the person Master Mao trusted the most was also Madam Mao.¡±


    ¡°Whether it was housework, or the finances of the shop, Madam Mao managed all of them herself. Unfortunately¡­ Madam Mao never bore a child. She tried many prescriptions, and sought out many famous doctors, but it was all fruitless.¡± As people said, there were three ways to be unfilial, and to have no offspring was the worst of all. Wu Xingzi did not say much any longer, but the others could roughly guess what had happened.


    Master Mao most definitely had taken in a concubine, and he might have even taken in more than one. Madam Mao must have been pained, but as a woman, what could she say? She could only me her womb for failing to live up to expectations.


    The concubinester naturally gave birth to children, and that only caused Madam Mao¡¯s position to be more awkward.


    ¡°Madam Mao never resented Master Mao for it, and Master Mao also still respected her greatly. After all, they had been a couple since they were young, and their rtionship was different from that of others. However¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, hesitating for a bit. In the end, he did not continue his sentence, and only said lightly, ¡°After that, Master and Madam Mao separated, parting peacefully. A separation request has to be stamped and confirmed by the magistrate¡¯s office before it would be considered official. We also need to ensure that the request has been personally signed by both the husband and the wife, and no coercion was involved. If we find that both parties have agreed to it, then the separation will be approved.¡±


    As the advisor working in the magistrate¡¯s office, Wu Xingzi was naturally the one who handled this himself. There was sorrow upon his face. Even though this was a matter that transpired many years ago, he still felt mncholic over it.


    ¡°Master Rancui, in this world, the one thing that should never grow old would be affection. Once the affection ages, it can onlye to a sorrowful end. Now, towards me, Haiwang feels more anger than nostalgia. He already has Mr. Lu, and he¡¯s only feeling unreconciled to not being able to have someone he wants. This would definitely notst long.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled at Rancui, his gentle voice drifting out into the night. It clearly was like warm water, but it left others choking, speechless.


    Rancui had great confidence in his ability to read people. However, when faced with Wu Xingzi, his skill became somewhat ineffective. He seemed to havepletely made a wrong judgement. This seemingly shy, ordinary and carefree middle-aged man who seeked no fame nor fortune, although he was the sort to have enduring andsting feelings, he always kept himself in a very proper manner, so proper to the point where he even seemed a little callous.


    As an advisor, Wu Xingzi had seen too much of life, whether good or bad, and he understood too well the ruthlessness of the world. If he did not present such naivety, or rather, it was because he had seen too much and yet he still could preserve his own sense of self, this naivety was really too unadulterated, and it instead even became sharper than a de.


    When he said he was leaving, he really meant it. The worries Rancui had earlierpletely did not exist.


    He would not turn back, as he was well aware that he no longer could control his love for Guan Shanjin. He had truly fallen for Guan Shanjin, and so he would never turn back. He would not give himself even a moment to miss him, swiftly and deftly cleaving the connection between the two of them decisively.


    If Wu Xingzi did not truly fall for Guan Shanjin, he might have returned to him now, or he might not even have left in the first ce. That was the Lanling Prince of pengornises! If he passed on this one, would he still be able to find another one like it? However, he had to fall in love¡­


    ¡°When I was young, I never had this realisation, and was once bound by a perfume sachet. A past affection, may only be worth a few coins, but those coins were enough tost me quite some time.¡± Wu Xingzi started eating the melon seeds again. The sounds he made when eating the seeds were not loud, and his habit was to suck on the seeds, softening them before peeling them. The shells slowly piled up in a neat arrangement. ¡°Ai, I¡¯m just worried about how I¡¯m going to clean up my ancestors¡¯ graves. I can¡¯t be waiting for half a month like this. I¡¯m afraid that my parents would end uping into my dreams to scold me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rancui fanned himself with his fan, narrowing his eyes at Hei¡¯er, who was standing there silently with his head bowed. ¡°I have an idea, but I don¡¯t know if Commander Hei will be able to help me out.¡±


    ¡°Please tell, Manager.¡±


    ¡°Go tell Man Yue, that having someone following behind us might not be beneficial to Mr. Wu. As for what would happenter, Man Yue knows what to do.¡± Rancui smiled winsomely,zily fanning at the fireflies that were gradually appearing. He assured Wu Xingzi, consoling him, ¡°Mr. Wu, don¡¯t worry. ording to my estimations, there¡¯ll at most be four or five days before you¡¯ll be able to go home, or even two to three days if things move fast.¡±


    As such, spending only four hours in Xingyi and without even a good night¡¯s rest, Hei¡¯er had to make his weary way back to Qingcheng County again.


    Before he left, Rancui and him had a discussion. Rancui would make his way to Qingcheng County with Wu Xingzi and the two maids tomorrow, so as not to waste travelling time for Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°After all, I still hope to be able to bring Mr. Wu back to the capital around mid-June.¡± Rancui covered his smile, his charming brows disying a sense of him being up to no good.


    Hei¡¯er looked at him silently. Even without asking, he knew that Rancui definitely had nothing good nned.


    ¡°Is there something happening in mid-June?¡± Wu Xingzi was very curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s something interesting, you¡¯ll definitely like it.¡± Rancui tapped on his lip, putting on an enigmatic front. He turned and hurried Hei¡¯er, ¡°Why are you still standing here? Quickly, scram! I don¡¯t want to bump into Guan Shanjin in the outskirts of Qingcheng County.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯tmand me, you¡¯re not my master.¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s anger had been stoked by Rancui. Despite standing in front of Wu Xingzi, he still threatened Rancui darkly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll ever want a bastard like you! Why? Do I still have to perform rites to make a request for you to do things? Hush! It¡¯s enough that I throw you a bone for you to chew on.¡± Rancui even pulled out a counting rod1 from somewhere and tossed it at Hei¡¯er.


    Hei¡¯er reached out and caught the counting rod. Other than ring at Rancui, there was actually nothing Hei¡¯er could do about him, and he gloomily turned and left.


    When Hei¡¯er left, Rancui found an excuse to send Mint and Osmanthus away. When he turned to look at Wu Xingzi, his always present smile faded away. ¡°Mr. Wu, I need to ask a question now. Please don¡¯t take offence.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ai, Master Rancui, please don¡¯t be so formal, just ask, go ahead and ask!¡± Wu Xingzi jolted up, straightening his back. His hands clenched uneasily on his knees, and he seemed to be frightened by Rancui¡¯s unusual expression.


    ¡°If the General also holds true and deep affection for you, would you be willing to continue your rtionship with him?¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth fell open, but he was unable to make a sound. He stared at Rancui, dumbfounded, as he never expected that he would ask this question.


    A momentter, Wu Xingzi closed his mouth, licking his dry lips. Smiling wryly, he said, ¡°Master Rancui, an aged affection is over.¡±


    ¡°Things are unpredictable, and there¡¯s always the possibility of an old me rekindling.¡± Rancui picked up his teacup, sipping at his tea. Sincerely, he spoke, ¡°Mr. Wu, you probably are aware that I dislike the General. No matter how I look at him, I feel that he¡¯s unworthy of you. This man is too harsh, too cold, and I won¡¯t be going overboard to say that he¡¯s heartless and disloyal. However, you¡¯re different. I dare not make ims to any other matters, but I¡¯m still decent at reading people. Have you never thought of finding someone to spend the rest of your life with? Not everyone is like that perfume sachet, only worth a few coins. At the very least, Guan Shanjin is worth a few thousand taels.¡±


    ¡°No matter Guan Shanjin¡¯s value, he still belongs to someone else.¡± Wu Xingzi bowed his head and chuckled. His expression could not be made out in the night, but Rancui felt as though he was weeping silently.


    ¡°Then, what if he doesn¡¯t belong to anyone? Would you¡­ want him?¡± Rancui did not let him off, but continued pressing him.


    A shudder ran through Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin body. Even his breathing had turned faint, and he did not respond for a long time.


    Rancui sighed deeply in his heart. Was there anything more that he did not understand?

 Chapter 67 - You Can’t Stop Taking This Medicine

    Chapter 67 ¡ª You Can¡¯t Stop Taking This Medicine


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Man Yue rubbed his aching eyes, carefully reading the information he had received from the capital in the dim light.


    It had been over ten days since he had a good night¡¯s rest. He had always put on weight like a balloon whenever he was busy. This time round, he first gained over five kilograms of weight, and then he started losing weight. Now, even after inserting a fist into the waistband of his trousers, it was still very loose.


    If he thought about this positively, it would not be a bad thing if he could lose weight until he turned into a crescent moon. If he thought about this negatively, the baseline of his health had been affected, and he was afraid that he would need to spend some time to recover.


    Thinking about it, this was all Guan Shanjin¡¯s fault.


    That fellow could not lose his sanity earlier, or just lose itter, yet he had to copse at this very critical moment. He was injured more extensively than what had been expected. After recuperating for the past many days, he finally managed to recover a fair bit.


    However, this injured person did not want to keep still. The moment he woke up, he hurried away to chase after another. Afraid that he would not be able to catch up, he even refused to take a carriage, choosing to ride a horse instead. Moving rapidly, he had already searched through Qingcheng County, Goose City as well as their surroundings. He then vomited blood again, copsing onto the ground. With no choice but to acquiesce, he stayed on in Qingcheng County.


    When Guan Shanjin vomited blood for the second time, Man Yue was terribly frightened, afraid that this person would die just like this.


    Guan Shanjin and Man Yue had been childhood friends, and they were pretty much each other¡¯s shadows. Although he had only arrived at the northwest battleground a few yearster because of his age, he took up the position of Guan Shanjin¡¯s adjutant willingly, assisting him as the military leader of the Guan¡¯s army. Man Yue could pound his chest with full confidence and proim that there was no one else who understood the General more than him.


    However, Man Yue had never expected that he had assessed the situation wrongly. He hadid a savage trap for Guan Shanjin, and he caused himself to be a victim of the whole n as well.


    Wu Xingzi was able to flee without leaving any signs or information, and even Guan Shanjin was unable to find a single clue or trace of him despite personally leading his men in the search. How could Guan Shanjin not have guessed that Man Yue had a hand in this matter? Still, during the past dozen or so days, Guan Shanjin had never asked Man Yue a single question. There had been no change in his attitude towards him, and he still liked to caress Man Yue¡¯s tender, fleshy chin. Today, he evenined, ¡°Man Yue, did you lose weight? I don¡¯t want to see a crescent moon instead of our full moon.¡±


    Man Yue spat at him.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s attitude caused Man Yue to feel a swirl of mixed emotion. It was a rare asion for him to not have a clue about what his leader was thinking, and so he could only conscientiously help him share his worries, ande up with ns.


    This time, Guan Shanjin was severely injured. His blood cirction was badly damaged, and together with his exhaustion from not being able to recuperate properly, his entire being was sickly pale. As his ethereal and divine appearance was touched with the fragility from his illness, he seemed even more exquisite and enchanting. A casual nce from him could leave heat zing within the other person, and make them feel at a loss for what to do.


    Fortunately, Guan Shanjin had a very strong baseline of health, or they would have long prepared a coffin for him.


    Man Yue could not help but sigh again. He looked at the sky. Tidying up the letters in his hand and tucking them into his clothes, he nned on going to the kitchen to help brew Guan Shanjin¡¯s medicine.


    At this moment, a few light knockings came from his window. His forehead creased as he hurriedly opened it. Hei¡¯er, who had just left three days ago, now appeared in front of him again.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± He quickly let the man in. Guan Shanjin¡¯s room was only two windows away. Man Yue did not want him to catch Hei¡¯er at this time, and then catch Wu Xingzi through tracking him.


    Hei¡¯er was clearly travel-stained, a shake of his head scattering dust and sand everywhere. His lips had turned white from fatigue. Walking over to the table, he grabbed the teapot and started gulping the tea down right from the spout. Only then did he take a breath, copsing onto the seat next to the table and dusting off theyer of dust on him.


    ¡°Rancui says, someone is following us.¡± Hei¡¯er did not even have the energy to weigh his words, and his tone was t.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Man Yue sat down next to him. Carefully studying Hei¡¯er, he then revealed a mocking smile. ¡°Who¡¯s following you?¡±


    ¡°It might be someone with evil intentions towards Mr. Wu.¡± Hei¡¯er shook his head like a dog. The dust flying up made Man Yue wrinkle his nose, and he retreated to the side a little.


    ¡°And then?¡± Man Yue looked at him directly. Of course he understood what Rancui meant, but as he was now frustrated and stifled, he could not help but want to vent on others.


    Hei¡¯er turned to look at him, annoyance on his face. However, he was used to following Man Yue¡¯s orders, and still quietly replied, ¡°He said that you¡¯ll know what to do once you hear it.¡±


    Hei¡¯er then mumbled to himself a little, and then added, ¡°Mr. Wu wants toe back and clean up his ancestors¡¯ graves.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Man Yue snorted, waving Hei¡¯er away. ¡°Alright, you should go now. Don¡¯t expose yourself. If the General catches you now, he¡¯ll definitely y the skin off your back.¡±


    When the General was mentioned, Hei¡¯er looked even more stern. ¡°How has the General been recuperating? To take a journey like this suddenly, will he¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯te to that.¡± Man Yue shook his head. Although Guan Shanjin¡¯s internal injuries were very serious, it was mostly caused by himself, and he would be fine after taking his medicine and resting well.


    ¡°Should I inform Mr. Wu of this matter to see what he thinks about it?¡± Hei¡¯er dared not visit Guan Shanjin. He still had a mission, and he could not allow anything to go wrong now. However, just by hearing about the situation from Man Yue, how could he not be full of self-reproach?


    Even if this was only to aid the rtionship between Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi, the price paid was a little too great.


    Furthermore, once they returned to the capital, it would be another battle among officials. It was highly likely that Guan Shanjin would not have the chance to recuperate properly.


    He wondered, if Wu Xingzi found out that Guan Shanjin had lost control of his sanity for him, vomited three litres of blood, and searched for him at the expense of his health, would his heart soften, and would he be willing to return? It would at least prevent Rancui, that little fox, from creating even moreplications.


    He did not expect that Man Yue would shake his head.


    ¡°It has to be said, but this is not the right time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s brows knitted deeply. If not for knowing that Man Yue was extremely loyal to Guan Shanjin, he would have suspected that he was trying to manipte the situation to Guan Shanjin¡¯s disadvantage.


    ¡°Let me ask you, how does Mr. Wu feel about the General currently?¡± Man Yue rubbed his face tiredly.


    Hei¡¯er ruminated for a moment, recalling what Wu Xingzi had said about Master and Madam Mao. ¡°His feelings for him should be quite deep.¡± He was not as perceptive as Rancui, but he was still able to understand what Wu Xingzi felt.


    ¡°And why would you say that?¡± His answer baited Man Yue¡¯s curiosity. He had not expected that Hei¡¯er would be able to tell.


    As such, Hei¡¯er told Man Yue about Madam Mao¡¯s story. After that, Man Yue¡¯s round cheeks seemed to wilt a little, and his shoulders hunched over as well.


    ¡°Ai, things are going to be difficult¡­¡±


    ¡°Difficult?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Wu has already developed very deep feelings for the General.¡± Man Yue wanted to pour some tea for himself. Realising that the pot waspletely empty when he lifted it up, he could not help but sigh forcefully. ¡°That¡¯s why things are going to be difficult! Mr. Wu had long discovered his own feelings, so why do you think he told you about that matter? His personality is much more stubborn than I had thought.¡±


    ¡°He thinks that the General likes Mr. Lu, and so he¡¯s unwilling to stay. However, if we let Mr. Wu understand that he¡¯s the most important person in the General¡¯s heart, do you think he might be willing toe back?¡± Hei¡¯erpletely could not understand why Man Yue and Rancui were twisting and turning around the entire situation. In his mind, such feelings, rather than specting over it, would it not be better to justy everything out in the open? One¡¯s heart was never easy to guess, and a careless mistake may cost them everything. This was not a war, why endure such suffering?


    ¡°If this was before the interruption at the wedding,ying things out in the open might have worked. Hei¡¯er, let me put it this way. It¡¯s true that once Mr. Wu finds out that the General vomited blood, and is severely injured, he would definitelye back immediately. However, what would he be thinking? Would he think that the General has fallen in love with him, or would he think that the General does not cherish a heart that has been given to him? Don¡¯t forget, throughout the entire time, Mr. Wu has always believed that the person in the General¡¯s heart is Lu Zezhi.¡±


    Man Yue knocked on the table forcefully, his smooth, plump face very dark. ¡°He¡¯s only just torn down the Yue family for Lu Zezhi, snatching him away from the wedding hall. The Great Southern Garrison General, who had fallen for his childhood teacher, throwing a fit over a pretty face, this matter has already spread out from Bastion City, and even the capital has heard of it. At this time, if you were to tell Mr. Wu that because he left without saying goodbye, the General¡¯s inner energy was affected and he lost control of both his inner force and his sanity, ai¡­ Let¡¯s not talk about Mr. Wu, but you. Would you believe it?¡±


    Faced with this question, Hei¡¯er opened his mouth, but he was unable to provide an answer.


    He naturally would not believe it. How could he believe it? In this world, people whoy affections everywhere could be often found, and these people were often the most heartless as well, just like that Master Mao¡­ Although Hei¡¯er could understand the logic, he still could not feel at ease.


    His brows creased tightly as he asked, ¡°Then what should we do about Manager Rancui? He keeps goading Mr. Wu, and he wants to return to the capital before mid-June.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him,¡± Man Yue gave a wave of his hand. ¡°Wu Xingzi is a person who holds onto his affections for a very long time. The one in his heart now is our General, and any other pengornises are just clouds floating by. Rancui understands this as well.¡± Unlike Man Yue, Hei¡¯er was not reassured at all. He thought that he should still watch them closely, and prevent any sudden situation from cropping up. With that thought in his head, he did not n on staying any longer. Nimbly, he opened the window and exited, melding into the night in the blink of an eye.


    Man Yue stared at the darkness outside the window, sighing faintly.


    He had yet to brew the medicine.


    However, just as Man Yue opened his door, he was shocked by the person standing outside.


    ¡°General?¡± He pressed his hand to his chest, putting on a very exaggerated expression of startlement, and his chubby face even turned pale.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin acknowledged him, a hint of something that looked like a smile curling around his lips. With no change of his expression, he surveyed Man Yue¡¯s room.


    He was not alone. In his arms was Mr. Lu, and Guan Shanjin waszily ying with his slender, marble-like fingers.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you resting in your room?¡± Man Yue noticed the reddening of Mr. Lu¡¯s lips, and the few red marks on his fingertips. He could not help but exim that Guan Shanjin was truly going all in with his acting. Even he was about to believe that the favour Lu Zezhi was enjoying was real.


    ¡°I¡¯m apanyingoshi for a stroll.¡± A faint smile appeared on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face. He looked to be very spry, just that hisplexion was still terrifyingly pale.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Man Yue nodded with an understanding look. He was deliberately bringing Mr. Lu all over the ce, wanting to catch the attention of everyone. Guan Shanjin was feeling unhappy, and so his actions were even less restrained. Man Yue was starting to feel sorry for Lu Zezhi.


    However, in Lu Zezhi¡¯s ears, their conversation held apletely different meaning. The man¡¯s elegant and refined face tinted red; shyly and with a trace of reservedness, he lowered his head. Pulling his hand out from Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm, he hid it in his sleeve.


    Lu Zezhi knew that Qingcheng County was Wu Xingzi¡¯s hometown. For the past few days, he had been quite vexed. Since the old fellow had already left, just let him leave! Why did Guan Shanjin have to search for him so deliberately? However, without the support of the Yue family, and with the rtionship between Guan Shanjin and him spreading everywhere, other than staying closely next to Guan Shanjin, he had no other path to take.


    Probably because he saw his unease, Guan Shanjin doted on him even more, never mentioning Wu Xingzi even a single time. Thinking about it, the reason they were in Qingcheng County was only because Guan Shanjin could not take this lying down. After all, how could that ugly old thing have the cheek to just run away without saying a word? It was a fierce p to Guan Shanjin¡¯s face!


    ¡°General, why don¡¯t you return to your room to rest? I¡¯ll brew your medicine for you and bring it over.¡± Man Yue headed down the stairs.


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry about the medicine, there¡¯s something I need to say to you.¡± Guan Shanjin stopped Man Yue. He looked down, coaxing Lu Zezhi, ¡°Laoshi, return to your room and wash up first, alright? I¡¯ve specially requested the chef from Restaurant of Songs in Goose City toe, we¡¯ll have dinner togetherter, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Zezhi nodded obediently, soothing the unease that was vaguely welling up within him and returned to his room as Guan Shanjin watched.


    ¡°If you have something to say, it can be saidter. You can¡¯t stop taking your medicine.¡± Since the eyesore was no longer around, Man Yue put away his formality and red at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°The medicine can be takenter, let¡¯s go into the room first.¡± Guan Shanjin dragged the person into the room. After closing the door quietly, he turned to look at Man Yue.


    ¡°Just now, who was the person in your room?¡±


    ¡°You know that I won¡¯t answer that question.¡± Man Yue raised a brow.


    Guan Shanjin smiled. His steps were a little weak, and after sitting down by the table, he inhaled deeply, his voice a little hoarse. ¡°Get me a cup of tea.¡±


    The teapot in Man Yue¡¯s room had long been emptied by Hei¡¯er. Frowning, he opened his door and whistled. A bodyguard came over, and Man Yue quietly instructed him to brew the medicine as well as bring over a pot of tea.


    When he turned back again, what he saw was Guan Shanjin¡¯s side profile, staring out of the window. His marble-like skin glowed softly under the candlelight, the lines of his features soft and exquisite, as though they had been carefully carved. However, no matter how good his appearance was, it could not cover the defeat between his brows. That Lu Zezhi was truly too negligent. Something was so obviously wrong with Guan Shanjin, yet he could shut his eyes to it. Compared to six years ago, he could only be described as being blind.


    ¡°What did Hei¡¯er say?¡± Guan Shanjin did not waste any more effort on beating around the bush. He was severely injured, but it was his cirction that was affected, and not his brain. Only two windows away, how could he not know about what was happening in Man Yue¡¯s room? Furthermore, Hei¡¯er¡¯s skills were way below his. Three days ago when Hei¡¯er had appeared for the first time, Guan Shanjin had already noticed him.


    He had kept silent, not mentioning it, only because he wanted Man Yue to personally admit it openly to him.


    ¡°Do you want to listen to the truth, or would you prefer a lie?¡± Man Yue naturally understood what he meant.


    Guan Shanjinughed upon hearing that. Shaking his head, he said, ¡°How about telling me both, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Sure. The truth is, Hei¡¯er passed the message that someone¡¯s watching Mr. Wu.¡± Man Yue was not afraid that Guan Shanjin would cause him any difficulties. After all, it was not easy to gain Guan Shanjin¡¯s trust, but once a person had it, it would not be easily lost as well, especially in a friendship that had gone through life and death together.


    ¡°ording to who?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulders tensed, his voice bing even more hoarse.


    ¡°Rancui.¡± Man Yue pressed his lips together.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± This answer made Guan Shanjin rx. Coughing lightly, he then asked, ¡°What about the lie?¡±


    ¡°No one came looking for me.¡± Man Yue shrugged, giving Guan Shanjin a good-natured smile. ¡°How would Hei¡¯er dare to appear? He¡¯s taken Mr. Wu away, he¡¯s definitely afraid that you¡¯ll y his skin off as you keep him alive.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Guan Shanjin chuckled lightly, reaching out and pinching Man Yue¡¯s chin. ¡°How much does Hei¡¯er know?¡±


    Man Yue sighed. ¡°The things that he should know, he knows them all.¡±


    Guan Shanjin nodded, no longer saying anything else. Not too longter, a knock resounded. The bodyguard was back with a teapot, quietly telling Man Yue that the medicine was being brewed.


    ¡°Understood. Bring it up once it¡¯s done.¡± He poured Guan Shanjin a cup of tea, and also poured one for himself. When Guan Shanjin lifted his cup, his hand shook a little. A few drops of tea sttered out, and despite feeling anxious, Man Yue did not say a word.


    The silence did notst for too long. After wetting his throat, Guan Shanjin spoke, ¡°What are your ns?¡±


    Man Yue jerked. His tea still in his mouth, he looked at Guan Shanjin, only swallowing it down slowly after a few moments.


    ¡°Would you be willing to hear me if I were to say it?¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Man Yue muttered thoughtfully to himself, then gave a great sigh. ¡°We have to leave Qingcheng County for the capital immediately.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°General, the longer we stay in Qingcheng County, the more danger we¡¯ll pose to Mr. Wu. We¡¯ve finally managed to push Lu Zezhi to the front already, and didn¡¯t we do this just to ensure Mr. Wu¡¯s safety? Yan Wenxin is not a fool. Staying for three to five days, we can say that we¡¯re looking into his background, but we¡¯ve already stayed here for over a week. It¡¯s hard to say if he will find out about Mr. Wu.¡± Man Yue looked very stern, but his words were reasonable, jabbing right into Guan Shanjin¡¯s Achilles heel.


    His hand, ying with the teacup, paused. With a frown, Guan Shanjin maintained his silence for a bit, then finally spoke gloomily, ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s me who became obsessed¡­¡± Now that things were at this stage, he could not let their previous efforts go to waste.


    ¡°Then, shall we leave tomorrow?¡± Man Yue probed.


    ¡°Mn. Give themand.¡± Guan Shanjin carefully ced the teacup back onto the table. Hisplexion seemed to pale even further, and the greenish veins under his skin were starkly noticeable, spreading like fissures.


    ¡°Your subordinate obeys.¡± Man Yue cupped his hands together. Just as he was about to open the door and call for the guards, a question that sounded like a faint sigh suddenly came from behind him.


    ¡°Why, Man Yue?¡±


    Why?


    That round, plump face stiffened, but very quickly, it returned to normal. As though he did not hear the question, he opened the door, summoning the guards and giving them theirmands.

 Chapter 68 - Is This In The Hands of Fate or Mine?

    Chapter 68 ¡ª Is This In The Hands of Fate or Mine?


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Almost right on the dot, the moment Guan Shanjin and hispanions left the boundary of Qingcheng County, Wu Xingzi and the others, who hade across Hei¡¯er a few hours ago, entered the boundary.


    Finally returning to his hometown, Wu Xingzi was a lot more rxed. Although the world outside was broad and vast, it could neverpare to the bottom of the little well he was used to.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s little house was unable to amodate so many of them, and there were also the two girls, Mint and Osmanthus. As such, Rancui made the decision to book two rooms in the only avable inn in Qingcheng County. With impable consideration, he brought them all away, so that Wu Xingzi would be able to rest quietly in his house.


    The little house was very clean. Forget about the table, chairs and the bed, not a speck of dirt could be seen even on the ground. The table and chairs had been wiped to the point where they shone, and it seemed like someone had specially tidied everything up.


    There was no need to think too hard about who the culprit was. Wu Xingzi stood at his door, hesitating for a moment before he carefully stepped into his house.


    He pushed the window open. The slight breeze, carrying with it the scent of earth and grass, swirled into the room, causing a note left on the table to flutter lightly.


    Wu Xingzi nced at the note a few times, feeling rather gloomy.


    He naturally could guess who had left the note behind, but he did not have the courage to read it.


    Instead, he pottered around his house, both inside and out. Taking out his nket from the trunk, he shook it out andy it down on the bed. From it came a scent of warmth, with no trace of dampness or mildew from being stored for too long. It had been sunned outdoors, before being meticulously packed away, so that when he came back to stay, there was no need for him to waste any time sunning the nket.


    Guan Shanjin had always been a very thoughtful person. During the period of time they were together, even during the moments when Wu Xingzi had been ignored, he had never let Wu Xingzi suffer even the tiniest bit. Hugging the thin nket, Wu Xingzi sat on the bed in a trance, the only thing in his head being Guan Shanjin¡¯s smiling face.


    A long whileter, he sighed, putting the nket down. Clutching his little money pouch, he got ready to go out and purchase some offerings for his ancestors. It was still early, and the timing was perfect for tomb-sweeping.


    Qingcheng County¡¯s marketce was one short street. The inn, the magistrate¡¯s office and various other buildings were all located on this same street. It was just past noon, and many of the stalls selling vegetables and meat had already packed up. However, stalls selling snacks were still avable, and from a distance, Wu Xingzi could see Ansheng¡¯s beancurd stall. The handsome young fellow still had a bright, sunny smile on his face as he talked to a man sitting at his stall. After looking closely, it turned out that the man was Constable Zhang.


    The rtionship between the two people was still very good, and their actions were reserved yet filled with warmth and gentleness.


    Wu Xingzi had no ns on disturbing them, but the street was only so big, and the moment Ansheng lifted his head, he immediately saw him. A delighted smile immediately appeared on Ansheng¡¯s face, and he called out with great friendliness, ¡°Xingzi-ge! We haven¡¯t seen each other in a very long time!¡±


    The tips of Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears turned red. He was a little uneasy, but he still made his way forward. ¡°Hello Ansheng, Constable Zhang.¡±


    ¡°Adviser Wu¡­¡± Only after Constable Zhang greeted Wu Xingzi, did the constable then remember that Wu Xingzi was no longer the magistrate¡¯s adviser anymore. Momentarily, he did not know how to react, and so he buried his head down and silently ate his beancurd jelly.


    The greeting of Adviser Wu also made Wu Xingzi shrunk slightly. Also, who was the current adviser in the magistrate¡¯s office?


    ¡°Xingzi-ge, have you eaten?¡± Ansheng stood up to get a bowl of beancurd jelly. The moment he lifted the lid, the fragrance of the bean curd filled the air, apanied with the aroma of stir fried pork and onions, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach immediately started gurgling. With a red face, he forcefully pressed down on his belly, swallowing down his refusal that was on the tip of his tongue.


    By the way, it had been ages since he ate Ansheng¡¯s beancurd jelly!


    Smiling, Ansheng nced at him and deftly prepared a huge bowl. He was well aware of how much Wu Xingzi could eat, and so he used his biggest bowl, pouring the stir fry mix of pork, mushroom and shrimps over it.


    Covering the snow-white beancurd was a thick, brown sauce, tinged with red and ck. Crisp, fried pieces of onions floated on top, smelling extremely appetizing. Finally, it was ted with a dash of coriander, green, fresh and lovely, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach grumbled even louder in delight.


    ¡°Hurry up and have some, try it and see if my skills have improved even more.¡± Ansheng pushed Wu Xingzi to a seat, cing the huge bowl in front of him. He also sat down across the older man, watching him with bright eyes.


    Wu Xingzi was familiar with Ansheng. At the start, he was still a little distant due to not having seen him in a very long time, but he quickly settled in. He did not mind Ansheng¡¯s attention, and started working on the beancurd jelly he had not had in a long while.


    It had to be said that Ansheng¡¯s skills were very good. Having not had the bean curd in months, it seemed to have be even tastier, making one wish that they could swallow their tongue down together with the food.


    Constable Zhang had already emptied his bowl. After washing it, he went back to Ansheng, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Leaning into his ear, the constable quietly informed him of some matters. Ansheng listened carefully, then gave a small, joyfulugh, nodding as he agreed to something.


    Although Wu Xingzi was eating heartily, he could not help but sneak looks at the couple. He recalled how it was all thanks to Ansheng and Constable Zhang that he could share a fate with the Peng Society. Seeing that their feelings did not change, he felt extremely gratified.


    ¡°Alright, you should quickly head back! I¡¯m reminiscing with Xingzi-ge over here.¡± Ansheng pushed Constable Zhang¡¯s shoulder, his lips brushing past that firm chin, and his bright eyes curved up like crescents with his smile.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Constable Zhang nodded. Although Qingcheng County had always been peaceful, and criminals were rare, the usual patrols still had to be done. Constable Zhang could sneak a break, but he could not ck off. He nced over at Wu Xingzi, his lips moving as he awkwardly asked him to eat more before leaving.


    When it came to food, Wu Xingzi would never stand on courtesy. A huge bowl of beancurd jelly was emptied in no time at all. As Wu Xingzi wiped his mouth, exhaling in satisfaction, his other hand was still rubbing his belly, and he clearly had not eaten his fill.


    Ansheng understood him very well. Worried that it would be cloying to just have the beancurd jelly, he stood up and went over to the neighbouring stalls, getting a big bowl of noodle soup, four chives pie and two scallion pancakes. All these were items that Wu Xingzi frequently ate in the past. After all, Qingcheng County was a small ce, with few people living there. The selection of food avable was only these few, and there was nothing else fancier. However, they were very hearty and filling, the price cheap and good.


    Upon knowing that Wu Xingzi was back this time for Qingming and tomb-sweeping, Ansheng was a little surprised, but he immediately asked the uncle next door to help buy some candles, joss sticks and other offerings.


    ¡°Right, did youe back alone?¡± Ansheng looked up and down the street. Confirming that there were no unfamiliar faces, he could not help but be curious.


    ¡°No, I came with some friends.¡± Wu Xingzi had already cleared the noodles, and he was drinking the soup. Only now did he remember Rancui and the others, and he started to be restless.


    Rancui would not let himself suffer, but Mint, Osmanthus and Hei¡¯er would not abandon him and just fill their stomachs alone. At this time, all of them should be hungry, and Wu Xingzi could not bear to let the two girls endure too much hunger.


    ¡°Xingzi-ge¡­¡± Ansheng lowered his voice. ¡°How are things between you and that god-like man?¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand shook, nearly dropping his bowl.


    ¡°Ai, w-we¡¯re fine¡­¡± He suddenly recalled that Guan Shanjin had been in Qingcheng County just days ago, and Qingcheng County only had that one inn, so where did theirrge group of people stay? Most definitely, Ansheng had seen something.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ansheng nodded. He did not point out the distress and panic on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face, deftly changing the topic. ¡°How long would you be staying this time? Tomorrow, would you like toe by my ce for food and drinks?¡±


    ¡°Ai, I¡¯m leaving after the tomb-sweeping¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was a little hesitant.


    At first, they wanted to go to the capital to hide from Guan Shanjin¡¯s pursuit, but they instead drew Guan Shanjin to Qingcheng County for Qingming, and Wu Xingzi could not choose not to return. Although Rancui did not say anything, Wu Xingzi was very aware that Guan Shanjin¡¯s departure meant that he would not appear again for the time being, and this period of time could even be for the rest of his life. Like this, he did not seem to need to go to the capital anymore! Going there would in fact be more dangerous, and it was hard to say if he might end up bumping into Guan Shanjin identally.


    Furthermore, he had finally returned to his hometown, and he naturally desired even more to remain here quietly and spend the rest of his days. Although he no longer had a job at the magistrate¡¯s office, perhaps, like his father, he could be a teacher, do some farming, and earn back his bucket stash and continue increasing his treasure hoard of pengornises.


    ¡°Xingzi-ge, what are you thinking about? You¡¯re smiling so happily.¡± Ansheng watched Wu Xingzi move from embarrassment to uneasiness, and then gradually rxing and smiling joyfully. He was truly curious about what was in his head.


    ¡°A treasure hoard of pengornises¡­ Uhh¡­¡± The moment his mouth opened, Wu Xingzi realised that things were going south. He had been too happy in his mind, and hisck of attention to his words had now be an embarrassment and shame. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just thinking about how to earn a living in the future.¡±


    ¡°Does Xingzi-ge not want to return to being the adviser?¡± Ansheng asked in curiosity.


    ¡°Return and be the adviser?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. He had already left for arge part of the year, did the magistrate¡¯s office still not have an adviser?¡±


    ¡°Ai, yes.¡± Ansheng nodded as he shot a look in the direction of the magistrate¡¯s office. ¡°Fu-ge said that at first, Auntie Li wanted to push her second son into the magistrate¡¯s office to be the adviser. After all, there are not many in our county who are literate. People who went to school have either left already, or they have better jobs. The position of the adviser cannot be left empty forever, right?¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s Li Desheng?¡± Wu Xingzi took a breath in surprise. He knew of Auntie Li¡¯s second son, a man ten years younger than him. He was even taught by Wu Xingzi¡¯s father before, and as a child, he was lovely and cute, as well as clever and smart. He picked up everything he learnt very quickly, but unfortunately, he did not like to study. After attending a month of sses, he kept skipping school to seek out bird eggs and y.


    It was true that Li Desheng was one of the few literate people in Qingcheng County. However, he could only read and not write, and it was likely that he was unable to hold the responsibility of the job.


    ¡°Things naturally didn¡¯t go her way. Everyone knows what Li Desheng is like. Just because he can read, he normally doesn¡¯t even tend to the crops properly, and after participating in the examinations for so many years, he still failed to get a spot. Auntie Li is probably the only one who thinks he¡¯s worth anything.¡± Ansheng was a very polite man, and it was rare that he would disparage someone like this. Wu Xingzi scratched his nose, chuckling obligingly as he did not know how he should respond.


    He did not even know that Li Desheng had wanted to be a schr. But this person could not write an essay, how was he even going to ce? Wu Xingzi could not help but sigh silently, and he started to sympathise with Auntie Li.


    ¡°Fu-ge says, an adviser is not a must in the magistrate¡¯s office. As such, after you, the county magistrate also did not look for a recement, and things could muddle along. However, most people said that if you return, it would be good to have youe back to the magistrate¡¯s office. After all, the magistrate is reced every six years, and no one understands Qingcheng County more than you.¡± As Ansheng said all this, he watched Wu Xingzi closely.


    His gaze made Wu Xingzi a little shy. Bowing his head, Wu Xingzi tore the scallion pancakes into pieces, eating it, and he was in no hurry to reply to Ansheng. However, unlike his outward appearance, he was already all flustered internally.


    He had thought that after having been brought away by Guan Shanjin for so long, his past familiar days were long out of his reach. However, unexpectedly, Qingcheng County seemed to have frozen in time, as though he had never left his house before. These familiar people, these familiar things, were all still waiting at the same ce for him, and he could return to his earlier days at any time.


    The taste in his mouth was familiar, the people in his sight were familiar, and the scent in the air was also familiar.


    Wu Xingzi almost wanted to open his mouth and tell Ansheng that he was staying, returning to his position as Adviser Wu, and continuing to take care of the little house that his parents had left him. He would grow chives, nutmeg and other nts in the little plots at the back of his house, and when it was farming season, he would go over to Auntie Liu¡¯s ce and help her family, as well as help his fellow vigers resolve their various issues¡­ But, it was just almost.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach was filled. He reminisced a little about the past with Ansheng, and the uncle from the stall next door returned with the joss sticks, candles and offerings for tomb-sweeping. He thanked them non-stop, receiving an affectionate smile in return and a wee for his thanks.


    In the end, Wu Xingzi did not agree.

 Chapter 69 - This Peng Society Gathering…

    Chapter 69 ¡ª This Peng Society Gathering¡­


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Ansheng might have noticed Wu Xingzi¡¯s conflict, but he did not insist that Wu Xingzi should give him an answer. Seeing that Wu Xingzi was nearly done eating, he looked at the sky, then hurried Wu Xingzi on for the tomb-sweeping. If not, it would be hard to make his way there and back when the sun set.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart was calm. After arranging toe tomorrow to have another bowl of beancurd jelly, he took the offerings with him and left.


    He had originally wanted to go to the inn to meet Rancui and the rest. However, he changed his mind. Stopping a neighbour he knew on the streets, he requested for him to pass the message, then headed alone towards the graves.


    Thest time, Guan Shanjin had apanied him on this path. This time round, he wanted to take it alone, just like how it had always been.


    When he reached his ancestors¡¯ tomb, Wu Xingzi froze. It had already been swept, and the mound was bare and empty. There were no weeds and grass covering it, and the tombstone was clean and shiny. The person who did it had definitely spent much more effort than if Wu Xingzi had done it himself.


    Wu Xingzi reflexively looked around him. Qingming had already been over for a few days, and no one would being to this valley. A breeze rustled through the trees nearby, the branches and leaves swaying slightly, and the calls of the birds over by the mountains could vaguely be heard.


    Wu Xingzi did not realise that he had once again sighed. Standing there in a daze for quite some time, he finally arranged the offerings in front of the grave. Lighting three joss sticks, he started praying to his ancestors.


    He remembered that during the New Year, he even prayed to his ancestors to bless him with pengornises every year. His ancestors must have been entirely furious with him then! It had only been so many months, but this tryst of a pengornis was now gone. In the past, he was nearly drowning in it, but now, he would most likely face a drought instead. One really could not be carried away with sess!


    ¡°Father, Mother, all my ancestors! I¡¯ll be making a trip to the capital, and all of you must bless me. Even if there¡¯s no longer the Prince of Lanling, Han Zigao1 is also fine. Such a fair, handsome man, gentle and considerate as well¡­ When one is alive, it would not work to only remain by one pengornis. Now that I finally have a chance to leave this well of mine, it will be good to widen my knowledge.¡± After muttering for a bit, Wu Xingzi mped his mouth shut, the blush on his face spreading to the tips of his ears.


    He must be a fool. To make such a request to his ancestors, his parents would most likely visit him tonight in his dreams to smack his buttocks.


    However, after some reconsideration, did most people not request their ancestors to bless their marriages, or something like that? For him to request for some pengornises, it could not be considered going too far, right? Wu Xingzi could not help but feel conflicted for a while. The joss sticks in his hands were almostpletely burnt before Wu Xingzi quickly bowed andpleted the rest of the ceremony.


    When he was burning the joss papers with his head bowed, steady footsteps slowly drew closer. Wu Xingzi was not scared at all. He guessed that it should be Hei¡¯er looking for him, yet when he looked over with a smile, his face froze.


    Appearing in front of his eyes was someone Wu Xingzi had never expected. His hands paused mid-air, and only when mes from the burning paper licked at him did he then return to his senses. Tossing the entire stack of joss paper into the fire without thinking, Wu Xingzi stood up, patting away the ashes on his clothes.


    ¡°Vice General Man?¡± The neer was Man Yue.


    Wu Xingzi had not shared many interactions with Man Yue, only having met him a few times, and they had rarely spoken to each other. To tell the truth, towards this Vice General who always had an honest smile and a round, plump body, Wu Xingzi always felt a little nervous. Man Yue clearly looked so very harmless, and his temper was so very good. Whoever met him would feel at ease, and they would unconsciously draw closer to him.


    However, Wu Xingzi was a little fearful of this good, plump man.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± As usual, Man Yue had a smile on his face. He nodded, walking towards the grave with no awkwardness as he watched the mes, nearly smothered by the huge pile of joss paper, slowly growing again.


    Wu Xingzi followed his line of sight, biting his lips a few times yet still not saying a word. He had pretty much never spoken to Man Yue in private before, and now that he had an idea about why he was here, Wu Xingzi¡¯s palms grew mmy with sweat.


    Man Yue did not leave him hanging for too long. With a broad, honest smile, he spoke, ¡°Does Mr. Wu have any time to spare? Could we share a chat?¡±


    Wu Xingzi blinked. He first shook his head fiercely, then nodded vigorously. ¡°I have, I have the time. Has Vice General Man eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°I had a little.¡± Man Yue looked up at the sky. The sun was making its way towards the horizon, and it would be setting in about two hours time. ¡°However, I¡¯m in a hurry to return to the capital. I¡¯m afraid that I don¡¯t have the opportunity to share a meal with Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s like this¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke tentatively, ¡°Would Vice General Man like to visit my humble abode for some tea then?¡±


    ¡°Then Man Yue would have to trouble Mr. Wu for some time.¡± This time, Man Yue did not refuse. With a deftness that was at odds with his plump body, he bent down and tidied up all the offerings, cing them in the basket and holding it in his hand before gesturing at Wu Xingzi to go ahead. ¡°Man Yue will walk with Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re too courteous¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands together. He wanted to take back the basket of offerings, but with agile movements, Man Yue had prevented him from doing so a few times. Although nothing was said, Wu Xingzi could see a stubbornness that did not allow for any refusal in that smiling, plump face.


    Ah, he¡¯s after all Guan Shanjin¡¯s right-hand man, and he naturally carries an imposing manner that makes one not dare to defy him. Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose, no longer struggling over it.


    The way home would take an hour. During the walk, Man Yue remained silent, not speaking a word. This silence made Wu Xingzi flustered, and he did not even realise that he had started to walk with the same arms and legs swinging. Finally pushing the door to his house open, he exhaled forcefully, and he did not feel as lost anymore.


    ¡°Pleasee in, Vice General Man. It¡¯s just a small ce, so there¡¯s nothing much I can wee you with. Please don¡¯t mind it.¡± Wu Xingzi could now finally take the basket from Man Yue. His entire being felt relieved, and after cing the basket on the table, he wiped the chair with his sleeve, warmly inviting Man Yue to take a seat. ¡°I haven¡¯t been back in a very long time, and there are no tea leaves prepared at home. However, there is hot water, could you please make do with it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make yourself all busy, Mr. Wu. Man Yue would just like to talk to you for a little while. Please, have a seat as well.¡± Man Yue stopped Wu Xingzi from bustling around. His broad, fleshy hands somehow managed to push Wu Xingzi lightly onto the chair, without causing him to stumble nor be shocked.


    Wu Xingzi was a little stunned. He sat dazedly in the chair, facing Man Yue directly.


    Man Yue was sitting in a very proper position, giving off a rather noble air. His head was half lowered, as though he was arranging his thoughts, and it took him a few moments before he spoke. ¡°May I know what Mr. Wu has in mind for the future?¡±


    What he had in mind?


    Wu Xingzi gazed at Man Yue. His mouth fell open, but he did not know how he should answer. He did not understand what Man Yue meant.


    Perhaps realising how lost Wu Xingzi was, Man Yue smiled soothingly and exined himself clearly. ¡°Does Mr. Wu n on remaining in Qingcheng County, or are you going to the capital?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I n on going to the capital to take a look.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s head sagged as he replied.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Man Yue seemed to sigh before he continued. ¡°Mr. Wu must be feeling puzzled about why I appeared in Qingcheng County, and what I n to do.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shot Man Yue a swift nce, his expression a little embarrassed from having been seen through. However, he truly did not understand Man Yue¡¯s behaviour very well.


    ¡°If I have to say it, I¡¯m here for the General.¡± Man Yue gave the answer very frankly. Hearing that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin shoulders jerked violently, his head almost buried into his chest. ¡°The General does not know that I¡¯vee privately to see Mr. Wu, and there are just some things that I¡¯d like to speak to you.¡±


    So Guan Shanjin did not know¡­ Wu Xingzi could not tell if he was feeling relieved or disappointed. He wrung at his clothes, wiping away the sweat gathered on his palm, then he lifted his head, giving Man Yue a faint smile.


    ¡°Please speak, Vice General Man.¡±


    Man Yue studied Wu Xingzi for a moment before speaking, ¡°Mr. Wu should have heard about the matter between the General and Mr. Lu from Manager Rancui, I believe?¡±


    Although it was a question, his tone was very sure.


    Wu Xingzi shifted in his seat uneasily. Drinking half a cup of warm water in a mouthful, he acknowledged Man Yue¡¯s question feebly.


    ¡°What does Mr. Wu think about it?¡±


    What did he think about it? Wu Xingzi¡¯s brows knitted slightly, looking at Man Yue, as he felt extremely perplexed. He was Guan Shanjin¡¯s confidant, so why did hee here specifically to ask him about this?


    However, thinking over it carefully, Wu Xingzi felt that this was not anything strange. Man Yue was highly trusted by Guan Shanjin, and he naturally woulde up with ns for him. Guan Shanjin had finally exchanged confessions and vows of love with his beloved after so long, so Man Yue would definitely not wish that they would be disturbed.


    Wu Xingzi understood his status and position, and he quickly adjusted his expression, speaking solemnly to Man Yue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Vice General Man. I am not a tactless person. Haiwang¡­ The General and Mr. Lu, I understand that they¡¯re both happy with each other, and I will nevere between them. If you do not have faith in my promises, then¡­ then I won¡¯t go to the capital anymore.¡±


    Despite hisplete and utter sincerity, Wu Xingzi could still feel a slight squeeze around his heart, and he even felt a little breathless. Unconsciously, he rubbed at his chest, and when his eyes met Man Yue¡¯s, he nervously dropped his hand, moving it to his back.


    Mixed emotions stirred within Man Yue.


    He had always been a smart person. Although he dared not im to be a hidden dragon, he regarded himself as beingparable to one. Who would have guessed that Wu Xingzi would give him such a p in the face? A person¡¯s heart truly was never so easily understood.


    Inexplicably, he seemed to have understood how Guan Shanjin had fallen for this old fellow.


    Clear-eyed people could all see Wu Xingzi¡¯s feelings for Guan Shanjin. Furthermore, Man Yue had Hei¡¯er, an extra pair of eyes, and so he was naturally even more aware of Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart. However, he had never expected that this old fellow in front of him could so decisively say that he would withdraw from the rtionship, as though he had never held any affections for Guan Shanjin at all.


    Man Yue had no choice but to recalibrate. ¡°Mr. Wu has mistaken Man Yue. I am not trying to persuade you to stay in Qingcheng County, but the opposite. In my heart, I eagerly wish to see Mr. Wu again in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Why is that so?¡± Wu Xingzi was stunned, looking at Man Yue as he blinked furiously.


    Was this a test? Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind jumped very quickly. He blushed faintly, looking even more embarrassed. Man Yue had most definitely seen through his feelings for Guan Shanjin, and so he was deliberately testing him.


    As such, Wu Xingzi¡¯s response was even more serious. ¡°Vice General Man, I understand that you¡¯re still worried. However, I understand very well the principle that a melon forcefully harvested is not as sweet. Furthermore, there are no promises between the General and me, and our rtionship had always been a tryst. Now, it has only returned to its right path. The reason why I want to go to the capital to take a look, it¡¯s actually because of the Peng Society gathering¡­¡±


    Speaking of this, Wu Xingzi scratched his nose abashedly. ¡°There are so many talented and handsome men in the capital, so imagine the number of pengornises there¡­ I mean the members of the Peng Society! I¡¯m only an ordinary,mon man after all.¡±


    Man Yue looked directly at Wu Xingzi, unable to speak a word he had been nning to say. He had finally heard for himself how passionate Wu Xingzi was towards making friends through the pigeon express. Now, he could not help but start to pity Guan Shanjin for having vomited so many litres of blood for nothing. He had nearly lost his life, and yet all his beloved could think about were other pengornises.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve never thought about meeting the General in the capital?¡± Man Yue asked, unwilling to give up.


    He did, but he only dared to think about it secretly. However, Wu Xingzi would naturally never dare to tell Man Yue about this. The smile on the face of the man in front of him had already faded away, and his expression was clouded. His gaze, directed at Wu Xingzi, was veryposed, and it made Wu Xingzi flustered, shifting about continuously.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, Man Yue will be straightforward! To tell the truth, I did note because of the General, it was only an excuse.¡± When Man Yue lied, he neither blushed, nor did his heartbeat speed up. He had given it great thought before deciding toe and see what Wu Xingzi was thinking, but he did not expect that he was about to make such a big mess of things.


    If because of him, Wu Xingzi decided to not go to the capital anymore, he would truly no longer be able to face Guan Shanjin anymore.


    At first, with his understanding about Wu Xingzi, the flee to the capital was simply to avoid Guan Shanjin. However, since Guan Shanjin himself had retreated, there was no longer a need for him to go to the capital. Also, the position of the adviser in Qingcheng County was still empty, and Wu Xingzi most definitely would n to stay.


    However, he had never expected that Wu Xingzi would still n on going to the capital, and he waspletely disregarding the script they had nned for him! Man Yue wiped away the beading sweat on his forehead secretly.


    He did note because of Guan Shanjin? Wu Xingzi looked confused. He could not grasp a hold on Man Yue¡¯s attitude, and he was even more flustered than when facing Rancui.


    ¡°I see. Then, may I know what Vice General Man wants to talk to me about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d just like to remind Mr. Wu that a man¡¯s heart is difficult to guess, and what you see may not be the truth.¡± Man Yue deeply regretted his decision toe and see Wu Xingzi. This old fellow may seem honest and simple, but he was very independent in his mind and actions. ¡°The Peng Society gathering may leave you disappointed. After all, a pengornis and its owner may not be well-matched with each other.¡±


    ¡°What you say does make sense¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded along. It was true, the pengornis drawings he had often did not match the drawings of their owners. Some people looked fair, slender and clean, but their pengornises were swarthy and curved; Some people were tall and muscr, while their pengornises were bashful and exquisite. People like Guan Shanjin who were both delectable down below and on the outside, they were actually a rare sight.


    Despite that, Wu Xingzi still held great interest towards the gathering of the Peng Society, and he finally understood the reason why Man Yue came looking for him.


    ¡°Vice General Man, do you n on attending the gathering as well?¡±


    This question truly floored Man Yue. He put on an enigmatic smile, neither confirming nor denying it.


    ¡°So, did you look for me because of the Peng Society gathering?¡± Now that he had an idea, Wu Xingzi felt a lot more at ease, and he revealed a friendly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the gathering is managed by Manager Rancui. It¡¯ll just be like taking a cruise on arge vessel, safe and reliable. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re worried about, why don¡¯t you tell me? I can help you pass it along to the manager.¡±


    Man Yue finally understood why Guan Shanjin was always at a disadvantage when faced with Wu Xingzi now. He himself could not understand how he had managed to dig himself this pit.


    Nevertheless, Man Yue still beamed and cupped his hands together. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Mr. Wu. We¡¯ll see each other at the gathering.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands in response. Thinking for a moment, he added in concern, ¡°May I know the sort of man Vice General Man likes? Perhaps I can ask Manager Rancui to help you arrange for a few meetings?¡±


    As an arrogant, handsome face appeared in his head, Man Yue pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m rather indifferent.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Vice General Man is quite good at speaking.¡± A gentle yet sarcastic voice floated through the window. Man Yue cocked a brow, looking over, and he saw a gorgeous face.


    ¡°Manager Rancui.¡± Man Yue cupped his hand towards him. Before Rancui had spoken, he had already heard his footsteps. It was just that he did not expose him. After all, what he had nned on saying had already gone awry because of Wu Xingzi, so he was not afraid of Rancui eavesdropping.


    Leaningzily against the window, the beauty narrowed his eyes enchantingly towards him. ¡°I did not imagine that Vice General Man would be so interested in the Peng Society gathering. I had thought that once you were back in the capital, both you and the General would be deeply entangled with the matters of court.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll have to disappoint the manager.¡± Man Yue¡¯s smile was still his usual, honest one, and it was truly an eyesore for Rancui.


    Waving his hand, Rancui did not insist on continuing the topic, instead going with the flow of the conversation. ¡°The Peng Society naturally wees the attendance of Vice General Man. I¡¯ll also try my best to invite the few gongzis you have beenmunicating with, and I¡¯ll definitely make Vice General Man feel at home.¡±


    This little fox! Man Yue spat silently, but he did not reveal his emotions outwardly. Revealing an appropriate expression of anticipation and shyness, he cupped his hands together, thanking him.


    Since Rancui had appeared, Man Yue did not n on staying anymore. After a battle of words between the two, Man Yue bade his farewell.


    Seeing that Man Yue was arge distance away, Rancui then casually informed Wu Xingzi, ¡°Right, I heard that the General¡¯s inner energy had fluctuated badly, and he vomited three litres of blood. Is that true?¡±


    Wu Xingzi was astounded. Choking on the water in his mouth, he coughed violently, tears welling up in his eyes. Finally, he managed to catch his breath, and he asked anxiously, ¡°Haiwang vomited blood? Is he ok? Has he recuperated? Why would he suddenly vomit blood?¡±


    ¡°Did Vice General Man not tell you about it?¡± Rancui was slightly speechless. Leaving the window, he walked towards the door and sat down across Wu Xingzi. He still looked very indolent, but there was a trace of seriousness around his brows. ¡°If you¡¯re concerned about this matter, shall we get some information in the capital?¡±


    Wu Xingzi nodded hurriedly. Turning a few circles in his house, his expression changed a few times. Finally, as thoughing to a decision, he gritted his teeth, looking at Rancui. ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Rancui poured himself a cup of water, answering with a smile. His charming eyes caught sight of Wu Xingzi exhaling in relief before looking anxious again, and Rancui sighed silently.

 Chapter 70 - I’ve Missed You… (NSFW)

    Chapter 70 ¡ª I¡¯ve Missed You¡­ (NSFW)


    Author¡¯s Note:


    This is a chaotic chapter that I could not help but create to prevent myself from exploding!


    I¡¯ve been wanting to write smut to the point where even flowers have wilted already!


    However, this is only a wet dream XD, you guys didn¡¯t miss any chapters XDDDD


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    A cool, subtle scent wafted over. Wu Xingzi, who was asleep, twitched his nose slightly. Blearily opening his sleepy eyes, he looked out through the bed curtains.


    The moonlight outside was the colour of water, cascading into the room along with a chill. Wu Xingzi shuddered, pushing himself up slightly. Just as he was about to pull the curtains open to close the window, his wrist was suddenly caught by another hand.


    It was a hand that seemed as though it was carved from hetian jade. The fingers were well-defined, the structure of the hand perfect. A few calluses left from the usage of weapons could vaguely be seen, and the skin that was against his wrist, unlike how smooth it looked, felt rough and coarse.


    Even though it was only a hand, Wu Xingzi was able to tell who it belonged to.


    A shiver ran through him, and he woke uppletely. Trembling, his eyes followed along the hand, up the arm. Inch by inch, his eyes slid up the strong and muscr arm concealed by the night, until he caught sight of the face that he had been dreaming of all this while. Wu Xingzi took in a deep breath.


    ¡°H-Haiwang¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± A faint smile appeared on the man¡¯s face, like a flower blooming in spring. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Gulping, Wu Xingzi blinked rapidly, afraid that he was dreaming. ording to the adage, what you think about in the day; you would dream of at night. Ever since he arrived at the capital, for the past few days, all he could think of was Guan Shanjin, and he even avoided any mentions of the Peng Society gathering. To dream of this man at night, it seemed to make sense.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ How did you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was bursting with questions. However, when the words came to his mouth, he was unable to say anything. Staring foolishly at Guan Shanjin, he remained just like this, not even daring to touch the man with his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Guan Shanjin was a lot more straightforward. He leant towards Wu Xingzi slightly, soundlessly wrapping the older man into his embrace and patting the thin back as though infort.


    These days, Wu Xingzi had been very well taken care of. He had filled out a little, his sharp, pointy chin rounding out, and his shoulder des that used to jut out very severely were no longer that protruding. As Guan Shanjin hugged him, he even felt a little softer and warmer.


    Guan Shanjin picked up Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, cing it by his lips. He licked at each pink, tender fingertip one by one, finally cing the tip of the little finger in his mouth. His soft, flexible tongue curled around the digit, nearly sucking Wu Xingzi¡¯s soul out at the same time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Haiwang¡­ Don¡¯t be like this¡­¡± With his face blushing a bright red, Wu Xingzi wanted to free his hand.


    However, how could Guan Shanjin allow him to get his way? The arm wrapped around his thin waist tightened further, pulling the older man all the way into his chest. Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm gave a couple of light smacks on the area where his waist and buttocks met, and those gentle ps quickly got the older man to stop. Curling into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, Wu Xingzi dared not move anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± Guan Shanjin repeated. His straight, white teeth nibbled lightly on the knuckle of the little finger. The action sent tingles throughout Wu Xingzi, causing him to turn shy. Bowing his head, Wu Xingzi did not reply, trying to distract Guan Shanjin by nuzzling his cheek against his shoulder.


    He had missed him too.


    Guan Shanjin seemed to have no intention of waiting for Wu Xingzi¡¯s response either. He released the little finger that had already turned red from him sucking on it, nibbling his way up the palm and to the wrist. After leaving a few reddish marks on the wrist, he pushed the person in his arms lightly down onto the bed. His clouded, dark eyes locked onto the old fellow, his eyes slowly turning bloodshot.


    Feeling ufortable from the stare, Wu Xingzi wanted to sit up. It had been so long since they had met, and there were many things he wanted to say to Guan Shanjin. However, to slip into Wu Xingzi¡¯s bed in the middle of the night, Guan Shanjin clearly did not n to spend any time on having a chat.


    After pushing Wu Xingzi down, Guan Shanjin pressed forward, swiftly stripping Wu Xingzi cleanly out of his clothes. As the old fellow eximed in shock, he lowered his head towards Wu Xingzi¡¯s pengornis.


    ¡°Ah, Haiwang, you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly reached out, wanting to push the younger man away. However, his cock had already been swallowed into a warm, wet cavern, and Guan Shanjin slowly sucked on it.


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips jerked, his entire body turning into jelly. With tears in his eyes, his blush spread throughout his entire body.


    He himself could no longer count exactly how long he and Guan Shanjin had not done anything together. Wu Xingzi thought about how at the start, he had only had a tryst in mind, and then had a persistent entanglement with Guan Shanjin¡¯s Prince of Lanling¡¯s pengornis. It was pretty much sex round the clock, and his body had long been fucked well and deep by Guan Shanjin.


    The man¡¯s mouth was hot and soft, and Wu Xingzi felt as though he was submerged in warm water. In a few moments, he started moaning in pleasure. Guan Shanjin did not only wrap his mouth around the cock, doing nothing else. With his slightly rough tongue, hepped at Wu Xingzi¡¯s dick, licking at it inch by inch from top to bottom. By the time he reached the bottom, the head of the cock was naturally inside somewhere even tighter and hotter, and the convulsions there screwed down lightly on the member. The feeling made Wu Xingzi tremble. He gripped the thin nket as his legs reflexively iled a few times, and soft moans spilled from his throat.


    The tongue then slid back upwards, and with the saliva and the fluid leaking from the tip of the cock, the sounds of sucking were audible. As the tip of the tongue reached the head of the shaft, it first made its way around, beforepping right at the top of the cock, then tried its best to dig its way into the hole there.


    ¡°H-Haiwang, ahh, hah¡­ ah¡­ slow down, slow down¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s bodyy there feebly, as jolts ran through him. With a trembling hand, he wanted to push away Guan Shanjin¡¯s insistent head. However, the man raised his charming, alluring eyes and gave him a smile, causing Wu Xingzi to copse weakly. Lying on the bed, Wu Xingzi panted so hard that his eyes were tearing up. His cock was shivering from the non-stop y, and his precum was leaking continuously from the tip of his shaft, only to be swallowed down immediately by Guan Shanjin, not even leaving a drop behind. As though unsatisfied by the amount, Guan Shanjin wrapped his lips around the head, sucking harshly on it.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi shrieked, his round little toes all curling up. Digging into the bed, his feet scrabbled a few times, and a small spurt erupted from his cock. If not for Guan Shanjin¡¯s timeliness in mping down on the root of his dick, Wu Xingzi would most likely havee and spilled all over himself.


    Still, this was not anymore pleasant. He was about to reach the peak, yet he was held back so forcefully from it; tingles ran through his body, from his soul to his heart. The heat, with nowhere to escape, seethed within his limbs, and it felt as though even his nails were screaming in desire.


    Wu Xingziy in bed, writhing, mewling his pleas for Guan Shanjin to release him.


    The manughed softly, sucking at his cock. ¡°My lewd darling, we¡¯ve only just started, and you can¡¯t hold on anymore?¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s teeth scraped lightly against his sensitive skin. Wu Xingzi jerked, his hand scrabbling on his fair, smooth belly.


    Guan Shanjin did not let him go, but gently and carefully sucked on Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis. Periodically, he wouldve his tongue against it, even drilling his tongue into the little hole at the top. As the tongue went in quite deeply, the little hole would gape open slightly, unable to close. The soft, tender flesh and juices were thus exposed, and it made one want to nibble on it.


    With such affectionsvished on it, the head of Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock swelled up, looking red and debauched like apletely ripe peach. Apanying each spurt of precum was a thrill that ran deeply through his body, and sprawled across the bed, Wu Xingzi twitched continuously. However, the grip around the end of his shaft did not let go, and there was no way he coulde. Layers andyers of pleasure piled up upon him, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was covered in tears and he hupped from sobbing.


    He felt as though he was standing on the edge of a cliff, and on both sides were abysses. There was only a space enough for one foot that could barely support him, and each time he swayed, he was pulled back. He did not know how to release himself from this ce.


    Guan Shanjin was still ¡°servicing¡± him. However, this time, he no longer licked at him, instead he only sucked. Wu Xingzi could not even cry out. He was entirely in convulsions, and his eyes rolled back slightly as he stared at the ceiling.


    Guan Shanjin was very knowledgeable about how to suck Wu Xingzi¡¯s pengornis. Although it was not very big, it was still the size of an average male. When swallowing it all the way down to the root, the head would enter the throat slightly. It was not to the point that Guan Shanjin would feel ufortable, but when he swallowed, there would still be a slight reaction, the muscles there twitching slightly and screwing down tightly on the leaking, sensitive head.


    A hot, rough palm fiddled with the balls under the cock. After sucking a couple of times, Guan Shanjin would y with the balls a little. Wu Xingzi¡¯s soul was about to escape him, his hips jerking non-stop. Crying hoarsely, he begged Guan Shanjin to let hime. However, the man refused, switching between pulling up and just sucking at the head, and swallowing the entire cock into his mouth. The old man shuddered so much that he almost threw the man off him. However, Guan Shanjin casually ced a hand on his tender belly, pressing him onto the bed and not allowing him to move, and Wu Xingzi could only kick his fair, slender legs out in response.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ Haiwang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi gasped for air as he cried, constantly pleading as he called out Guan Shanjin¡¯s name. Finally, the man released a quietugh, releasing the hand around the bottom of the cock and then sucking harshly on the head of the cock.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi clutched at the thin nket, his thin waist tensing up. Kicking out wildly a few times, white, stickye finally erupted from his cock, releasing directly into Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth. The man seemed to choke slightly, his charming, alluring eyes turning a little misty. His throat bobbed, and with a gulp, he swallowed all thee into him.


    The old quail stared nkly at the smile curling around Guan Shanjin¡¯s face, as well as the red lips that had turned shiny from his own fluids. He had yet to sober up from the intense pleasure that had crashed upon him, and his body was still jerking and twitching. Drops of tears slipped down from the corners of his eyes, sliding onto the soft pillow under his head.


    Guan Shanjin swallowed a few more times before slowly leaning in closer to Wu Xingzi. Opening his mouth slightly, he joked, ¡°Look, did I swallow it all down?¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth fell open, unable to answer. ordingly, he peered into Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth. Inside it was a pink tongue contrasting against white teeth, and the two lips were full and soft, still wet from its previous actions. Guan Shanjin was so good-looking that even his mouth was very pretty. Although it could not be seen clearly in the middle of night, it was still so alluring that it ignited the mes within.


    Furthermore, this mouth had just been sucking on his own pengornis, refusing to let go¡­ Wu Xingzi came back to his senses with a jerk, hurriedly averting his eyes.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Guan Shanjin still did not let him off, only drawing even closer. The scent of white sandalwood and orange blossom mingled into the air Wu Xingzi breathed. He had only just managed to clear his mind, but he had now turned muddleheaded again.


    Looking to be very satisfied with how Wu Xingzi was now, Guan Shanjinughed lowly. Pressing against Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, he kissed him with all his might before taking his bottom lip between his teeth and nibbling on it. Then, he treated Wu Xingzi¡¯s upper lip the same way, and he finally licked his lips apart, forcing his tongue within. Twining with the timid tongue within, it was a fiery kiss, both deep and hungry. Unable to endure it, Wu Xingzi pushed Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder, only for his wrist to be caught and held down next to him. The kiss only turned more violent, and it seemed as though Guan Shanjin wanted to swallow the man all the way into him.


    Once the kiss ended, Wu Xingzi panted like bellows. The saliva he was unable to swallow down slipped down the corners of his mouth, and it also formed a thin thread between Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips and his. Smiling faintly, the man licked away the thread with a pink tongue.


    ¡°My lewd darling.¡± Guan Shanjin always loved to address him in this manner in bed, and the lilt in the words seemed to scratch at his heart. ¡°Have you missed me? Hmm?¡±


    After each question, Guan Shanjin would press a kiss onto him, causing a blush to spread through Wu Xingzi. Even his hole down there started to twitch slightly, and he tried to turn his head, only to fail in doing so. Guan Shanjin held onto his head, sharing a deep kiss with him, and Wu Xingzi felt his tongue aching from it.


    ¡°I miss you¡­¡± He had missed the man quite a bit, and after this inexhaustible provocation, Wu Xingzi quickly spilled his thoughts. Shyly, he reached up and sped his arms around Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, his lips brushing past that perfectly formed ear. ¡°The hole beneath misses you too.¡±


    With such a tant invitation, Guan Shanjin¡¯s pupils constricted, and he no longer held himself back.

 Chapter 71 - A Dream That Left No Traces (NSFW)

    Chapter 71 ¡ª A Dream That Left No Traces (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wu Xingzi was thin and fair. When the moon shone through the bed curtains onto his body, it seemed just like the surface of a peeled, hard boiled egg. A pink tint slowly spread through his body, along with his impassioned desires.


    Shuddering lightly, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth waspletely dry. He tried his best to swallow, the tip of his tongue still aching. Guan Shanjin had used too much force when kissing him, and it felt as though he had left a wound.


    The man slowly removed his clothes, the snow white inner robe sliding off his broad shoulders. His powerful, delineated muscles were revealed, and they were not excessive, but showcased his healthiness perfectly.


    Wu Xingzi gulped, so enchanted by the aura of masculinity in front of him that he could barely breathe. Greedily, yet foolishly, his eyes followed down the sculpted lines, from the man¡¯s wide shoulders, his narrow waist, his abdomen until his¡­ Oh god!


    The so-called ¡°magnificent specimen¡± probably was referring to what was right in front of him.


    It was not clear if it was deliberate or an unconscious choice, but Guan Shanjin¡¯s trousers were not fully removed. He had only tugged it down halfway, perfectly revealing that slightly curving up, thick, weighty, a little veiny yet not ugly, and rather savage looking Prince Lanling of pengornises.


    Wu Xingzi felt his fingers itch, his throat itch and his hole itch. Even the channel within him was itching so badly, that he desperately craved for something to enter and soothe the itch.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s gaze, directed at him, was a little challenging, as well as containing a beast-like savagery. His broad palm gripped Wu Xingzi¡¯s slender ankle, and he caressed his sole.


    Wu Xingzi was not a young child, nor was he a pampered young master. The soles of his feet were rough and coarse, the skin a little thick. Although his toes were round, there were a few calluses, and from his feet, it could be seen that his life was poor. To be caressed like this, he felt rather ashamed.


    ¡°Ai, don¡¯t y with them¡­¡± He protested softly, wanting to pull his feet back. Somehow, Guan Shanjin seemed to be up to many tricks tonight, refusing to go straight to the main course. Wu Xingzi felt rather anxious. His hole twitched slightly, and he could vaguely feel it getting soaked.


    However, it seemed as though Guan Shanjin liked his feet very much. He massaged the sole firmly, before sliding up and stroking those calluses. Finally, he pressed a kiss to the instep, making Wu Xingzi blush a bright red, unable to figure out what was happening here. Why was he suddenly ying with his feet?


    ¡°Haiwang¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow, smiling as he caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s other foot, pressing the two soles together. ¡°You¡¯ve owed me for quite a number of days already.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi trembled, turning his head away.


    The next moment, Wu Xingzi understood what exactly Guan Shanjin wanted to do. He actually held the soles of his feet around his cock, moving them up and down.


    ¡°Come, use a little strength and subdue it, alright?¡± Guan Shanjin let go, staring at Wu Xingzi as he chuckled.


    The cock between his soles was thick, feeling as though it was scalding him. The vein on it pulsed slightly, and Wu Xingzi could not describe how he was feeling, other than pleasant. His whole body was suffused with red, his eyes shiny as he stared at Guan Shanjin. Gritting his teeth, he carefully ground his feet against Guan Shanjin¡¯s dick.


    This was his first time. His actions were clumsy and slow, and following the movement, his toes nudged against the head of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock. In no time, the tip was leaking and sticky, and it felt as though there were mes under his feet, licking at his heart and chest, as though there were ants biting on his soles.


    Guan Shanjin looked to be enjoying it as well. His eyes were half lidded, his thick and long eyshes casting shadows upon his face. His breaths became heavier, and soon he was no longer satisfied with Wu Xingzi¡¯s cautious movements. Instead, he grabbed Wu Xingzi¡¯s two feet and controlled the rhythm himself.


    ¡°Ai¡­ Mmm¡­ Ahh¡­ Hai-Haiwang, slow down a little¡­ slow¡­¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but beg. It was clearly only using his feet to grind against Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock, but for some reason, he felt as though the shaft was piercing right through him.


    The squelching, wet sounds extended to the entire room. It felt as though steam was escaping from Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears. Unable to withstand it, he wanted to pull his legs back. This time, Guan Shanjin went along with his wishes, releasing his feet. Moving his feet away from the source of heat, the fluids spilt on them cooled down very quickly as well. Wu Xingzi curled his toes uneasily, tingles spreading up his calves. They soon reached his naughty little hole, which had been leaking continuously, and the mattress had already been stained with a huge wet spot.


    The old quail was so embarrassed that the tips of his ears were a dark red. He dared not even nce at Guan Shanjin, only using his feet to stroke the man¡¯s thighs.


    ¡°You old thing, you sure are lewd,¡± Guan Shanjin teased him. Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s plump buttocks, he pulled the older man onto his crotch. The stiff, hard cock rubbed against the outside of the soaked, wet hole. Without waiting for the old fellow to urge him on, with the help of the juices flowing out of the hole, he pushed his way into Wu Xingzi in a breath.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ahhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi cried out in pain. He had not had any sex for the past few months, and his hole had long reverted to its original tightness. To have such arge, thick cock thrust right into him, all the way inside, Wu Xingzi was now shuddering.


    Guan Shanjin no longer remained gentle. Next, it was him fucking Wu Xingzi brutally.


    With every thrust, the pping sounds of balls smacking against the perineum could be heard. A rough thumb stroked the edge of the hole, stretched open by the shaft. asionally, a finger would even make its way inside, causing Wu Xingzi to cry out and twist his hips, trying to hide from it, only to be held down and forcefully fucked some more.


    The night had just started, and the man was already torturing him like this. Guan Shanjin seemed to think that Wu Xingzi¡¯s pants were too loud, as he held his waist with one hand and covered Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose and mouth with the other. Wu Xingzi was fucked loudly and furiously, and it was not long before the old quail was about to faint. His body trembled non-stop, and he grabbed at the hand on his face feebly.


    ¡°Look at how hungry you are¡­ Screwing down on me so happily¡­¡± Guan Shanjin manhandled him however he liked. There seemed to be a river source within Wu Xingzi¡¯s slick, wet channel, leaking continuously, and Wu Xingzi went into convulsions from the man¡¯s brutal pounding.


    No matter how Wu Xingzi cated him, the man still fucked his way in savagely. The huge head of his cock would always unerringly hit the deepest part of him inside, causing the blood to rush there. It felt both sore and delightful, and with his eyes and nose streaming, Wu Xingzi was fucked into unconsciousness and back awake. His mouth and nose were still firmly covered, and he was almost about to be fucked to death.


    Finally, when spasms once again ran through Wu Xingzi, and when his eyes were rolling back in orgasm, Guan Shanjin finally released his hand.


    Tilting his head back, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth gaped open. His tongue half-hanging out, he stared at the top of the bed with confused eyes, unable to make a sound. His thin back was all tensed up, like a bow pulled tightly, and after a few moments of such stiffness, he finally released a hoarse whimper. Juices spewed from his hole, and his cock first spurtede, followed by pee, spattering his belly with stains and filth. His legs scrabbled a few times on the bed, before copsing motionlessly.


    ¡°Just like this, and you can¡¯t take it anymore?¡± Guan Shanjin was still smiling as he looked at Wu Xingzi. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, and a few strands of his ck hair clung to his neck. Against the moonlight, he was as enchanting as a demon. ¡°Shall I make it such that you won¡¯t be able to forget me for the rest of your life?¡±


    That question had been whispered right into Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear. The old quail did not expect that he still had the ability to hear it so clearly.


    Guan Shanjin did not need his reply, lightly tapping at Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly with a finger as heughed softly. ¡°Here, this time I¡¯ll fuck right inside and nudge right here, would you like that?¡±


    This spot was even beyond the depths of Wu Xingzi¡¯s channel. Before he had even calmed down, he already noticed what Guan Shanjin had in mind for him. Wu Xingzi could not decide if he was in great anticipation, or in fearfulness, as he cried and shook his head in shyness and fright.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s appetite had long been whetted. How could he let go of the older man so easily?


    His palm was holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s jerking waist, and with a squelch, Guan Shanjin entered again.


    Wu Xingzi mewled softly, the cry curling its way into the man¡¯s heart. Guan Shanjin¡¯s alluring, charming eyes darkened, his actions bing even more callous. It was as though he wanted to impale himself right through the person under him. If not, with the amount of time that they would spend separated, Guan Shanjin would not be able to grab hold of the older man¡¯s heart.


    The thick cock had its way with the slick hole, every trembling inch within stretched open. Fucked into shuddering, soft pants, the person who was being treated like a sex objecty there passively.


    After thrusting in, Guan Shanjin jerked his hips a few times, pushing himself even deeper inside. A faint bulge could be seen under the skin of Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly, and next was Guan Shanjin pounding furiously inside.


    Wu Xingzi cried piteously. Touching his belly, he could feel how much force Guan Shanjin was exerting into fucking him, with the way the head of his cock was pushing in. The juices leaking from his hole had already spilt everywhere, all over the two people. The wet spot on the nket could even be wrung out, yet Guan Shanjin had no intentions of letting him off.


    ¡°It¡¯s too deep¡­ I beg you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shuddered as he begged for mercy. He was about to be fucked through already.


    Again,e spurted from Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock. This time, it was so thin that it seemed like water, the amount pathetically small. Very quickly, the hole at the tip of the cock gaped open, trembling slightly.


    The fluids from their joining had already foamed up from the friction, but the man still held him down, fucking him to his own delight. Only when he made Wu Xingzi pee himself again did he suddenly pull out and flip Wu Xingzi over, before thrusting back inside again.


    Wu Xingzi could not even cry out now. His tongue was hanging out, and his face was ck. The endless pleasure and ecstasy had left his mindpletely nk. It was when he once again had reached another peak, when Guan Shanjin caressed his own cock through Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly, did Wu Xingzi then convulse thoroughly, letting out a shriek.


    The entire night, Wu Xingzi had lost count of the number of times he had been fucked over and over again. He had fainted then woke up, woke up only to faint again, and in the end, he could no longer even figure out if he was dreaming or not. Finally, he was held down on the bed, filledpletely by the man¡¯se to the point where his stomach bulged out, looking as though he was pregnant. His face a bright red, hey weakly in bed, shivering, and then his head was held, and he was kissed until he could not breath. This time, when he fainted again, he no longer woke up again¡­


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Wu Xingzi jerked up suddenly from the bed. As he was sleeping on the edge of the bed, he ended up falling from it. Landing on the floor, his head started spinning, and half his body turned numb from the fall. While hissing in pain, he rubbed his eyes, looking nkly at the unfamiliar room.


    A faint scent could be detected in the room. When Wu Xingzi realised what it was, all the blood rushed to his face.


    Looking around him, he finally recognised that this was Rancui¡¯s property in the capital, and Rancui had lent it to him as lodging. He had only been sleeping in this room for around a week, and he had yet to be familiar with it, so he did not recognise it immediately.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Of course, after recognising his surroundings, what was even more important was the clingy, wet sensation of his lower body. Supporting his old waist that was aching from the fall, Wu Xingzi slowly made his way up and stumbled back onto the bed. Hiding under the nkets, he removed his pants.


    In this room, other than him, there was no one else. The familiar scent of white sandalwood and orange blossom was non-existent as well, and only his own scent, gentle yet bleak, could be detected.


    What happenedst night was actually¡­ a wet dream¡­ Wu Xingzi covered his face, even thinking about just dying there and then.


    He was already forty. Even when he was a teenager, he never had a wet dream. Yet, this one was so¡­ so¡­ indescribably intense. And now, he was only in the same city as Guan Shanjin, but was he unable to even let go of the man in his dreams?


    Ai, Wu Xingzi, Wu Xingzi.


    After scorning himself, Wu Xingzi saw that the sky outside had already brightened. Knowing that Mint and Osmanthus would quickly carry in a basin of water for him to freshen up, he quickly got rid of the evidence, hurriedly pulling his pants off. After all, it had only been an embarrassing wet dream.


    He sneakily balled up his dirtied pants. Although he was reluctant, now, in an unfamiliar ce, it was difficult to wash it secretly. It would be much easier to just toss it away.


    He first tucked the pants firmly into one corner of his trunk. As he did not have many clothes, the trunk was not full. He was not afraid of getting the other clean clothes dirty.


    Next, he took out a pair of clean inner pants and outer pants, and Wu Xingzi finally released a breath of relief.


    At this moment, the sounds of the girls greeting him came from outside the room.

 Chapter 72 - Every Age Brings In a New Pengornis

    Chapter 72 ¡ª Every Age Brings In a New Pengornis


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wu Xingzi quickly dressed himself, before hurrying over to open the doors, allowing the girls in.


    In Mint¡¯s hands was a basin, while in Osmanthus¡¯ hands was a box of food. With smiling eyes, they greeted Wu Xingzi, then deftly arranged what they were carrying on the table.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± After putting the basin down, Mint¡¯s little nose twitched in the air. She seemed to have smelled something, and on her little face was puzzlement. Seeing that, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pounded anxiously, the tips of his ears turning red.


    Due to the dream, Wu Xingzi had woken up a littlete. Together with dealing with his stained trousers and semen, he had no time to open the windows to get rid of any smell. In the bedroom, a vague scent of heather lingered.


    ¡°Meimei, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Osmanthus had opened the box of food. The aroma of in porridge and the other dishes quickly filled the air, and that distinctive smell soon faded away.


    Mint¡¯s nose twitched again, and she finally shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I probably only imagined it.¡±


    That must be it. The season for heather had long been over, and there was also no heather nted in the yard. How could there be its scent?


    Next to them, Wu Xingzi¡¯s wits had nearly been frightened out of his body. Rubbing his chest with a hand, he forcibly calmed himself. He thought, the next time he had a wet dream again, the first thing he would do when he woke up would be to open the windows.


    The two girls did not notice that Wu Xingzi was acting a little odd. Brightly, they said, ¡°Master, today¡¯s the gathering of the Peng Society.¡±


    Upon mentioning the gathering, the girls¡¯ eyes lit up, and they were unable to conceal their curiosity.


    It had been around a month since they had arrived in the capital. Summer had descended upon them, and the girls, who had lived their entire lives in the south, had no issues limatising themselves to the northern summer. Their spirits were in fact even better, and they would drag Wu Xingzi all over the capital every day. Unknowingly, they had already explored many of the scenic spots in the capital.


    Wu Xingzi had also taken the opportunity to make more friends through the pigeon express, and the collection of pengornis drawings in his rattan cases had increased as well. It had to be said that the capital was truly a remarkable ce that produced many talents, and more importantly, there were more people here, making things easy for the pigeon express. The Peng Society was not very hidden in the capital, and the size of its office was twice that of the one in Goose City.


    The ranking of pengornises which had been immovable previously, now experienced a number of changes in just a short month. Even Guan Shanjin¡¯s position as the Prince Lanling of pengornises was in crisis. Last night, before he slept, Wu Xingzi was holding onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis drawing,paring it side by side to another drawing he had received a couple of days ago. In the end, their rankings had been decided ording to their owner¡¯s face.


    If Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis was the Prince of Lanling, awe-inspiring, magnanimous and gorgeous, the new drawing would be Murong Chong1.


    Its girth and length naturally did not lose to Guan Shanjin¡¯s, and its overall appearance was a little more refined. Wu Xingzi was unsure if it was Rancui¡¯s instructions, but this pengornis drawing was even coloured. The skin was light in colour, like a budding flower, while the head of the cock was slightly darker, full and heavy, like an extremely ripe plum. The hole on the tip gaped a little, allowing Wu Xingzi to peek within. Devastatingly beautiful, it seemed as though a careless bite could leave it bleeding.


    The vein running down the shaft was unlike the robustness of Guan Shanjin¡¯s. It was like a needle wrapped in cotton, peril lurking around the corner. It was less savage, but there was a danger behind it. Looking at the image, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was dry, and he gulped down half the contents of the teapot to soothe his thirst.


    It seemed like the reason for his wet dream had something to do with these two pengornis drawings! He still remembered that before he had fallen asleep, he was wondering if Guan Shanjin would too end up tearing this drawing of the Murong Chong of pengornises?


    As such thoughts drifted through his head, Wu Xingzi buried his face in his porridge, ignoring the dishes by the side.


    When his stomach was half-filled, he informed the girls, ¡°You young girls shouldn¡¯t attend the gathering, I¡¯ll ask Hei¡¯er to apany me.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go?¡± Mint¡¯s lips curved downwards, the cheeriness in her face disappearing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not seemly for you to be there. The attendees are all males, and there¡¯s no reason for little girls to go.¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head resignedly.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to look at beauties too.¡± Osmanthus pouted as well, looking at her sister and nodding firmly. ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry, my sister and I will definitely be good, we definitely won¡¯t create any trouble for you.¡±


    A few days ago, Manager Rancui had said that the gathering of the Peng Society only happened once every two years, and the Peng Society would hand out invitations. The guests were all either noble and illustrious men, or great, reputable beauties. Their family backgrounds were all spotless, and their talents astounding. Ten years ago, they had even once invited the 9th Marquis, who had beenbelled as the Great Xia¡¯s number one most beautiful man. The gathering then was held at Linfeng Mansion, by the Guting River. Apparently, half the people from the capital had gathered outside, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the marquis¡¯ charm!


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re good girls, but¡­¡± Wu Xingzi faltered. He knew that the girls were curious, but the gathering of the Peng Society was, after all, different from ordinary gatherings. More importantly, it was an asion to allow men with intentions of looking for partners to know each other. Wu Xingzi could not help but feel that it would be very awkward to have two young girls there.


    Seeing that he had no n on giving in, the shoulders of both Mint and Osmanthus drooped. Pitifully, they hung their heads, ¡°Master, we understand, we won¡¯t be wilful anymore.¡±


    While releasing a breath of relief, at the same time, Wu Xingzi was a little apologetic. From his pouch, he took out a few copper coins and handed them to Mint. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to try the sugar sculptures? Rancui says that news about the Peng Society gathering has spread through the entire city. This time, the gathering is held at Lianxiang Residences, and there¡¯s a fair outside. Why don¡¯t you go buy some sugar sculptures for a treat, and we¡¯lle back together when the gathering is over?¡±


    Hearing about the sugar sculptures, the gloom over the girls¡¯ heads vanished, and their little faces were suffused with delight.


    ¡°Then Master, you have to enrich your experience this time.¡± Mint tucked the copper coins into her little purse, as she advised Wu Xingzi like a mature adult. ¡°Manager Rancui says that the young masters he has invited this time are not only outstanding in appearance, with spotless backgrounds, they¡­¡±


    ¡°They?¡± Wu Xingzi saw how amused the girl looked,ughing like the cat who got the cream. Unable to stop himself, he ruffled her hair.


    Mint and Osmanthus exchanged a smile, lowering their voices and speaking at the same time, ¡°Their pengornises have been carefully selected.¡±


    Pengornises¡­ Wu Xingzi froze, a blush suffusing his face. With a trembling voice, he asked, ¡°W-w-what¡­ What are you saying? Y-you¡¯re little g-girls, d-don¡¯t¡­ Ai!¡±


    ¡°This was what the manager personally said.¡± Seeing that Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was covered with a dark red flush, Osmanthus hurriedly wet a handkerchief to wipe his face.


    Wu Xingzi did not know what to say to the girls. He could only take the handkerchief and wipe his face vigorously, only stopping to take a breath when he had nearly rubbed away ayer of skin.


    Knowing that they had gone overboard in teasing Wu Xingzi, Mint and Osmanthus stuck out their tongues, bing obedient and no longer mentioning the Peng Society gathering anymore. Turning away, they helped Wu Xingzi pick his clothes. However, before they could open his trunk, Wu Xingzi called out to them, stopping them from doing so. With evasive eyes, he chased the girls out of the bedroom, then copsed weakly onto a chair, his back covered with sweat.


    Finally, he managed to calm himself down. Wu Xingzi made a clean sweep of the food on the table, having four bowls of porridge and emptying the tes of all the food. Mixing the dishes into the porridge, he finished them all. Despite his huge appetite, this time round, he had eaten until his belly plumped up, and as he rubbed his stomach, he walked around the table to aid his digestion.


    The pengornises had been specially selected.


    Mint¡¯s clear voice rang continuously in his head. Wu Xingzi felt both shy and embarrassed, and he was also worried that the two girls had been led astray by Rancui. He then recalled that the gathering would be happening in four hours, and so, he wondered, would the Murong Chong of pengornises appear? Also, that Young Master Bai who yed the qin too. During this month in the capital, even when walking on the streets, Wu Xingzi could hear people discussing Young Master Bai¡¯s skills, and it made him yearn to hear him y.


    Unable to decipher his feelings as anticipation or uneasiness, although Wu Xingzi had yet to digest his breakfast, he could not help but pick up the snacks on the table and start eating.


    Born thin and never putting on weight despite eating so much, even when Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach was bulging from food, he still looked very slender. Pulling on a loose and elegant Confucian robe, he even looked like a delicate, slightly frail schr.


    Knitting his brows slightly, Hei¡¯er stared at Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly for a moment, then handed him a red pill. ¡°Master, this is a pill that aids in digestion, would you like one? Later, at the Peng Society gathering, although the manager has invited the top chef in the capital, please don¡¯t upset your stomach.¡±


    Hei¡¯er words were very direct. Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek, quietly thanking Hei¡¯er, then swallowing the pill. The pill had a refreshing taste to it, melting in his mouth, and his stomach immediately felt less diforted.


    Hei¡¯er was very considerate and meticulous. Seeing that Wu Xingzi was still a little ufortable from eating too much, he did not prepare either a horse or a carriage, instead they walked to Lianxiang Residences together.


    The journey was not far, and they would be able to arrive in half an hour. The summer sun was scorching, but it waspletely unlike the humid, thick heat of the south. After perspiring, they instead felt a lot more revitalised, and Wu Xingzi was now in the mood to think about this spectacr event of the Peng Society.


    A crowd had already started gathering about a hundred steps away from Lianxiang Residences. Wu Xingzi stared nkly at the fair in front of him, unable to resist rubbing at his eyes with his fists.


    Lianxiang Residences was a famous site in the capital. The inside was designed like the grounds of a ssical gardenmonly found in Jiangnan, with bridges and streams, as well as paths winding through it. Every inch was delicately beautiful, decorated with ornaments here and there. It seemed as though serenity was curling up in all corners of the garden, but there was also a bamboo-like strength to it. The main sight in Lianxiang Residences was a man-madeke. Other than a winding path connecting a few pavilions in theke, people mostly travelled on bamboo rafts.


    Arge swath of lotus flowers and water chestnuts had been cultivated in theke. In the summer sun, the surface was covered in a lushyer of lotus and water chestnut leaves. Flowers and branches extended gracefully above the water, and at the very top were blossoms and blossoms of lotus flowers, white with a tinge of pink.


    Wu Xingzi and Hei¡¯er squeezed through the crowds, finally arriving at the door of Lianxiang Residences. The Peng Society gathering had already started.


    Standing on guard at the door was an employee of Peng Society, and they had seen each other before. The moment he saw Wu Xingzi, he weed him warmly. ¡°Mr. Wu, the manager has been looking out for you! Please follow me inside.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly cupped his hands. Just as he was about to follow the employee, he somehow managed to bump into a man who was waiting for the employee to confirm his identity. ¡°Ahh¡­ Good sir, please excuse me, excuse me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a small matter, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The man¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, like the warm breeze of spring, as well as like mellow wine. Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears reddened inexplicably, and he could not help but cover his ears as he turned to look at the man.


    It was a man dressed in navy Confucian robes. His figure was tall and muscr, but it was not intimidating, instead carrying a sort of elegant refinement. His appearance was not outstanding, but it was very gentle and friendly, pleasant to everyone¡¯s eyes. He too had his head turned, and he was studying Wu Xingzi. His ck eyes were like warm water, perfectly restrained.


    This face¡­ Wu Xingzi pressed upon his chest lightly.


    ¡°Mu-Murong Chong?¡± The name burst from his lips. Wu Xingzi mped his hands over his mouth, so embarrassed that he wished for a hole to bury himself in.


    This was actually the owner of the Murong Chong of pengornises! Ai, he actually did not manage to control his mouth!


    The man looked confused, giving a gentle and polite response. ¡°Good sir, did you mistake me for someone? Myst name is Ping, and I¡¯m called Ping Yifan2.¡±


    He¡¯s not ordinary at all¡­ Wu Xingzi was unable to stop the image of Ping Yifan¡¯s pengornis from appearing in his brain.


    Oh no!


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s top position is in danger!

 Chapter 73 - The Tree of Jianmu: The Bridge Between Heaven and Earth

    Chapter 73 ¡ª The Tree of Jianmu: The Bridge Between Heaven and Earth


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Separated by a wall, the view between the two ces contrasted starkly.


    Outside Lianxiang Residences was a hubbub of voices. The men and women of Great Xia were not conservative. For most daughters of ordinary families, as long as they were not alone, and called upon other friends as well as a maidservant, they could stroll along the streets as they wished. When there were fairs and celebrations going on, the rooms of restaurants and tea houses would be filled with young, blossoming girls. Upon seeing young males on the streets, or in a room of another restaurant across, they would then toss some snacks, flowers and other trinkets, exchanging flirtations from a distance before each returning home separately.


    Although the girls of the capital were slightly more reserved, many of them were still young and passionate.


    Now that there were so many noble men gathered at Lianxiang Residences, the fair outside naturally attractedrge crowds of curious youngdies as well, all trying their best to peek inside. Hearing that Young Master Bai had epted the invitation to the gathering this time, they were all determined to hang around outside the venue to listen to him ying the qin!


    Inparison, it was serene within Lianxiang Residences itself. Not many invitees had attended, and there were only about twenty in all. Other than Young Master Bai with his excellent qin-ying skills, there were also a few schrs of literary fame.


    The fragrance of the lotus flowers apanied the breeze, and the pleasing sounds of the flute lingered in the air.


    Wu Xingzi did not drink even a sip of wine, yet he was already intoxicated.


    The pavilion where Rancui could be found was rather remote, but its location was perfect for capturing a view of the entire Lianxiang Residences. When Wu Xingzi stepped within, the banquet had already started. The first dish had been served and done, and the participants were drinking as they waited for the second dish.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± Today, Rancui was dressed in a snow white gown, his outer robe made of a green, gauzy material. Very casually, he sat with his legs crossed on a cushion, his cheeks slightly flushed. Looking very much like a lotus flower sprite, he was both enchanting and elegant, charming yet reserved.


    ¡°Rancui.¡± Wu Xingzi cupped his hands together, then sat down across the low table. The footboy next to them immediately served up the first dish, and it was a bowl of clear soup.


    The colour of the soup was gold, and at the bottom of the bowl were delicate lotus petals. A couple of snow white, exquisite looking dumplings floated on top of the soup, and they seemed to be made of glutinous rice. Plump and white, there was a faint pink sheen to them, and their appearance made one unable to bear eating them.


    ¡°These are dumplings made from lotus root paste. Mr. Wu, please try them,¡± Rancui attended to him warmly, but his sly, shrewd eyes darted over to the silent Hei¡¯er who was standing in one corner of the pavilion, before he frowned disdainfully. ¡°Commander Hei, take a seat too. It¡¯s quite nauseating to have you stand there like that.¡±


    Hei¡¯er nced at Rancui, his expression tinged with a vague resignation.


    However, he did not say anything. ordingly, he sat down at thest table, holding his cup up and toasting Rancui.


    Rancui drank, but did not pay anymore attention to him. Instead, he turned to chat with Wu Xingzi, persuading him to eat more. The chef he had invited today was from the capital¡¯s most famous restaurant, and the dishes not only looked exquisite, but their vours were divine.


    Wu Xingzi would naturally not stand on courtesy. Furthermore, in an asion like this, inwardly, he did feel very out of ce, like an ugly duckling stumbling into ake of swans. It was enough for him to look at all these beautiful men from afar. Hepletely had no intentions of getting to know them or talking with them, and he just buried his head in the food.


    However, as they ate and ate, and when five dishes had been served and they had five sses of wine each, the originally restrained atmosphere had dissipated by quite a fair bit. People who chose to attend the gathering of the Peng Society, to put it bluntly, were here to look for a soulmate with whom they could spend the rest of their lives with. No matter how refined, how reserved, and how reticent men could be, they were still men. With an innate nature to pige and publicise, they could not resist wanting to put themselves out there.


    Rancui saw that it was nearly time. During the time when the five dishes had been served and five drinks exchanged, most of the fellows had already done their observations. Whoever was interested in who, they themselves were aware of it, and it was time to let the peacock feathers that had been trembling for some time to re out and disy themselves.


    Very quickly, one of the men picked up his chopsticks. Rapping on the rim of his ss, he suddenly burst into song.


    The man¡¯s voice was quite pleasant sounding, and he was singing a tune describing the scenery of the desert, the melody bringing about the feeling of vastness and unrestrain. This man should be a rather unbridled, reckless sort, and as Wu Xingzi listened to the man, looking at him, hepletely forgot to chew on the morsel of food in his mouth.


    Smiling, Rancui nced over at Wu Xingzi, then he leaned in close and whispered, ¡°This is a subordinate of the Ninth Marquis, and he had been stationed in the west for a period of time in the past. Later on, he hurt a tendon in his hand, and had no choice but to return to the capital. On your list, his pengornis is ranked seventh.¡±


    The seventh on the list? A drawing appeared clearly in Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind. This pengornis was actually not especially thick or long, and in conclusion, whether it was the old ranking list or the new one, it could only rank around the middle of the list, mainly due to its very nice shape. To be concise, it was straight and upright, the shaft tapering to its head slightly, looking a little like the head of a spear.


    Without thinking, Wu Xingzi wrapped his arms around his tummy, his face blushing red.


    ¡°Lord Meng is a frank and forthright person. Don¡¯t look at how refined and schrly he looks, he possesses an innate power within him. That year, he yed an important part in rooting out the weeds, and he can be considered Zhang Fei1 amongst the pengornises.¡±


    Zhang Fei? When Wu Xingzi recalled the Lord Zhang depicted in stories, he could not help but smile.


    The moment he smiled, from a distance not too far away, a pair of soft, gentle eyes fixed onto him, and a trace of gloom and bloodlust shed past those eyes.


    Wu Xingzi naturally did not notice it, but Hei¡¯er, who had been busy eating, lifted his head sharply, meeting that pair of eyes that made no attempt in concealing anything. The aloof, stern face of Commander Hei froze for a moment.


    The owner of that pair of eyes ignored him. Instead, he stared at the flushed Wu Xingzi who was whispering with Rancui, as though he could not rest if he did not swallow the man inside him.


    Now, Hei¡¯er was a little anxious. He turned his head, looking at Wu Xingzi, whose eyes were shining brightly, and who did not even touch the newly served dishes. Hesitating, he wondered if he should give Wu Xingzi a warning. Then, a scorching gaze was directed straight at him, almost burning two holes through his face. Hei¡¯er¡¯s heart jolted, and he decided to bend his head down and continue eating. As a subordinate, he had no rights to meddle in the matters of his masters.


    After Lord Meng, there were a series of other men putting their talents on disy, and Rancui introduced them one by one to Wu Xingzi. Each and every one could be matched to their ranking on Wu Xingzi¡¯s list of pengornises. Whether old or new, they had all been good pengornises upying Wu Xingzi¡¯s thoughts in the past month.


    Just as the atmosphere was heating up, twang! The sound of a qin was like a melody from heavens, as well as the morning dews. Making its way through the crowd, the sound hooked into everyone¡¯s heart, and in that moment, everyone was silent. Dozens of eyes searched for the source of the qin, darting around, and they did not even dare breath too loudly.


    Wu Xingzi was also one of them. His gaze traversed through various twists and turns, finally making its way to the pavilion furthest from him. The pavilions in Lianxiang Residences were all bamboo pavilions, pleasantly cool in the summer. The colour of the bamboo ddened the viewers¡¯ hearts, refreshing their minds. Some had their blinds half-lowered, some had the breeze blowing through, but as they were all bamboo pavilions, they all looked quite the same.


    Still, the pavilion emitting the sound of qin stood out clearly.


    The same bamboo pavilion, the same half-lowered blinds, however, as it was situated further from other pavilions, there was a higher density of lotus flowers and water chestnuts surrounding it. Looking at the pavilion from afar, it seemed as though it was floating on the lotus pads. Evidently, there was no difference in its construction from the other pavilions, but there was a sort of ethereal air about it.


    Perhaps, it was due to the man ying the qin within it!


    Wu Xingzi did not drink, but he felt as though he was drunk. Floating on the clouds, his whole body was inpletefort.


    That man should be Young Master Bai.


    Young Master Bai had his head half-tilted down, a wisp of his hair clinging to his fair, smooth cheek, fluttering in the wind. He was ying the qin with extreme focus, as though nothing else existed in the world. His turquoise green robe made him look even more delicate, and even an immortal banished from heavens could notpare!


    ¡°This melody has been written by Young Master Bai himself. I heard that it¡¯s called The Tree of Jianmu,¡± Rancui spoke quietly, then fell silent. It was not sure what he was looking at while sipping on his wine.


    The Tree of Jianmu¡­ Wu Xingzi revelled in the song, and the music felt as though it was brushing right against his heart. Along with the ethereal notes, the tiny disturbance became a slight ache, and it seemed as though he was looking at something that was once easily obtainable drifting further and further away from him.


    In his heart, he was clearly aware that that thing never belonged to him. This was the reason why he had let go of it as well. However, despite having done so, his heart had yet to do so. Although his heart could not put it down, he had no way of reaching out and taking it, and he could only stand right there, all alone, watching that person walk further and further away¡­ Still, this bridge between heaven and earth was not one that was easily traversed. Why else would Fu Xi fall back to earth at the veryst moment2?


    Just as the song became so indistinct as though it was about to stop, the audience in Lianxiang Residences all held their breaths, leaning forward unconsciously. Just as they were afraid that they had missed out a note, the music then sharpened abruptly, like the northern wind slicing through the air, cutting into them aggressively, and finally came to a sudden end.


    For a period of time, no one made a sound. As though possessed, they stared as Young Master Bai lifted his hands from the qin.


    In the past, Young Master Bai¡¯s music had always been refined and elegant, like a spring breeze dancing through the air. This was the first time it made the hearts of his listeners ache, a pain running through them. Thest section of the song caused the listeners to involuntarily recall how Fu Xi fell off the tree, how he was finally about to achieve his aim, only to fall back onto earth.


    However, Young Master Bai seemed to not notice how big a ripple his music had caused in the pond. Taking a handkerchief from a footboy who was offering it to him, he wiped his hands, before picking up his cup and holding it up in all directions, then tossed the contents down his throat. Perhaps because he had been in too much of a hurry while drinking, a couple of drops of wine overflowed from the corners of his mouth, sliding down his long and slender neck before they evaporated on the bobbing knot of his throat.


    In an instant, the mouths of the men in Lianxiang Residences turned dry. As though they were trying to conceal something, they all turned away, eating and drinking instead.


    As for Wu Xingzi, he seemed to have turned a blind eye to Young Master Bai¡¯s amorous disy. The delighted blush that had been on his face had already vanished, and he pressed tightly onto the left side of his chest, looking a little absent-minded.


    Seeing him like this, Rancui sighed silently and decided to pour a cup of wine for Wu Xingzi. ¡°Mr. Wu, have a drink.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­ Ai¡­ Many thanks.¡± Wu Xingzi seemed to not yet regain his wits. Taking the cup, he slowly sipped from it, taking a long time to finish one cup.


    With how distracted Wu Xingzi looked, both Rancui and Hei¡¯er knew who he was thinking of, but they could not say anything. If this was the past, Rancui might have taken the opportunity to take a stab at Guan Shanjin, but now¡­ He shot a look at a nearby pavilion. Inside it was a man who looked gentle and ordinary, and who had been staring only at Wu Xingzi right from the start.


    ¡°Bah, what a fool,¡± Rancui spat, before summoning an assistant and quietly giving him an instruction.


    The assistant nodded, then turned and ran off. A whileter, he brought a long bamboo case back with him. Heading towards the pavilion where Ping Yifan was, he handed the box over to him.


    Ping Yifan first frowned, directing a cold, sharp gaze at Rancui, before opening the case. A slight anxiety appeared on his face, and it took him a few seconds to regain his calm and gentle appearance as he took a flute out of the case.


    Soon, the melodious sound of a flute filled Lianxiang Residences. It was mild and bright, rising and falling with skill, brushing away the vague depression left behind by The Tree of Jianmu.


    Wu Xingzi recovered his wits as well. When he discovered who the one ying the flute was, a flush suffused his face. His eyes were starry, and his hand continuously shoved food into his mouth, looking as though he was having Ping Yifan with his food.


    Ai, he¡¯s definitely worthy of the top position on the list of pengornises!

 Chapter 74 - We Both Have Nothing, And So Coincidentally, We’re A Match

    Chapter 74 ¡ª We Both Have Nothing, And So Coincidentally, We¡¯re A Match


    If Ping Yifan¡¯s appearance had to be described, it was just like his name,mon and ordinary. In this gathering of the Peng Society, where guests had been carefully picked and selected, he could only be called in and forgettable.


    This did not mean that he was bad looking. His facial features were gentle, like the spring breeze, and the angles of his face perfectly soft, as though they had been smoothed out by water. A nce at him gave off a pleasant andfortable impression.


    Looking from another angle, his face looked like it had been carved by water. The angles were well defined, the lines of his face smooth. When everything came together, he did not look extraordinary, but like water that would never boil.


    Watching Ping Yifan y the flute, his hands fair and smooth as though carved from marble, his fingers slim and perfectly proportionate, and how they contrasted beautifully against the jade green flute, Wu Xingzi was dazed.


    The gentle melody dancing through Lianxiang Residences was like the delicate spring rain, unobtrusively pattering into the hearts of the listeners. It carried along with it a spontaneous aroma of lotus flowers, as well as the imagery of dew dripping off bamboo stalks.


    Eating the food made by the top chef in the capital, listening to the refreshing melody of the flute, and with the number one of his pengornises ranking in front of him, this was truly one of the best experiences in life.


    When the melody ended, Wu Xingzi could not help but apud, and the light shining so brightly in his eyes made Hei¡¯erment silently.


    Hearing his apuse, Ping Yifan gave a reserved smile, nodding slightly. He looked as though he was hesitating whether he shoulde up and speak with him. Wu Xingzi too was nervous as well. He was not someone ignorant of the world, and he naturally understood what could happen when two men found each other pleasing at the Peng Society gathering.


    However, he had originally thought that he was only here in the capacity of a guest, someone by the sidelines. After all, this was the capital, where talents and schrs were everywhere. Not only was the version of the capital¡¯s Pengornisseur thicker than the other cities, every man within was an outstanding one. Thinking about it, men from ordinary backgrounds would probably not want to be published within the pages of the Pengornisseur, as they would rather be a big fish in their small pond, than a small fish in the sea.


    Wu Xingzi himself had not appeared within the pages of the capital¡¯s version as well. His interest was not in finding a partner, but in the pengornis drawings instead. If not for Rancui¡¯s warm invitation, he might not even have attended the Peng Society gathering today. After all, he was much more interested in the fair going on outside the wall.


    But one could never predict what was lying in their future, and everything was destined! In this ce where beauties were abound, a Ping Yifan had appeared¡­ Wu Xingzi bowed his head, taking a few more bites of his food. His ears were tinged with a slight blush, and he wondered, should he be a little more initiative? Or should he wait for Ping Yifan to give a signal? Perhaps, he was also just attending the gathering as a simple guest.


    Once this thought appeared in his head, Wu Xingzi shrunk back and buried his head back into his food. He had not drank a lot, drinking tea instead of wine for the past five drinks. The cup of wine Rancui had given him to dispel his grey thoughts was enough to make him a little muddleheaded already. Intoxicated, he wanted to indulge a little, but he was always missing that little bit of determination and courage.


    However, before Ping Yifan had even taken a step, Young Master Bai hade by instead.


    Young Master Bai was called Bai Shaochang, his courtesy name Qiuxiao. Living on Qingzhu Lane, his father was the Great Xia¡¯s second to none qin musician. He learnt the art of qin from his father, and the pupil surpassed the teacher. Young Master Bai was now the top qin musician in the capital. His appearance was excellent as well, perfectly encapsting the type that Wu Xingzi admired ¡ª beautiful like a jade statue, ethereal, and otherworldly. Even Mr. Lu would seem like an ugly duckling in front of Young Master Bai.


    Following behind Young Master Bai was a footboy carrying a qin. He looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years of age, but he already had a rather tall stature. With a round face, he seemed very likeable, and his almond-shaped eyes were round and bright. Peering about impishly, he would give a friendly grin whenever he met anyone¡¯s eyes. Their hearts would soften, and they would not be as guarded with this pair of master and servant. With the boy around, Young Master Bai¡¯s unworldly and aloof temperament was reduced a little.


    ¡°Greetings to the manager.¡± It was as though Young Master Bai did not see Wu Xingzi and Hei¡¯er at all, acknowledging Rancui only.


    ¡°Greetings to Young Master Bai.¡± Rancui returned the sentiment, then spoke apologetically to Wu Xingzi, ¡°Mr. Wu, there¡¯s something I have to discuss with Young Master Bai. Why don¡¯t you walk around and take a look?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for the courtesy, Manager. The things I¡¯m mentioning are not important, and you don¡¯t have to ask your friend to withdraw.¡± Young Master Bai was very open, or perhaps he just did not care about them at all. After his footboy arranged a cushion for him, he lifted his robes slightly and took a seat, crossing his legs.


    Since that was the case, Rancui did not stand on courtesy anymore. He shifted the few dishes in front of him over to Wu Xingzi and baded him to eat, before pouring up cups of tea for both himself and Young Master Bai each.


    ¡°Go ahead, Young Master Bai. This is the bailu green tea produced from Panyun Mountain, please try it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Manager.¡± With half-lowered lids, Young Master Bai picked up the cup and had a sip. His brows twitched slightly, seeming a little surprised, and his expression too gentled by a lot, and it added more life to him.


    Sitting by the side, Wu Xingzi sneaked looks at the beauty. Long ago, in Bastion City, he had felt that Young Master Bai was very good looking, and he had been thinking about his music as well. To be able to fulfil his wishes today, he wondered if it was his ancestors bestowing their care and concern for him.


    However, the longer Wu Xingzi stared at Young Master Bai, the more uneasy Hei¡¯er was. Periodically, he would look up, ncing over towards Ping Yifan¡¯s direction. As for Ping Yifan, hepletely ignored Hei¡¯er, holding up his wine cup as he ate and drank with amusement.


    On this side, after a moment of silence, Young Master Bai finally spoke quietly, ¡°Manager, you must have heard the news. I¡¯ve found my right person already.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Young Master Bai.¡± Rancui neither denied nor confirmed his statement, smiling as he toasted him with a cup of tea instead of wine. ¡°Here¡¯s to Young Master Bai having a happy ever after with your partner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your well wishes.¡± Young Master Bai put his cup down, cupping his hands together. His fair and wless face revealed a slight blush, momentarily livening up his ethereal, fairy-like face.


    ¡°Is your partner featured in the Pengornisseur?¡± Rancui had not ced any emphasis on his words when he spoke, but Young Master Bai froze slightly, inexplicably revealing some distress as he shook his head.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not.¡± Young Master Bai shot a probing nce towards Rancui, but he could not see through Rancui¡¯s expression. Stroking his teacup, his tone was a little hesitant. ¡°Did the news not reach your ears?¡±


    Others had said that the Peng Society was very well informed, especially with regards to the matters of its members. Although in the capital, only his intimate friends, which could be counted on one hand, knew about what had happened to him recently, the Peng Society should already have found out about it, and it was a little inappropriate for them to invite him to this gathering.


    As such, he deliberately sought Rancui out to speak to him. After all, his heart now belonged to another, and he should no longer remain as part of the Peng Society. However, due to his partner¡¯s special status, Young Master Bai had to hide this from his family as well, and thus he still had to look to be part of the Peng Society. The letters from his partner also had been disguised as letters from other penpals, and when Bai Shaochang thought about how unknowing Peng Society members were still sending him letters, he felt very sorry. Thus, he gritted his teeth,ing forward to confess to Rancui instead, and he hoped that Rancui could do him a favour.


    Rancui smiled, not giving a response. Instead, he filled up both their teacups again.


    After waiting a few beats, Bai Shaochang knew that the other party had no intentions of giving a reply, and he had no choice but to continue, ¡°The partner I¡¯ve met is not in the Peng Society. I know that the Peng Society has its rules, and people with partners should step down from the Pengornisseur.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Bai is very understanding.¡± Rancui nodded, a smile curling around his lips and his eyes were half-lidded. This frightened Bai Shaochang.


    ¡°I know that this is against your will, and it also doesn¡¯tply with the Peng Society¡¯s rules, but¡­¡± Bai Shaochang gritted his teeth, ncing towards Wu Xingzi. Wu Xingzi happened to just shove an egg into his mouth, and he met the eyes of Young Master Bai with bulging cheeks. A momentter, he curled up into himself, retreating with awareness.


    Both leaving and staying were awkward. Wu Xingzi was unable to extricate himself from this difficult situation.


    Although he had only withdrawn a slight distance, Young Master Bai¡¯s voice was no longer that clear.


    Wu Xingzi wondered silently, what sort of strapping man was worthy of Young Master Bai, who was so very wonderful. However, his thoughts were quickly drawn to Ping Yifan, seated nearby.


    Ping Yifan was currently drinking alone. His ying of the flute just now did not attract the appreciation or curiosity of too many people. After all, in this gathering, outstanding people were abound. Although Ping Yifan yed the flute very well, in the ears that were used to the best music, he could not be ssified as a brilliant musician. Instead, he was thought to be rather unimaginative. Furthermore, he had yed after Young Master Bai¡¯s ¡°The Tree of Jianmu¡±, and inparison, his song was unable to cause any waves or ripples.


    With regards to appearance, Ping Yifan was too dull looking. His temperament was clearly rather carefree, but very unremarkable. Naturally, he was quickly forgotten by the various noble attendees. After all, if one did not have an excellent family background, they should at least have talent, and at the very least, they should have a face of unsurpassable beauty.


    Both Ping Yifan and Wu Xingzi met none of these criteria. As such, even though the gathering was very lively, there was a radius of quiet around the both of them.


    Wu Xingzi could not put to words why he was so attracted to Ping Yifan. Justst night, he had dreamt about Guan Shanjin, and the two had been so intimate in his dreams. His semen-stained pants were still hidden in one corner of his chest, and he really had to find an opportunity to throw it away.


    As though noticing his gaze, Ping Yifan lifted his head, his view slowly shifting. Very quickly, his eyes met Wu Xingzi¡¯s. He blinked, looking a little startled, then his lips curled up into a faint, warm smile.


    Wu Xingzi rubbed his chest unconsciously. His heart pounded, and it seemed as though it was going to pound its way out.


    Ping Yifan nced towards Rancui and Young Master Bai, his eyes finally falling upon Hei¡¯er. The towering man trembled slightly without Wu Xingzi noticing. Putting down the chopsticks in his head, his tanned face seemed to turn even darker.


    ¡°Master.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Hei¡¯er stood up and called out to Wu Xingzi.


    Wu Xingzi was biting on his chopsticks. He had just shoved a chunk of braised pork into his mouth, and his cheeks puffed out, like a mouse stealing food, as he looked at Hei¡¯er nkly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity toe to Lianxiang Residences. Won¡¯t you like to explore the ce?¡± Actually, there was no need for that. The scenery of Lianxiang Residences could be seenpletely from within the bamboo pavilion. If they walked over to where there were no lotus flowers, it would even be dull and boring, the ces hidden away. This was why Rancui had selected such a ce after great thought, as the corners were very convenient for people who caught each other¡¯s eyes.


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly swallowed the braised pork in his mouth, nodding away. ¡°I should, I should¡­ Rancui¡­¡±


    Young Master Bai had already left at a time unknown to him. Rancui was holding a cup, sipping from it. It seemed like he had drank a little too much, his cheeks blushing a peony-red, and he was eyeing Hei¡¯er, a faint, vague smile on his face.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s good that Mr. Wu wants to walk around. There¡¯s no need for Commander Hei for that. Would you apany me for a drink?¡±


    ¡°Manager, please excuse me. I¡¯m only a boorish man, and I¡¯m afraid of causing any offence if drunk.¡± Hei¡¯er had to stick to Wu Xingzi and protect him, so he naturally refused Rancui.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you offending me.¡± Rancui chuckled lowly, lifting his hand and waving it at Hei¡¯er. His wide sleeves slid down, revealing a well-proportionate, fair and slender arm. Under the summer sun, it was smooth and clean, causing one¡¯s desire to lick at them.


    Wu Xingzi saw that Rancui was clearly a little drunk. Although he had some employees with him, they were busy running about, and they probably had no time to take care of Rancui. He also did not want to speak with Ping Yifan under Hei¡¯er¡¯s watchful eyes, and after weighing it, with a slight unnaturalness, he spoke to Hei¡¯er guiltily, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just stay with Rancui? Lianxiang Residences is only so big, and everyone¡¯s from the Peng Society. Nothing will happen.¡±


    Hei¡¯er wanted to say something, but his neck and shoulders stiffened abruptly. Although the movement was fleeting, Wu Xingzi still noticed that something was wrong. Just as he was about to ask, Hei¡¯er spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your instructions, and I¡¯ll have a few drinks with the manager. Master, you¡­ don¡¯t go too far from the lotus pond.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s head bobbed a few times. He only just wanted to go over to Ping Yifan¡¯s pavilion and speak to him. After all, this was just their first meeting, and he could not do anything so lewd and daring!


    Watching Wu Xingzi joyfully head towards Ping Yifan, Hei¡¯er sighed gloomily. Turning his head, he took away the wine cup in Rancui¡¯s hand, tossing its content back before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t drink anymore, you¡¯re still ill.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re actually showing me some concern?¡± Rancui snorted augh, turning and supporting himself against the railing. Seeing how Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin body was so happy, as though it was about to bloom, his chest felt stifled. ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll see how you¡¯d exin this to Mr. Wu in the future.¡±

 Chapter 75 - As The Saying Goes, To Be Hoisted By One’s Own Petard

    Chapter 75 ¡ª As The Saying Goes, To Be Hoisted By One¡¯s Own Petard


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    To ensure the serenity, the bamboo pavilions were situated quite a distance apart. They seemed to be nearby, but the paths leading to each other were actually cleverly made, twisting and winding around. Although the paths were not sheltered, the trees provided shade. With the cool breeze carrying with it the fragrance of the lotus flowers, the journey was not warm and unbearable.


    The pavilion Ping Yifan was in had three other men in it as well, and Rancui had introduced them to Wu Xingzi just now too. They were schrs from poor and humble families, and in the capital where riches and power led the way, they still were neither supercilious nor obsequious, bing officials based on their own abilities. To be able to have their own ce in the capital like this, it showed how much strength they had in them.


    Coincidentally, these three men had once lingered on the pengornis ranking for a few days. Wu Xingzi did not know how Rancui was so clearly aware about it, and he now suddenly felt a swell of embarrassment rushing up within him.


    The closer he got to the pavilion, the harder Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pounded. He was, after all, a shy and reserved person. Whether it was Yan Wenxin in the past, or Anshengter on, and even Guan Shanjin, he had never taken the initiative to show them his regards. He only dared to admire them in silence. But now, he did not know how he managed to muster up the courage this time.


    There were still other people in the pavilion, what could he say to not sound brusque and impolite? Wu Xingzi twisted his fingers around his sleeves, his knees knocking together. His forehead was covered in sweat, and he hesitated, wondering if he should enter.


    However, he did not expect that the three people were rather clever. Seeing that he had finally taken a step into the pavilion, they swiftly cupped their hands together and greeted him, before finding an excuse to leave.


    Perhaps, they saw others whom they were interested in too? Wu Xingzi released a breath of relief, and a smile appeared on his face as well. With somewhat floaty steps, he walked over to Ping Yifan and stopped in front of him, giving him a bow.


    ¡°Hello, Ping-gongzi.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too courteous¡­¡± Ping Yifan hurriedly stood up and bowed back, looking a little uncertain. This was not surprising, as he had only met Wu Xingzi just that once. He did not even know his name, and he was trying to recall the drawings in the Pengornisseur, trying to match Wu Xingzi with one of the entries.


    However, Wu Xingzi was not featured within the pages of the Pengornisseur at all. Or rather, ever since Guan Shanjin had left his mark on him, other than the copies of the Pengornisseur Wu Xingzi had in his hands, his images and background on all other copies were falsified, so as to allow him to have an easier time of amassing his collection of pengornis drawings only.


    At first, Rancui refused to allow such an irregr practice to ur. However, the strength of one¡¯s arm could never be stronger than that of one¡¯s thigh. Although both his boss and his boss¡¯s partner were very powerful, they were still unable to go head to head with Guan Shanjin who had the might of the army in his hand. Furthermore, his boss had no reason to stop Guan Shanjin from owing him a favour, and hence the only one left against it was Rancui, who was quickly defeated.


    However, Wu Xingzi knew nothing about this matter.


    He only thought that he did not appear on the capital¡¯s edition of the Pengornisseur, and he still had his entry in the edition of the southern border¡¯s one. After all, in the future, he would still be going home, and towards this, he held no suspicions.


    ¡°Ping-gongzi, I can¡¯t be found in the capital¡¯s edition of the Pengornisseur. It¡¯s only because of the manager¡¯s invitation that I thickened my skin, ande to share in this grand asion.¡±


    Hearing Wu Xingzi¡¯s exnation, Ping Yifan understood. Revealing a warm and friendly smile, he nodded. ¡°So I see. Then I wouldn¡¯t stand on courtesy any longer. May I know your name?¡±


    ¡°My family name¡¯s Wu, and my name is Wu Xingzi. I¡¯m a man of Qingcheng County, and I¡¯ve seen quite a number of years go by already. In the past, I was an adviser in the magistrate¡¯s office of Qingcheng County, and in the future, I¡¯d still be returning to Qingcheng County to work as an adviser. With no elderly or young ones in my family, I¡¯m living alone. Although I have no properties to my name, I have a good resting ce settled already. That is truly a great ce, and it¡¯s quitefortable even for two people.¡± Wu Xingzi spilled the beans about himself. He looked sober and shy, but in actual fact, the alcohol from the cup of wine just now had already kicked in, and he had long been drunk.


    Wu Xingzi himself did not know that he liked Ping Yifan this much. It was just like that year when he saw Yan Wenxin standing amongst the peach trees, his heart flying towards him with no turning back, and there was no way he could stop himself. All he could think about was this person in front of him, and Guan Shanjin had long been shoved into some corner, collecting dust.


    ¡°A resting ce?¡± Ping Yifan froze, a shadow shing past in the depths of his mild, gentle eyes. ¡°Listening to Adviser Wu, you like me?¡±


    He already sounded rather tactful. ording to what Wu Xingzi said just now, he had basically asked Ping Yifan if he would like to share the same grave.


    How was this just a simple like? No one would object if this was described as a deeply rooted love. Who would believe that this was only the first time Wu Xingzi and Ping Yifan had met each other, and that they had only spoken less than five minutes with each other?


    ¡°Yes, I like you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi stared foolishly at Ping Yifan¡¯s face, nodding. If he was a little more sober, he would probably be ashamed to death by his own boldness, and there definitely had to be a period of around two to three months before he would dare face Ping Yifan again.


    ¡°Why do you like me? Adviser Wu and I have only shared a chance meeting, and we¡¯ve only spoken for such a short time. Such great kindness, I¡¯m¡­¡± Before Ping Yifan could finish his rejection, Wu Xingzi had lurched a couple of steps forward. Their breaths mingled together in the air. Smelling a waft of the alcoholic fragranceing from Wu Xingzi, the man¡¯s tongue turned clumsy.


    Wu Xingzi came even closer, twitching the tip of his nose as he sniffed at Ping Yifan¡¯s scent.


    ¡°You¡­ smell so good.¡± It was the mix of white sandalwood and orange blossom fragrance he was very familiar with, smelling both cold and elegant.


    Embarrassment set upon Ping Yifan¡¯s face. He seemed to want to withdraw, but was afraid of hurting Wu Xingzi¡¯s feelings. With that moment of hesitation, he could see that Wu Xingzi was about to tuck himself into his arms, and Ping Yifan had no choice but to hold his hands out and stop him.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, discovering that he was no longer able to get closer to Ping Yifan. He first moved his hands, then moved his legs. He looked at his freely moving limbs, troubled. Why was he unable to get closer?


    ¡°You drank?¡± Looking at how foolish Wu Xingzi seemed, Ping Yifan¡¯s heart could not help but soften. Supporting him, they sat down on the cushions. Wu Xingzi¡¯s head leant on Ping Yifan¡¯s shoulder, and Ping Yifan¡¯s fingers moved, finally clenching into a fist and resting on his own knee.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a cup, it doesn¡¯t count.¡± Surrounded by a familiar scent, Wu Xingzi was clearly delighted. He sniffed hard in the air, holding in his breath before carefully exhaling, then inhaled deeply again.


    Ping Yifan looked at him. Wu Xingzi did not seem drunk, but his behaviour could not be considered normal. His eyes falling upon the wine cup on the table, he massaged his temples with his thumbs, his head hurting a little.


    The wine served at this gathering was definitely a good one. The aged wine of Sonochun tasted both gentle and warm, its fragrance cold and enchanting. Drinking it, it was smooth, and its alcoholic effect was not strong. However, for Wu Xingzi, it would still have quite an effect.


    Every angle of Ping Yifan was a delight to Wu Xingzi. Leaning on his shoulder for only a moment, he started bing restless again. A thin, clumsy old fellow shifted about, thinking that he was being very subtle, worming from his own cushion into Ping Yifan¡¯s arms. His foolish face nuzzled into the man¡¯s broad chest, his fleshy nose ttening against it. Such an ugly image first made Ping Yifan chuckle, but his breezy smile quickly faded away, and he bent his head, staring coldly at the half-lidded, satisfied old fellow in his arms.


    He pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s squashed nose, then pinched that smiling face of his, and the man in his arms allowed him to do whatever he wanted. Not only did Wu Xingzi not struggle, he even slid his arms around him, hugging his trim waist tightly and refusing to let go.


    Even the chinese dodder wrapping itself around a tree did not cling as tightly as Wu Xingzi. Ping Yifan could not harden his heart to push the man away, and with a gloomy expression, he was in his own thoughts.


    It was the opposite for Wu Xingzi. Finding afortable spot in Ping Yifan¡¯s arms, he fell asleep.


    Hearing the old fellow¡¯s steady breathing, Ping Yifan could not resist pinching his cheek hard again, only letting go when the skin reddened under his fingers. Frowning, he struggled for a little while, but still ended up tucking the man into his embrace. He shifted him into a position that did not cause his face to be squashed, as it would not befortable sleeping with an out-of-shape nose.


    The three people who had left the pavilion had also returned, and one of them spoke to Ping Yifan, ¡°Master, are you bringing Mr. Wu back?¡±


    ¡°Back there?¡± Because of drinking, the man in his arms felt warm and toasty, emitting heat like a little burner. Very quickly, sweat umted in his arms, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s forehead and nose beaded with sweat as well. He clearly was very warm, but he still wanted to cling onto Ping Yifan.


    Clicking his tongue lightly, Ping Yifan took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped Wu Xingzi¡¯s sweat away for him. The three subordinates had never seen Ping Yifan so gentle and meticulous before, looking so very soft.


    They exchanged looks, and one of them finally braced himself, asking, ¡°Umm¡­ Does Master n on bringing Mr. Wu back to the estate?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ping Yifan objected without even having to think about it. Looking at the heartless man in his arms, Ping Yifan was feeling annoyed, but he could not bear to abandon him here. ¡°Tell Rancui, I¡¯m sending Wu Xingzi back right now, and don¡¯t let him drink any wine again in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The people immediately left after listening to the instructions.


    Wu Xingzi was enjoying his sleep, smacking his lips as though he was enjoying some delicacy. Ping Yifan clenched his fist, enduring. Finally, he did not take the opportunity to steal a kiss, rather, he carefully lifted the man up, and they left Lianxiang Residences.


    Exiting from the back door, they did not bump into the crowd from the fair. With Ping Yifan¡¯s ordinary appearance, as well as him carrying a man in his arms, the youngdies watching the bustle did not disturb them. Only a few clustered together, ncing at them while whispering to each other with reddened faces, and peals of spine chillingughter asionally rang out from them.


    Once in the carriage, Ping Yifan again wiped away the sweat on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. He had originally intended on removing Wu Xingzi¡¯s outer robe, so as to prevent him from feeling stifled from the heat. However, Wu Xingzi was still hugging him tightly, and he was unable to separate the two of them. The entire time, Wu Xingzi kept trying to draw himself even closer to Ping Yifan.


    With no choice, Ping Yifan could only continue holding onto him. Periodically, he would pat him, afraid that the old fellow would have a nightmare that would affect his sleep, and that he might have a hangover after waking up.


    When they arrived at Rancui¡¯s mansion, Hei¡¯er was already waiting at the door. Once he saw Ping Yifan pull the curtain open, he immediately went forward, wanting to carry Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°No need for that. May Commander Hei just show me the way.¡± Ping Yifan avoided Hei¡¯er¡¯s hand, raising his chin instead.


    Seeing this feigned attitude, Hei¡¯er¡¯s expression was slightly distressed. He sighed secretly, then led the man in ordingly.


    After setting Wu Xingzi down, Ping Yifan did not stay. Before he left, he quietly instructed Hei¡¯er, ¡°Tell Wu Xingzi that I¡¯d visit him two dayster. If he really has the intentions to make friends, we can go for an outing then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mister. I¡¯ll pass the message on to Mr. Wu.¡± Hei¡¯er cupped his hands together as he agreed. However, Ping Yifan¡¯s mood did not seem to improve. Snorting coldly, he left after putting the curtain down.


    Only when the carriage could no longer be seen did Hei¡¯er then lift his head up, wiping away the cold sweat gathering on his forehead.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Look at how much you¡¯re flinching. Does Ping Yifan eat people?¡± A pair of snow-white arms clung onto Hei¡¯er¡¯s neck, and the smell of alcohol mixed with the fragrance of lotus flowers wafted past his ear. Very quickly, the ear flushed red.


    ¡°You clearly know what¡¯s going on.¡± Resigned, Hei¡¯er pulled the arms down from his neck, tucking the person into his arms.


    ¡°Hmph! You bastard. Everything, whether it¡¯s good or bad, pleasant or rotten, when given by your master, you¡¯re able to swallow it all down, not fearing that you¡¯d upset your stomach at all.¡± Irritated, Rancui smacked the firm arm around his waist. With a cold tone, he spoke, ¡°Let go. Clinging on like this, how will this seem to others?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to your room. You¡¯re drunk.¡± Hei¡¯er sighed. How was this the gathering of the Peng Society today? It was more like a banquet disguised as a trap.


    ¡°How can I not know whether I¡¯m drunk or not?¡± Rancui sneered. Due to the alcohol, his face was like a red peony, and he had long lost his previous aloofness. Looking just like a seductive demon who could suck the vital energy out of anyone, a lift of his lids was enough to hook a man¡¯s heart out of his chest.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re not drunk. However, you¡¯ve drank a fair bit already, do you want to go back to your room to rest?¡±


    ¡°No way, the gathering has yet to conclude. I have to go back and hold down the fort.¡± Refusing with a shake of his head, Rancui truly could not be considered drunk. If not for worrying about Wu Xingzi, he would not have left Lianxiang Residences at this time,ing back with Hei¡¯er.


    ¡°Would you like to have a bowl of sobering soup before heading back?¡± Looking at how charming Rancui¡¯s drunken state was, Hei¡¯er was not very willing to let this man go back.


    ¡°Get the kitchen to prepare the soup, then send a bowl over to me.¡± Rancui nced at him, a vague smile curling around his lips as he wrapped an arm around Hei¡¯er¡¯s neck. ¡°There, I¡¯ll have to trouble Commander Hei to send me back to Lianxiang Residences.¡±


    Just now, it was Hei¡¯er who carried him here using qinggong. This time, of course he had to do the same, and use qinggong to carry him back.


    Hei¡¯er waspletely helpless against Rancui. Sighing, he lifted the man up in his arms, before leaping up onto the roof.

 Chapter 76 - No Matter How Painful Getting Hoisted By One’s Own Petard Is, It’s Self-Inflicted

    Chapter 76 ¨C No Matter How Painful Getting Hoisted By One¡¯s Own Petard Is, It¡¯s Self-Inflicted


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    As Guan Shanjin¡¯s Vice General, Man Yue was so busy that he barely had any time to breath. Despite finally managing toe back to the capital to submit their reports, he had no time to return to his own home, and he still lived in his old room back in the Protector General¡¯s estate.


    Today was a rare event where he had managed to steal a few hours for a breather. Man Yue opened every window in his room. The nts and trees in the yard were lush and green, and there were also clusters of bushes and low trees, providing a refreshing andforting sight.


    Although the summer sun was scorching hot, there was still a cool breeze blowing in the afternoon, apanied by the chirping of the cicadas. With some iced fruit wine next to him, he flipped through a few pages of a book he had read months ago as he chewed on a stick of spicy jerky, falling into the story of the top schr battling the princess, which finally culminated with a child being born.


    The scene was the top schr pointing right at the princess¡¯s nose, reproaching her, ¡°They all said that the princess is virtuous and kind hearted, never saying a word of evil, and never probing one¡¯s skeletons in the closet. Although female, she¡¯sparable to a man seven-foot tall! Who would have known that all these were only rumours? Now that I¡¯ve seen it for myself today, I have no choice but to suspect that these were all lies spread by the princess herself! Such a young girl, yet so deplorable to the bones! How could I, Top Schr, marry such a vicious woman like you?!¡±


    Man Yue rocked back and forth withughter. The top schr of this book actually had the first name Schr and thest name Top!


    How would the princess respond to this arrogant and bossy Top Schr? Man Yue wiped his tears ofughter away, drinking a mouthful of his fruit wine before picking up another piece of spicy jerky to chew at. He flipped to the next page eagerly¡­ And the door to his room mmed open! Man Yue nearly fell off his seat in shock, only to see his door bounce close from mming into the wall and then it was kicked open again. With a crack, a part of the door came loose, and it swung there limply.


    Man Yue tossed away the jerky in his hand, leaping up and watching Guan Shanjin, who upon entering the room, ripped off the mask that gave him an ordinary appearance. The almost demonically beautiful face was furious, and before Man Yue could open his mouth, the man lifted his leg to kick the table in front of him over.


    ¡°Uhh, this is¡­¡± Although Man Yue was staying in the Protector General¡¯spound, the furniture in the room had all been paid for by himself. It was not that the Protector General was stingy, just that he preferred furnishing his own ce of residence.


    This table that had been kicked over was made of top quality Chinese rosewood. He had been using it very carefully over the years, and even when he was not in the capital, he would assign people to take care of it. The wood was both warm and smooth to touch, and Man Yue¡¯s heart was now dripping with blood.


    ¡°He actually invited someone to share his grave!¡± Guan Shanjin threw the mask hard on the ground. With a threatening look in his eyes, he lifted his foot, about to stamp on the mask. Fortunately, he managed to hold himself back, using the tip of his foot to kick the mask into Man Yue¡¯s hand. Like an injured beast prowling across the ground, his footsteps were so heavy that he almost shattered the stone bs under him.


    ¡°Mr. Wu?¡± Catching the mask, Man Yue hurriedly stored it in a box. This mask had cost quite a bit of money, and also, it was difficult to find the maker of such masks. After he finished constructing this mask, he had disappeared off to somewhere unknown. For future meetings, Man Yue had to keep the mask properly, or Guan Shanjin would end up taking out his anger on it.


    ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Guan Shanjin red at Man Yue in rage. ¡°Say, he has been treasuring that graveyard of his, and all he has been thinking about is to rest there in peace for his afterlife. For that cherished plot ofnd, he even saved money to buy a Liuzhou coffin! Why did he not invite me to share the burial spot? Don¡¯t even mention a Liuzhou coffin, I can even pluck the stars from the sky and bury them with him!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two just meet for the first time?¡± Man Yue too was astonished. He was well aware of the sort of person Wu Xingzi was, timid and shy. Even when he saw something he liked, he would never dare reach out to it. Why this sudden change in character?


    ¡°Hmph! The moment he saw Ping Yifan, it was just like how ants look at sugar! His thieving eyes were basically glued to Ping Yifan. Did he think that no one discovered his intentions? What¡¯s so good about Ping Yifan? Hmm?¡± As Guan Shanjin spoke, he again kicked the fallen Chinese rosewood table in fury,pletely shattering the table which had barely retained its structure into fragments.


    Man Yue¡¯s heart clenched. He was truly afraid of Guan Shanjin using his furniture to vent his anger. Every time this Great General was angry, he would destroy things. How could he be so wasteful!


    ¡°Wait, you were the one whomanded others to create Ping Yifan¡¯s appearance specially. It¡¯s not surprising that Mr. Wu would like it.¡± As Man Yue spoke, he herded Guan Shanjin into a chair, pushing a jug of fruit wine into his hand, hoping that it would abate his anger.


    Unfortunately, he had underestimated the fury that Wu Xingzi had set aze in Guan Shanjin. Guan Shanjin lifted the jug to his mouth and gulped down the entire contents within, emptying it. He tossed the empty jug back at Man Yue, saying darkly, ¡°Yes, this old fellow didn¡¯t dare to like me, but dared to like a face that shared about a 50% simrity with mine. This means that if I were just a little uglier, he would feel more at ease! Such an ugly thing, how dare he be together with another hideous one? Isn¡¯t he afraid of hurting the eyes of passersby? Fuck him!¡± Spewing such vulgarities, it could be seen how furious Guan Shanjin was because of Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°What did Ping Yifan do? With that quail-like character of Mr. Wu, no matter how much he likes a person, he would never take the initiative to offer himself up like this. If you did not flirt with him, even if he had the guts of a hundred people, he would never have the courage to invite Ping Yifan to be buried with him, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Ping Yifan had only yed a song on the flute. Dry and monotonous,pletely void of spirits, only a philistine like him would like it.¡± Speaking maliciously, Guan Shanjin pursed his lips.


    It could only be said that when a man got jealous, there was no longer any rationality left in him. Ping Yifan was clearly a character yed by Guan Shanjin, but just because Wu Xingzi favoured him more, Guan Shanjin insulted him very bitterly the moment he removed the mask. In the end, wasn¡¯t he just cursing himself?


    ¡°Mr. Wu has always liked listening to songs. Furthermore, you are truly very good looking when you y the flute. Isn¡¯t it expected that he would like you?¡± Man Yue had no choice but to tter this boss of his, despite knowing very well that what he said would be of no use.


    As expected, Guan Shanjin red at him in anger. ¡°The one ying the flute wasn¡¯t me, it was Ping Yifan! The one whom Wu Xingzi likes isn¡¯t me, it¡¯s Ping Yifan! If he stares at Ping Yifan again like that, I¡¯ll find a day to dig his eyes out!¡±


    Just dig them out if you have the guts to do so! Man Yue roared silently in his heart.


    No matter how harsh and vicious Guan Shanjin was now, the moment he saw Wu Xingzi, he would only be a paper tiger. What use was there to keep ring at him, he should just go re at the old quail he kept talking about!


    However, it had to be said that Guan Shanjin really understood Wu Xingzi, probably even more than Wu Xingzi knew himself.


    Ping Yifan had talent, but he was not someone outstanding. His appearance was congenial, but very ordinary and not eye-catching at all. His temperament was very gentle, cid and mild like water. Most importantly, every single characteristic was basically a faded version of Guan Shanjin. Wu Xingzi thought that he liked Ping Yifan, but the truth was that the one he was thinking about was still Guan Shanjin. Unknowingly, he was attracted to this faded version of Guan Shanjin, falling instantly in love.


    Everything had been within Guan Shanjin¡¯s expectations, right from the start of the pengornis drawing. Man Yue was unwilling to recall that day, when he experienced what it meant to not be able to shed a tear while weeping. Guan Shanjin had barged into his room with his own pengornis drawing, instructing him to draw another copy from it. However, he had to ¡°apply a little makeup and adorn it in red¡±¡­ Man Yue was stunned. Was this phrase meant to be used on a pengornis? Why did it sound so strange!


    Furthermore, hepletely did not want to know what Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis looked like! Ahh, his poor eyes¡­ s!


    After finally managing to produce a pengornis drawing, Guan Shanjin then requested him to add colour to it¡­ What colour? Pink?! Man Yue felt extremely suffocated. He gave up and decided to paint it the colour of plum blossoms in March. Who would have thought that Guan Shanjin would be so satisfied?! He then submitted both the drawing of the pengornis and Ping Yifan¡¯s appearance to Rancui, and only then did he have the opportunity to attend the gathering of the Peng Society.


    This was basically what people meant when they said to be hoisted by one¡¯s own petard.


    ¡°Since you dislike the fact that Mr. Wu likes Ping Yifan, then just don¡¯t let Ping Yifan appear again. Mr. Wu is not a persistent person, and he will quickly forget this sudden bout of affection, returning to his varied and colourful pengornis drawings.¡± Man Yue took the opportunity to stop a footboy walking by, instructing him to bring more fruit wine over. Who knew how long Guan Shanjin would be angry for? It was the perfect time to drink away their sorrows.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arranged to meet up with him two dayster for a hike,¡± Guan Shanjin said gloomily after a short pause.


    Man Yue really wanted to kneel down to him. ¡°Oh my Great General! My best bro! The weather is so hot now, why are you hiking? Your skin is thick and rough, so you¡¯re not afraid of the heat, but that¡¯s not the case for Mr. Wu!¡±


    Guan Shanjin red fiercely at Man Yue. ¡°Oh? You sure know how to show concern, don¡¯t you?¡±


    This was truly an unwarranted anger.


    Man Yue hurriedly shook his head, spreading his palms open. ¡°The one person I¡¯ve always been concerned about is you, my boss! Think about it, if Mr. Wu feels ufortable, and falls sick from the heat, whose heart would be the one aching? In any case, it wouldn¡¯t be me, my heart will be aching for the person whose heart is aching for him.¡±


    Guan Shanjin was left speechless, and he reached out, pinching Man Yue¡¯s fat and soft chin. ¡°What a glib tongue.¡±


    Man Yue sighed internally. He should have been considered to have passed this round. Adjusting his face back to a normal expression, he persuaded, ¡°Haiwang-gege, I know that you can¡¯t let go of Mr. Wu, and you want to continue pampering him and doting on him using Ping Yifan¡¯s identity. However, don¡¯t forget, if Mr. Wu really ends up falling for Ping Yifan, how would you exin it then?¡±


    How would he exin it? In his heart, Guan Shanjin was also fretting over this matter. He had originally thought that he would at most be friends through the pigeon express with Wu Xingzi as Ping Yifan. ording to Wu Xingzi¡¯s character, he would not like another man so quickly in such a short period of time. Even if Ping Yifan was full of fantastic qualities, Guan Shanjin should at least still have a proper ce in his heart, right?


    Unexpectedly, he had been proven entirely wrong.


    Wu Xingzi was a person with a steel backbone wrapped in softness. Things that he had made a decision upon, he would carry it out fully. He would never be half-hearted over it, neither faltering nor hesitant once he had decided. Saying that he wanted to end his feelings for Guan Shanjin, it meant that he was really going to do it.


    Even if he still could not let go of his feelings for now, identally having a wet dream which showed his lingering feelings, he was still very firm about his decision, and he would not be easily shaken from it.


    At a moment like this, with the appearance of someone like Ping Yifan, how could he not fall for him? This man had everything he appreciated, but was so very calm and cid. He basically was the perfect man the heavens had created for him! Together with the influence of alcohol, Wu Xingzi naturally mustered up his courage to seek out this affection.


    Guan Shanjin understood Wu Xingzi¡¯s preferences, but never understood what his thoughts were. He deserved being trapped in this pit of his own making.


    Of course Man Yue saw everything clearly, but what could he say? It was already unprecedented for Guan Shanjin to do so much in this rtionship, but to employ the wrong method would only result in him being left empty-handed.


    He wanted to persuade Guan Shanjin, but when the words were at the tip of his tongue, he ended up swallowing them down.


    Guan Shanjin had to taste the bitter fruit of his own making himself. After all, the one who wanted to woo his spouse was the Great General Guan, and not him, Vice General Man. How did it make sense for him to be the oneying all the schemes?


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s really quite a number of people keeping an eye out on your marriage.¡± Man Yue decided to change the topic. They did not return to the capital for any love affairs, there were still many things they had in n.


    ¡°He took the bait?¡± Guan Shanjin snorted, tapping his toes on the floor. ¡°I heard Bai Shaochang y The Tree of Jianmu today at the gathering of the Peng Society. What a pity for his loyal and devoted heart.¡±


    ¡°I also received a letter from him. He¡¯s inviting you to go listen to the qin.¡± Man Yue walked over to his table, ruffling through the papers on it. Finding the invitation, he handed it to Guan Shanjin.


    The top quality Chengxin Tang paper1 was smooth and thick to the touch, the flowers drawn on the top proud and unyielding, exuding a pleasant, refreshing feeling.


    ¡°How considerate,¡± Guan Shanjin chuckled, tucking the invitation into his clothes. ¡°And how can I disappoint Bai-gongzi? Say, doesn¡¯toshi like listening to him ying the qin too?¡±


    ¡°If you say he likes it, then he will like it,¡± Man Yue responded heartlessly with augh.


    ¡°A good way of saying it.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curled up coldly, his eyes narrowing in thought.

 Chapter 77 - Yan Wenxin

    Chapter 77 ¨C Yan Wenxin


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    In the suburbs of the capital, there was a Taoist temple called Chongxu Guan. The royals of the Great Xia dynasty followed both Buddhism and Taoism, and many of their customs, temples and rituals were a mix of both religions. However, Chongxu Guan was a very traditional temple, a rare sight in the Great Xia. It had many believers, and it received the royals¡¯ great trust, so it was responsible for the annual ceremony of the emperor¡¯s sacrifice to heavens.


    Chongxu Guan was located at Qingyun Peak, about a half-day journey from the capital. Qingyun Peak was not extremely inessible or dangerous, its terrain gentle, and the scenery along the way was beautiful. Not only were there rugged mountains and towering rocks, there were also fields of blooming flowers, the variation ofndscapes causing one to be unable to take them all in. After the gradual incline of the mountain, the height then rose steeply near Chongxu Guan. One needed to climb nine hundred and ny-nine stone steps before they were able to reach the gates of the temple.


    Of course, the royals and nobledies were not able to climb this near one thousand steps. There was a path at the back of the mountain that was suitable for horses and carriages, leading them directly to Chongxu Guan.


    Ping Yifan had invited Wu Xingzi for a hike on Qingyun Peak, and they could even reach Chongxu Guan around lunchtime for a vegetarian meal.


    It was not that Ping Yifan was cheap, and that he wanted to freeload a meal from the temple. The vegetarian dishes of Chongxu Guan were very well known, and although they were all very simple, without any flowery cooking techniques, just one vegetarian dumpling could make countless believers constantly think about it. During the first and fifteenth days of the month where people would have vegetarian meals, many women from noble families liked to request their family to go up to Chongxu Guan and buy their dumplings home, never getting sick of it. Furthermore, the Taoist priests of the temple normally had their sses to attend to, and the vegetarian dishes could only be consumed in Chongxu Guan, with the food being avable for purchase only on the first and the fifteenth of the month, making people scramble for it.


    Wu Xingzi was not very interested in the famous view. His entire focus was on the man next to him.


    He recalled how the moment he woke up in the early morning, the two girls had quickly helped him wash up and dressed him up. They somehow managed to get some money and bought him a well-fitted Confucian robe that was made of a light and soft material. Despite it being a dull, dark grey colour, the stitching on the cuffs, cor and hem was neat and precise, and it could be seen that the work was exquisite.


    Knowing that Wu Xingzi did not like to be dressed too conspicuously, there were no designs or ornaments on the robe. However, the material itself seemed to gleam gently on Wu Xingzi¡¯s body. Even if he believed himself to be an ordinary man from the countryside, he had to admit that he now had a gentle and stylish air around him.


    He had never worn something so good in his lifetime, and in that instant, he did not know where to ce his limbs. Stiffly, he sat in front of the copper mirror, letting Mintb his hair for him. After some time, he finally forced the words out. ¡°W-where did these clothese from?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Does Master not like them?¡± Mint pressed her lips together, trying to persuade him the moment she opened her mouth. ¡°Master, the capital is unlike our Bastion City. If you don¡¯t dress a little better, others will look down on you. You¡¯re such a good person, I cannot let you suffer any such indignity.¡±


    Normally, Rancui would apany Wu Xingzi, and even if some people would be surprised, even looking down on this in and simple man who looked shy and bashful, they would not reveal what they were feeling on their face. However, today, Wu Xingzi was going on a hike with Ping Yifan. That Ping Yifan also looked to be a rather ordinary person, and so Mint and Osmanthus were a little worried about Wu Xingzi, afraid that he would be ostracised by the ¡°big shots¡± of the capital.


    Of course Wu Xingzi understood what she meant, and he could not help but reveal a wry smile. The girls had been looking at too many picture books. In those stories of gifted schrs and beautifuldies, there were often those of noble status who considered everything below their notice, their demeanour cruel and ruthless. However, talents could be found everywhere in a ce like the capital, and the higher their position, the more they knew to disguise themselves, presenting a humble and courteous front. Even if the other party was currently down on his luck, who could guarantee that he would forever be down on his luck?


    Furthermore, prominent and wealthy families had fallen to poor and humble families before. It was better to have more friends than enemies in the circle of officials.


    Also, the rule of the reigning emperor was very strict, the governance was well regted, and there was no particr extremely imposing family. At the very most, it was the son of the Protector General, the Great Southern Garrison General Guan Shanjin, who tended to do as he pleased.


    Thinking about Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pounded slightly, but it was quickly suppressed.


    The thing he anticipated the most now was still the hike with Ping Yifan. Ever since the day he had been sent back, Wu Xingzi would unconsciously think about Ping Yifan¡¯s face and demeanour, especially those hands of his holding the flute. The jade colour of the flute contrasted beautifully with the fairness of his skin, and both Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes and mind were dazzled.


    Wu Xingzi would forget whatever that happened when he drank. When Hei¡¯er and Rancui made subtle mentions about how he had disyed his affections towards Ping Yifan, Wu Xingzi was so embarrassed that he dared not see anyone for the next two days. He did not know why Ping Yifan was not scared away, and he instead took the initiative to invite him out¡­ Could it be that Ping Yifan was also interested in him?!


    Aiyah!


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red, and he dared not look at his face in the mirror. Although clothes made the man, there was no way to adorn an ordinary appearance such that it would be refined and elegant.


    Noticing Wu Xingzi¡¯s blushing face, Mint secretly stuck her tongue out at her sister, seemingly sighing in relief. Naturally, Wu Xingzipletely did not register what she did.


    Ping Yifan had arrived a quarter of an hour earlier than their arranged meeting time. Wu Xingzi had yet to fill himself up, half a bowl of porridge in his mouth. With bulging cheeks, he blinked at Hei¡¯er who hade to announce his arrival.


    Ignoring the risk of choking, Wu Xingzi hurriedly swallowed the porridge into his belly. His voice sounded a little hoarse as he said, ¡°P-Ping-gongzi is here? Quick, invite him in!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Just as Hei¡¯er was about to turn around, Wu Xingzi suddenly called out.


    ¡°Has Ping-gongzi eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Hei¡¯er hesitated. He knew very well that Guan Shanjin, who was under Ping Yifan¡¯s mask, had definitely just randomly satisfied his hunger with a mantou on his way here. If not for having invited Wu Xingzi for a hike two dayster, as well as to let Ping Yifan be suited to Wu Xingzi¡¯s preferences, Guan Shanjin would havee here wearing Ping Yifan¡¯s mask to flirt two days ago. How would he have waited until today? He could no longer wait for even a quarter of an hour!


    ¡°It¡¯s still so early, he most likely hasn¡¯t eaten yet¡­ Please invite Ping-gongzi toe share a meal. Mint, bring another set of cutlery over.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire being seemed to be suffused with light, his eyes so bright that Hei¡¯er was screaming in danger internally. However, not a ripple could be seen on his face, and he left silently to invite the man in.


    ¡°Master, shall we cook a few more dishes?¡± Osmanthus asked considerately.


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯ll be good.¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but feel distressed looking at the tes, that pretty much only had gravy left, on the table. He had actually finished up most of the dishes, and only two big buns and half a bowl of steamed egg were left. What was wrong with his head, to invite another to eat with him? There were only leftovers, how embarrassing!


    Mint and Osmanthus could be considered topletely understand Wu Xingzi. Mint immediately went to the kitchen to start cooking, while Osmanthus deftly tidied away the tes on the table. Looking at this, it seemed as though Wu Xingzi had yet to start eating.


    When Ping Yifan appeared, Wu Xingzi happened to be wiping his mouth. He had been afraid that throwing away the steamed egg was a waste, and so he finished half a bowl¡¯s worth in one breath. Now, with air in his belly, after seeing Ping Yifan¡¯s gentle and amiable face, he belched uncontrobly.


    The heavens and earth were instantly silenced. A hint of amusement curled around Ping Yifan¡¯s lips, but he did not say anything. Red spread through Wu Xingzi from head to toe, and he wished desperately for a hole to bury himself in.


    ¡°You, cough cough¡­¡± As the master of the house, Wu Xingzi had no choice but to brace himself and wee the guest in. ¡°Ping-gongzi,e, quickly take a seat. You haven¡¯t eaten, right? I¡¯ve asked the girls to go prepare already, shall we eat together?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu has yet to eat as well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already¡­¡± eaten. Wu Xingzi mped his lips in time. Rubbing his nose, Wu Xingzi gave Ping Yifan a smile, seeming to think that his facade had been maintained. ¡°Not yet, I¡¯m about to eat¡­ Ping-gongzi hase at the perfect time, the perfect time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll unashamedly freeload a meal off you then.¡± Ping Yifan cupped his hands together, sitting down very naturally next to Wu Xingzi.


    The old fellow first froze, then his body tensed up nervously. He wrung his sleeves non-stop, his brain in a mess not unlike burnt porridge. Opening his mouth, he was unable to say a word, and cold sweat broke out upon his forehead. However, Ping Yifan was very settled. Quietly, he tilted his head, studying Wu Xingzi, his eyes gentle and filled with a trace of amusement. It made Wu Xingzi, whose heart was already disordered, be even more at a loss. However, a sweetness was slowly welling up within him.


    Fortunately, Mint was quick, and she soon returned with three dishes and a te of mantous. Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite had always been huge, and after this surprise, he was inexplicably hungry again. As such, the breakfast proceeded very sessfully.


    After the meal, Ping Yifan then led Wu Xingzi up his carriage. Along the journey, he also introduced some of the scenery within the capital to him. His voice was as pleasant as the spring breeze, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pitter-pattered listening to him.


    Listening with relish, he wished that they would never arrive at Qingyun Peak, and it would be very nice to be just like this forever.


    Suddenly, the carriage jolted violently. As he was a little unsteady, Wu Xingzi toppled into Ping Yifan¡¯s arms. Scrambling quickly, he tried to withdraw, but the man held him gently, patting his back infort.


    ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± A heated breath grazed past his ear. The tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear reddened, and he shook his head shyly. Desirously, he secretively took a deep inhtion of Ping Yifan¡¯s scent.


    White sandalwood threaded with orange blossom, it was extremely familiar. Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were half-lidded, and feigning casualness, he nuzzled into Ping Yifan¡¯s chest with the tip of his nose.


    How could such a clumsy attempt at concealment be hidden from Ping Yifan. In the man¡¯s eyes was a helpless and doting amusement, but it was quickly covered by a trace of darkness. A few momentster, a gentleness like calm water soon returned in those eyes again.


    Patting Wu Xingzi¡¯s back again, Ping Yifan pulled up the curtain of the window. Someone outside immediately leaned over, whispering, ¡°Master, it¡¯s Lord Yan¡¯s family in front.¡±


    ¡°Lord Yan?¡± Ping Yifan¡¯s voice was a little surprised, and Wu Xingzi could not help but look up curiously. ¡°You¡¯re referring to Lord Yan, Yan Wenxin?¡±


    Yan Wenxin? The thin body gave a violent shudder, attracting Ping Yifan¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°N-nothing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi immediately lowered his head, his voice shaky. ¡°W-why don¡¯t we not go to Qingyun Peak today?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ping Yifan seemed to not notice that there was anything wrong. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Manager Rancui before, and heard that Mr. Wu has been admiring the vegetarian dishes of Chongxu Guan for a long time. Since we¡¯re here already, are we really not going up to try them?¡±


    Vague amusement could be heard in the question, sending tingles through Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°True, true¡­¡± Unknowingly, he nodded and agreed. Praying for luck, he thought, perhaps this Yan Wenxin was not that Yan Wenxin from the past who had gifted him a perfume sachet. After all, this was not a very unique name, and Yan Wenxin might not have be an official in the capital.


    This was basically self-deception. The one Yan Wenxin had married was the daughter of the ex-Minister of Revenue. With such a powerful inw, how could Yan Wenxin not find a steady position after twenty odd years in the official court?


    ¡°We¡¯re not far from the thousand steps already. Why don¡¯t we disembark here, and just walk up from here?¡±


    Wu Xingzi would of course never refuse Ping Yifan¡¯s request. Feeling conflicted for a moment, in the end, he still submitted to the person he liked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do so then.¡± He nodded and agreed.


    However, in less than a quarter of an hour, Wu Xingzi regretted it.


    When they had juste down from the carriage, Wu Xingzi had nced towards the direction of the carriages in front without thinking. Probably because they were going to attend the ceremony at Chongxu Guan, the carriages were notvishly decorated. The men on the few horses around them were all dressed finely, and all of them were quite young. Some of them were not even twenty, and they were probably the youngest in their families, riding their horses here to take care of their elders.


    Amongst them was one with a very striking face, their skin smooth and delicate like cream, and a pair of charming, almond-shaped eyes. It was actually ady dressed up like a man.


    Her appearance was delicate and gentle, but it also had an exuberant heroic air to it. With a radiant bearing, she urged her horse back and forth. For a girl from a noble family, she was a little too reckless and loud.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but look at thedy again. In a barren ce like Qingcheng County, never had such an independent and unorthodox girl appeared before. Even the women of Bastion City, who could hold up the sky, werepletely different from the girl in front of him. There were truly hidden talents and gifted people everywhere in the capital.


    ¡°Xuan¡¯er,e here.¡± A low and gentle voice, hiding a stateliness and dignity, sounded from the carriage all the way in front, carried by the wind into Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear.


    As though struck by lightning, he looked in the direction of the voice with wide eyes.

 Chapter 78 - Forever and Eternal Peace

    Chapter 78 ¡ª Forever and Eternal Peace


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The curtain of the carriage lifted, revealing the face of a refined and handsome middle-aged man, a small beard adding a touch of dignity to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s your courtesy name?¡± The thin, refined and handsome looking man asked gently.


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t have one. Us vigers don¡¯t care about such matters¡­¡± The eighteen year-old Wu Xingzi hung his head. It was unclear whether the tips of his ears were reddening from shyness or distress.


    ¡°Then, shall I give you one?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ H-how can I trouble you so?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Why don¡¯t we go with Chang¡¯an? Your father named you Xingzi, and he definitely wished that you would live a safe and sound life forever1, right?¡± The man smiled, and his eyes, directed towards Wu Xingzi, were filled with tenderness.


    ¡°Chang¡¯an¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded with a blush, but was a little hesitant. ¡°Many thanks to you for thinking of it for me, but I¡¯m afraid that this courtesy name would not be in much use.¡± In a vige like this, as well as him being an adviser now, other than the few elders he was close with who would use his name, the rest of the people would all address him as Adviser.


    Speaking of which, he also did not have any friends from the same generation who were close enough to use his courtesy name, and the only elders who would address him by his name were probably only Auntie and Uncle Liu.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯d like to call you with this name.¡± As the man spoke, he gently picked up the strands of hair by Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek, tucking them behind his ear. ¡°Chang¡¯an¡­ Forever and eternal peace.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu?¡± A familiar, pleasant voice, apanied by the speaker¡¯s breath, brushed past his ear. Wu Xingzi shuddered, pulling himself out from his memories, turning his head and looking at Ping Yifan with a look of abstraction in his eyes.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡±


    ¡°Does Mr. Wu know Lord Yan?¡± Ping Yifan seemed a little troubled. Hearing the question, Wu Xingzi immediately shook his head.


    ¡°No no no, I¡¯m only a poor man from a small vige, how could I know an official from the capital?¡± Wu Xingzi did not know how uneasy his expression looked. Unconsciously, he dug his fingernails into his palms. All these tiny details did not escape Ping Yifan¡¯s eyes, but he did not expose him.


    ¡°Mr. Wu is too courteous.¡± Going along with him, Ping Yifan held his hand. ¡°Lord Yan is the Minister of Personnel, and he¡¯s greatly trusted by the emperor. In the capital, he has a fair bit of power, and most of the officials more or less would show him some respect. It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t offend him identally. Let¡¯s just go around them.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes. You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right.¡± Wu Xingzi was convinced. Part of his attention was still on his past memories of Yan Wenxin, but most of his focus had been shifted to the hand that was holding tightly onto his.


    Ping Yifan¡¯s hand was extremely nice looking. His palm was broad, the shape of the hand well structured and defined. The skin was very fair, smooth like jade, and no matter how one looked at it, it seemed as though it was the beloved work of a top quality jade carver. Although there were a few calluses, they did not affect how Wu Xingzi was entranced. Unlike its appearance, Ping Yifan¡¯s hand was very rough, not like that of a schr, but like¡­ a military man. It was warm, dry and powerful, and it almost entirely encapsted his own.


    To have such a show of affection from a man he liked, Wu Xingzi was in the clouds. Even while walking, he felt as though he was floating. The bright, incandescent smile on his face could not be suppressed, and the impact of seeing Yan Wenxin had been temporarily thrown to the back of his head.


    Ping Yifan was very familiar with Qingyun Peak. Yan Wenxin¡¯s entourage evidently nned on taking the private path up the back of the mountain, so they took a small detour on a side trail, and quickly reached Qianyun Stairs. Now was still not the time to let Yan Wenxin see Wu Xingzi, and today¡¯s meeting was aplete coincidence.


    Although it could not be seen from his face, Ping Yifan was feeling very frustrated. His hand around Wu Xingzi¡¯s tightened further, as though he was afraid that the man next to him would run away once he was not paying any attention.


    On the other side, Yan Wenxin was reproaching his daughter. His wife and him were deeply in love, and he had never even once epted a female servant meant to share his bed. The couple had given birth to two sons and two daughters, a perfect bnce.


    His oldest daughter had already been married a few years ago, and his youngest daughter was thirteen this year. Pampered since young to the point where she was now wild and unruly, haughty and unreserved, she was without the gentleness and restraint that a noble youngdy should have. She often dressed up in a male¡¯s garb, running wild in the capital, and had such good rtions with the other boys in her family n that she would just throw her arms around their shoulders and run off to restaurants. Truly, she was a big headache for Yan Wenxin.


    Although he had hired many female teachers and nannies to teach this daughter of his over the years, being the apple of his wife¡¯s eye, she shielded her daughter very well. Her three other older children were all married with their own families, and she only had this one daughter left next to her. As long as she did not get herself into any great trouble, Yan Wenxin¡¯s wife did not allow him to admonish her.


    Alright, Yan Wenxin would not admonish her then, but an asional lesson was still required.


    Stopped by her father, on her horse, Yan Caijun dawdled back to him with a pout. ¡°Dad2¨C¡±


    ¡°Look at you, so careless and excited. I let you ride a horse today to help watch over the elders of the family, but if you¡¯re going to continue being so reckless, juste back into the carriage,¡± Yan Wenxin rebuked her with a frown.


    ¡°Aiyoh, I know, Dad, I¡¯ll be a little better.¡± Yan Caijun stuck her tongue out. Although she was unreserved and reckless, she was not a fool, and she would not push her father¡¯s limits.


    In any case, she had yed enough just now, and so she stayed sedately by her father¡¯s carriage.


    ¡°Whose carriage is it at the back?¡± Yan Wenxin had called his daughter over not only just to give her a warning. When he pulled up the curtain just now, he had noticed a in and simple carriage at the back. Not able to recognise who it belonged to, he was a little concerned.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Yan Caijun turned and gave it a nce before shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t know, nor did I hear others talking about them. They must be ordinary folks. If they¡¯re court officials or other noble families, how could they note and greet you?¡±


    ¡°Shh! Little girls should not speak nonsense. Send someone to investigate who owns the carriage behind.¡± Yan Wenxin put the curtain down, his brows creasing deeply in thought.


    Seeing how seriously her father took this matter, Yan Caijun naturally dared not ignore his request. She waved at her cousin nearby, and they exchanged a few words before the young man rode his horse to the back of the line.


    Unfortunately, it was in vain. Other than the driver of the carriage, he was unable to see anyone. Also, the driver¡¯s lips were tightly shut. All questions had been skillfully deflected, and he had only managed to find out that the carriage owner was a born and bred person from the capital. He was unable to get any information about where he stayed, or what his name was. Although Yan Caijun¡¯s cousin felt rather stifled by theck of answers, the carriage was on a road that anyone could ess freely. The driver or the owner had not collided with anyone from the Yan family either. In the end, he could only just let it be.


    After hearing this, Yan Wenxin was silent.


    When Ping Yifan and Wu Xingzi left the carriage together, they slowly strolled down a side trail not too far from the path. It was near noon in the summer, and the sun was a little scorching. In only a few steps, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was flushed with the heat, and beads of sweat rolled down his face. Despite this, he did not find the walk tough.


    The northern heat was different from that of the southern heat, and it was not difficult for Wu Xingzi to adapt to it. Furthermore, he had Ping Yifan apanying. Even if this was a trial of fire and des, he would be willing to walk down this path forever!


    ¡°Just tell me if you feel tired, it¡¯s fine even if we go back to the carriage.¡± Ping Yifan looked at Wu Xingzi¡¯s face that was red from the heat. Feeling his heart aching a little, he took a handkerchief out and wiped his sweat away for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not tiring, not tiring.¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head continuously, secretly tightening his hand around Ping Yifan¡¯s. ¡°A walk is good, we¡¯ll be able to eat a little more of the vegetarian dishester.¡±


    Hearing him, Ping Yifan could not helpughing, and he tapped Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose. ¡°Alright then, since you wish to eat a little more, then I¡¯ll apany you. There are nine hundred and ny-nine steps of Qianyun Stairster. You just try your best. If you really can¡¯t do it anymore, don¡¯t force yourself. I¡¯ll carry you on my back, hmm?¡±


    The hum at the end of the sentence was like the ws of a kitten, pawing at Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear and heart. He hurriedly covered the burning tip of his ear, shyly nodding his head.


    Qianyun Stairs was truly not an easy climb. Not only was it long, it was steep as well. Along with the intense heat of the sun, after about six hundred over steps, Wu Xingzi finally could no longer take it, and he stopped, panting heavily. Drops of sweat were clustered on his eyshes, and Ping Yifan immediately wiped his face for him.


    ¡°Shall I carry you?¡± This was not the first time Ping Yifan had asked this. However, Wu Xingzi looked at Ping Yifan¡¯s genteel appearance and shook his head.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re quite tired yourself too, no? Let¡¯s just slowly take our time.¡± If the one asking was Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi thought that he would have immediately nodded.


    Ping Yifan frowned slightly. He decided not to ask anymore, directly picking up the man in his arms instead. ¡°Do you want me to carry you up like this, or do you want to climb onto my back yourself?¡±


    Wu Xingzi nearly shrieked in shock. Looking down from such steep stairs, his head immediately spun. Ping Yifan¡¯s action had made him think that they were going to fall off the steps.


    ¡°Y-y-you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi dared not struggle. Gripping tightly onto Ping Yifan¡¯s shoulders, his lips turn white from fear.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± A hint of a smile curled around Ping Yifan¡¯s lips. He deliberately jolted the person in his arms, and Wu Xingzi grunted as he quickly shut his eyes, not daring to look around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ve practiced a few days of martial arts, and I have very steady footing.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, is that so¡­¡± Wu Xingzi forced himself to open his eyes a little. He gasped a few times, and his body still trembled uncontrobly.


    He did not feel warm at all now, his limbspletely cold. ¡°I-I¡¯ll climb on your back instead!¡±


    He understood that Ping Yifan had no intentions of letting him refuse. For the rest of the few hundred steps, he could only lie on Ping Yifan¡¯s back and go up that way.


    ¡°Be good.¡± Ping Yifan carefully put him down, then tapped his nose. ¡°Since you like me, you don¡¯t have to keep your distance.¡±


    This was not a matter of keeping any distance! Wu Xingzi felt a little embarrassed to mention this. After all, he could not tell Ping Yifan that he was only afraid that it was too tough on him, and the two might end up falling down Qianyun Steps? If it was Guan Shanijn¡­ Wu Xingzi hurriedly suppressed the image of the man who suddenly appeared in his head. Since he already liked Ping Yifan, why bother thinking about an old lover?


    Wu Xingzi looked at Ping Yifan crouching down in front of him. The light-coloured robe tightened across his back, which was a lot broader than he had imagined. Carefully, he mbered on, then one hand snaked over, supporting his buttocks and patting them lightly. Embarrassed, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed a bright red, never expecting that Ping Yifan would be so daring.


    However, why did Ping Yifan¡¯s ¡°be good¡± sound so very familiar? A suspicion shed through his heart.


    Ping Yifan¡¯s footsteps were a lot steadier than Wu Xingzi had expected. It did not take too long before Wu Xingzi rxed, and he pressed his face into the man¡¯s shoulder. With the slow, gentle swaying as Ping Yifan walked, along with the cool breeze blowing past, Wu Xingzi turned drowsy. Unknowingly, he closed his eyes for real.


    Ai, Ping Yifan smells really good.


    Surrounded by a familiar cold fragrance, Wu Xingzi could not help but tighten his hands that were gripping onto Ping Yifan¡¯s shoulders. The man in front of him was so, so very good. Why did the heavens bless him so? Coming to the capital, he finally got a little something. Despite having to return to Qingcheng County a few monthster, and that he did not think that Ping Yifan would be willing to leave the capital for him, it was already enough.


    With a man on his back, Ping Yifan¡¯s footsteps were still very steady. Very quickly, they reached the top of Qianyun Stairs, arriving at the door of the temple. Ping Yifan could hear that the person behind him had already fallen asleep. The slow, steady breathing brushed past his ears, reaching right into the depths of his heart.


    A subordinate following them walked forward, quietly asking, ¡°Master, shall I ask for a guest room to allow Mr. Wu to rest?¡±


    ¡°Mn. Go ahead.¡± Ping Yifan nodded, then suddenly stopped the subordinate who was about to leave. ¡°Get the kitchen to keep some food aside as well. Once Mr. Wu is awake, he¡¯ll be able to eat.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Master, please be assured.¡±


    Not longter, a taoist priest in charge of receiving devotees followed the subordinate here, quickly arranging for a quiet guest room for them. Before leaving, he also promised to keep some food for the two guests.


    The construction of the guest rooms in Chongxu Guan was very elegant, and the bamboo furniture was well-arranged within. Instead of a normal bed, the bed was a very wide one, meant for both sitting in meditation and lying down. In summer, a mat was spread across it, and one could feel a refreshing coolness when lying on it.


    Ping Yifan carefully put the man on his back down. Wu Xingzi shifted about slightly, seemingly about to awaken. Fortunately, Ping Yifan did not end up disturbing him, and the older man continued sleeping at ease with his eyes shut.


    Pulling a thin nket over Wu Xingzi, Ping Yifan then sat by the bed, studying the man for some time. Finally, he still bent his neck, pressing a kiss on the old fellow¡¯s lips like a dragonfly flitting across water.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­¡± It was a low and gentle murmur, barely detectable. But in Ping Yifan¡¯s ears, it was like a shocking thunderp.


    He hurriedly retreated, observing Wu Xingzi carefully to see if he was truly asleep. What he saw was the old fellow biting his bottom lip, then smiling in satisfaction, as he nuzzled his cheek into the nket, falling even deeper asleep.


    ¡°Ai, you old thing¡­¡±

 Chapter 79 - Rubbing the Belly

    Chapter 79 ¡ª Rubbing the Belly


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Wu Xingzi slept all the way until past noon. Only when he woke up, did Ping Yifan ask someone to bring the food in.


    Sure enough, the vegetarian dishes of Chongxu Guan were worthy of their reputation. Altogether, there were three dishes, one soup, as well as a basket of steamed dumplings. The food was fried with can oil, the taste crisp and not the slightest bit heavy. On the table were stir-fried tomatoes, tofu meatballs, fried bean sprouts, and a bowl of lotus leaf soup. It was unknown what sort of stock was used to prepare the soup, its vour rich yet refreshing. There was no bitter taste of vegetables within, and the fragrance of lotus flowers lingered after drinking it.


    Wu Xingzi had long been famished. His head was buried in his bowl, as he shovelled his food into his mouth, and his chopsticks did not stop picking up food for even a single moment. Well prepared vegetarian dishes would not leave an oily, greasy feeling around the mouth when done with the meal. One would only feelfortable and pleased, satiated without feeling full to the point of difort. Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite had always been huge, and this time, he enjoyed himself to the fullest.


    Ping Yifan did not have as good an appetite as him, but looking at how much the person in front of him was enjoying his food, he could not help having an extra bowl of rice. Finally, there was not even gravy left on the tes, as it had been poured all over Wu Xingzi¡¯s rice to be eaten up.


    ¡°Shall I help you rub your belly?¡± Ping Yifan¡¯s smiling face glowed. He had already ced his hand on the belly of the old fellow who was sprawlingzily across the bamboo mat, gently rubbing at it.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were half-lidded. Because of this intimate action, the tips of his ears were tinged with a slight pink. However, he did not stop Ping Yifan.


    Naturally, rubbing the belly alone was not enough to help in digestion, and so Ping Yifan suggested that he bring Wu Xingzi on a stroll around the temple. At this timing, most of the priests and other devotees would be resting in their rooms. The sun was beating down so heavily that their skin felt as though it was being scorched, but Wu Xingzi did not pay any attention to the heat at all, following Ping Yifan excitedly as they explored the whole of the temple.


    Chongxu Guan covered a broad expanse of area. Despite there being some wings and ritual areas where guests were not allowed to go near, they still needed nearly two hours to finish walking through the grounds.


    Back in the guest room, arge bowl of icy sour plum soup was already prepared on the table. After drinking a bowl, coolness washed down their bodies from head to toe, and Wu Xingzi shuddered, eximing over how good it felt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the capital.¡± Ping Yifan still looked very refined when drinking the sour plum soup, taking a quarter of an hour to finish it. He then took his handkerchief out, wiping his mouth with it. Wu Xingzi waspletely captivated by this good looking man in front of him, and no matter what Ping Yifan said, he would smile and nod along.


    When they left, Ping Yifan did not take him down Qianyun Stairs. Instead, his carriage had taken the private path up the back of the mountain, and was waiting at the back door. Before leaving the temple, a little disciple ran up to them, carrying a food basket as he called out, ¡°This is a small gift from my shifu, may you ept it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve troubled the little Daozhang. May the little Daozhang please help us convey our thanks to your shifu.¡± Wu Xingzi epted the basket with reverence and awe. Ping Yifan immediately helped him up the carriage, but he himself did not get in, turning to exchange a few words with the disciple. In the carriage, Wu Xingzi was unable to make out their conversation, and instead, he spected curiously over what sort of a good thing was inside the food basket.


    When Ping Yifan got into the carriage, Wu Xingzi had already sniffed out that the basket contained vegetarian dumplings. Midway through the journey, Ping Yifan asked Wu Xingzi to go ahead and open the basket, and to eat the items within. However, Wu Xingzi thought that he ought to bring back such good things for Mint, Osmanthus and Hei¡¯er to try, so he held himself back from eating the dumplings.


    Chongxu Guan¡¯s vegetarian dumplings were famous throughout thend, and one could not easily get their hands on them as and when they like. It was unclear what method Ping Yifan used, to be able to convince Chongxu Guan into letting them take some away.


    When Wu Xingzi asked, Ping Yifan¡¯s lips quirked up. ¡°It¡¯s not me, but Lord Yan, Yan Wenxin, who has such a great ability in doing so.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Lord Yan is nning. I¡¯m only just amoner, and Mr. Wu is not one from the capital. This show of courtesy certainly makes one tremble a little in fright.¡±


    Hearing Yan Wenxin¡¯s name, Wu Xingzi lowered his head, mumbling a few sounds of agreement. Naturally, he did not notice the gloom shing through Ping Yifan¡¯s eyes.


    Back in the capital, the eveningnterns were already lit. Ping Yifan sent Wu Xingzi back to Rancui¡¯s residence. He first got off the carriage, then helped Wu Xingzi out. Walking him all the way to the door, he seemed a little reluctant to part.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d be willing to go listen to the ying of a qin with me seven dayster?¡± Ping Yifan finally decided to ask this question when Wu Xingzi took a step into the door.


    ¡°A qin?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes brightened, nodding enthusiastically. ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing. May I know which musician Ping-gongzi is nning on taking me to see?¡±


    ¡°Qingzhu Lane¡¯s Bai-gongzi.¡±


    Hearing the answer, Wu Xingzi could not help eximing, and his entire being seemed rejuvenated. ¡°Bai-gongzi¡¯s qin! Aiyah, aiyah, I¡¯ll definitely attend, I¡¯ll definitely attend!¡±


    During the gathering of the Peng Society at Lianxiang Residences, Young Master Bai¡¯s The Tree of Jianmu had truly left Wu Xingzi intoxicated. He had thought that he would never be fortunate enough to get another chance again, but the heavens had actually given him such a good opportunity.


    ¡°However, I heard that Bai-gongzi doesn¡¯t y his qin for everyone.¡± Comparable to Young Master Bai¡¯s skills was his temper. It was not that Bai Shaochang had a bad temper, but he was haughty and conceited. As a qin yer, he had been immersed in the art of qin since he was young. He did act a little lofty, but he was notpletely blind to worldly desires. Even though he was hailed as Great Xia¡¯s chief qin yer, he would still y his qin in all sorts of ces. He did not care about the status or position the people listening held, but he only yed his qin for people who appreciated the music.


    It was rumoured that the son of the current Defender Duke wanted to invite Bai Shaochang toe to his residence and y a song for him. The Defender Duke and the Protector General could be imed as Great Xia¡¯s two sharp des, or the two war gods of the country. Although the Defender Duke was slightly suppressed by the Protector General¡¯s position, his one step in the capital was still enough to leave strong aftershocks in his wake.


    As for the son of the Defender Duke, inparison with Guan Shanjin, the son of the Protector General, other than being a prodigal son, there was nothing much else to describe him with. He was not a bad person, and he did have a sense of propriety. However, his shoring was that he tended to indulge in debauchery, and towards the six arts of rites, music, archery, charioteering, reading and writing, he showed no interest. Inviting Bai Shaochang to y the qin for him, it was evident to everyone that the qin was not the focus of the invitation, rather it was the person ying the qin.


    And how could Bai Shaochang not realise that? He of course sternly rejected him on the spot, and this refusal ended up bringing trouble upon himself. The son of the Defender Duke was born with a silver spoon. No matter how big a reputation Bai Shaochang had, and how the emperor had bestowed upon his father a que with the inscription ¡°Number One Qin yer¡± and his father now only yed for the emperor, the Bai family was only one of themon folks. With no money nor power, and only some skills, Bai Shaochang had the guts to embarrass the Defender Duke¡¯s household. How could this be tolerated?


    He naturally could not. The son of the Defender Duke had originally not been so obsessed with a Musician, but now, he was consumed by an obstinacy that demanded he get this person.


    At first, his invitations had been polite and courteous, apanied by gifts. However, when the steward, bearing gifts, had been rejected twice at the door, fury suffused the man. Never in his life had he ever met someone who did not know what was good for himself. Born in an aristocratic, powerful family, he had always received whatever he demanded as a child. Among his peers, other than Guan Shanjin, no one dared ignore or disrespect him. Who else had ever embarrassed him like this before? As rage consumed him, the Defender Duke¡¯s son then dragged Bai Shaochang away in broad daylight, on the streets of the capital.


    It had to be said that this Bai Shaochang was truly stubborn. After being dragged to the residence of the Defender Duke, he was not afraid, nor did he give in. He would never y the qin there, but the Defender Duke¡¯s sonpletely had no intentions to listen to him y the qin either. He only wanted to have his fun with this aloof, cold beauty. Who would have guessed that in the end, he was not able to get his way, and in a cloud of shame, he sent Bai Shaochang back home.


    Themon folk all spected over what exactly had happened in the middle, and the mostmonly agreed upon hypothesis was that Bai Shaochang, about to be taken advantage of by the Defender Duke¡¯s son, had whipped out his personal dagger, holding it to his own throat and threatening to kill himself. The Defender Duke¡¯s son was a bit of a dandy, but he had never taken anyone¡¯s life before. In that instant, he had been scared sober, and he dared not push himself onto Bai Shaochang anymore, instead letting the man go just like that.


    From that moment on, Bai Shaochang pretty much never yed the qin in public again, and he had also stayed at home for quite some time, closing the doors to all visitors.


    Rancui had also mentioned before that he had been fortunate enough to have Young Master Bai agree to attend the gathering of the Peng Society. He had also never expected that he would actually be willing to y the qin at the gathering.


    Ping Yifan naturally was aware of the rumours surrounding Bai Shaochang, and he could not helpughing. ¡°After being forcefully abducted by the Defender Duke¡¯s son, Bai-gongzi did seclude himself at home for some time. In the past two years, he would send out three invitations every ten days, inviting those who keenly appreciate music to listen to him y. With so many rich people in the capital, who wouldn¡¯t like an invitation?¡±


    ¡°Then, how did you end up getting invited?¡± Wu Xingzi only realised that he sounded rude after asking the question. His ears red, he stammered an exnation, ¡°I know that you¡¯re a good person, and also someone who appreciates music. I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Ping Yifan was not bothered. Smiling, he tweaked Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose. ¡°This is all thanks to the connection made at the Peng Society¡¯s gathering, when I yed the flute. My skill is truly toocking to be shown in public like this, but unexpectedly, Bai-gongzi has some appreciation for it, and he has actually sent an invitation to me.¡±


    ¡°Ai, your flute-ying is excellent! I like listening to you on the flute.¡± Wu Xingzi did not understand how he could be so daring to the point of rashness when facing Ping Yifan. No matter what Ping Yifan did, he liked it all, and he only wished that he could dig out his heart and present it to the man.


    ¡°I¡¯m honoured that you¡¯re not disdainful of it.¡± Ping Yifan hooked his little finger around Wu Xingzi¡¯s little finger.


    Although this action was minuscule, Wu Xingzi had never ever done something so affectionate with Guan Shanjin before. He nodded slightly, originally wanting to take his hand back, but in the end, as though possessed, he curled his finger around the other¡¯s as well.


    ¡°I¡¯lle and pick you up at 9am seven dayster.¡± Looking at the time, it was already quitete. Although they had ate lunch, vegetarian food tended to get digested faster, and one would be hungry quicker. Ping Yifan did not want to dy Wu Xingzi¡¯s dinner, and so he took his leave.


    Feeling reluctant, Wu Xingzi could not help but speak. ¡°The thing is, I did not receive Bai-gongzi¡¯s invitation. Wouldn¡¯t it be too rude if I were to just apany you like that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. In Bai-gongzi¡¯s invitation, it¡¯s mentioned that I can bring along a plus-one. In the past, Bai-gongzi did like making friends through music. If not because of the scare from the Defender Duke¡¯s son, it actually was not difficult to get a chance to listen to him y.¡± Ping Yifan patted the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, before pinching at his palm. ¡°Go on in, you should be eating at this time. Mint and Osmanthus must be waiting for you already. You shouldn¡¯t let the young girls go hungry, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded continuously, but his feet never moved. His hand was tucked into Ping Yifan¡¯s palm, which felt coarse and dry, with a warmth exuding from it. Despite there being a thinyer of sweat from the heat of the day, Wu Xingzi was still reluctant to let go.


    Ping Yifanughed lightly as he pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand again. ¡°It¡¯s merely seven days, it¡¯ll pass in the blink of an eye.¡±


    Even if I take it as sleeping, I would still need to blink seven times before the day would arrive. Wu Xingzi nodded glumly. He released his hand from Ping Yifan¡¯s hold, watching the man get back onto the carriage and leaving.


    Ah, what¡¯s wrong with me! We¡¯ve clearly spent the entire day together, and he¡¯s only just left, but I¡¯m starting to miss him already.


    Wu Xingzi stood by the door for quite some time before closing the door while turning his head back frequently, then returned to his temporary ce of residence.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re back?¡± In the house, Rancui was dressed in a gauzy crimson robe over an ivory coloured robe with embroidery on its edges. He was lying on his side on a daybed, looking through an ounts book in his hand. Under the candlelight, his eyshes were sharp and distinct, casting a light shadow over his eyes.


    Wu Xingzi was no longer surprised by how Rancui would lounge aboutzily, considering how they were such close friends now. In the past, Rancui would still try his best to portray an image of what a manager should be like. However, recently, as long as he was at home, as though boneless, he would never sit when he could lie down. Even the room Wu Xingzi was temporarily staying in had a daybed just for Rancui to lounge in.


    ¡°Ai.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, handing the basket in his hand to the girls. ¡°These are the vegetarian dumplings from Chongxu Guan. Share them amongst yourself, Manager Rancui and Hei¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°Chongxu Guan¡¯s vegetarian dumplings?¡± Rancui was evidently surprised. Using his ounts book to block his vague smile, he said, ¡°Ping-gongzi is truly very resourceful. Today is neither the first or the fifteenth of the month, yet he is able to get a basket of dumplings from Chongxu Guan.¡±


    It had to be known that Chongxu Guan¡¯s most noble devotee was the emperor himself. As such, the temple had no need to do anyone a favour, and no one would dare insist on their way in front of them too. Doing so, would they not be disrespecting the emperor? One truly had to be tired of their life to be so impudent.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not Ping-gongzi.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s smile was a little bitter. Sitting down by the table, he poured himself a cup of tea. After wetting his throat, he finally said, ¡°It was a gift from Lord Yan.¡±


    ¡°Lord Yan?¡± Rancui lifted a brow, ncing over to Hei¡¯er expressionlessly. The man standing silently in a corner of the room shook his head slightly, signalling that this was not a deliberate n of his master. ¡°You met Yan Wenxin today?¡±


    Hearing that name, Wu Xingzi¡¯s expression immediately dimmed. His back, which had started bing straighter and more upright recently, now hunched over again. He curled up into a ball, and he seemed to have returned to bing that Qingcheng County¡¯s adviser who had yet to start collecting the Pengornisseur, and instead had been counting down the days to his death.


    Seeing him like this, Rancui kept his ounting book aside. Moving from the daybed over to Wu Xingzi, he patted his back consolingly.


    Not too long ago, Wu Xingzi had personally told Rancui about the matter between Yan Wenxin and him. Rancui was a very smart person, and he had seen too much of such love and romance, so he naturally understood what sort of position Yan Wenxin held in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart. It was a wound that seemed to have healed on the surface, but underneath it, the wound was still fresh and bleeding. If the necrotic flesh was never sliced away, the wound would never heal.


    This was also whyter, Rancui was willing to cooperate with Guan Shanjin¡¯s nonsense. Although with regards to the matters of love, this general was even more foolish than a three year old child. He was very bold and resolute, his possessiveness so strong that one could not stand against it. He would definitely be able topletely clear up the wound in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart, making it such that no one would be able to even cast a shadow upon it in the future.


    It was just that this Great Southern Garrison General seemed to have gone crazy, insisting on pretending to be Ping Yifan to get close to Wu Xingzi. However, when he thought about how much trouble Guan Shanjin would be in when the deception was revealed, Rancui was secretly delighted, and he immediately instructed the Peng Society to give him their fullest support.


    Rancui again patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s hunched shoulders, speakingfortingly, ¡°At least Ping Yifan was with you the entire time, right? Did he not persuade you to eat these dumplings?¡±


    ¡°Ai, he did. But I thought that these are some really good things, so I should bring them back to let everyone taste them.¡± Speaking about Ping Yifan and food, the gloom on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face receded a fair bit. With a light blush on his face, he quietly told Rancui, ¡°Ping Yifan has invited me to listen to Bai-gongzi y the qin seven dayster. What do you think I should wear? What about the outfit I wore to the Peng Society gathering? Ah, right, that set of clothes wasn¡¯t cheap, right? I have to pay you back.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. That set of clothes was only something I could not fit into. If you like it, just keep it. If not, it¡¯ll just be feeding insects at the bottom of my trunk.¡±


    In reality, that set of clothes had been sent over by Guan Shanjin¡¯s man, and the material and sewing were the best in the capital. However, why would Rancui ever tell Wu Xingzi that? He had no intention of even hinting about it to Wu Xingzi, as he liked being an obstruction for Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s too much? It¡¯s supposed to belong to you after all¡­¡± Wu Xingzi frowned uneasily, silently counting how much he could take out from that tiny little money pouch of his.


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need. We are friends, and as friends, would you pay for a gift from your friend?¡± Rancui waved him off generously, then revealed a small, wicked smile. ¡°However, if you really mind it, then just do me a favour.¡±


    ¡°Of course, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it first. When the dayes and I need your help, you only just have to give me a helping hand.¡± Smiling, Rancui¡¯s fox-like eyes curved like crescents. Not too far away, Hei¡¯er shuddered fiercely.

 Chapter 80 - Showdown

    Chapter 80 ¡ª Showdown


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Qingzhu Lane was in a slightly more remote location. It was near the old town, and many workshops and old shops were gathered in the nearby streets. It was not a quiet and tranquil ce.


    Most of the people living along thisne were bamboo craftsmen. The street was narrow and long, only able to amodate two handcarts pressed side by side against one another. It was impossible for a carriage to go through it, as it would block the street entirely as well as obstruct the craftsmen from their work. Most of the houses in the old town also had long and narrow structures. Even when their main doors were fully open, the entrances were still cramped and small. Looking through the entrances, the houses seemed dim and gloomy. Each house was built right next to each other, and the windows were only found at the back of the houses.


    As such, the craftsmen all worked right by their doors, some even outside their houses.


    Many people had spected over why the Bai family would settle down in a ce like this, and why they never thought about moving to somewhere more spacious and serene. However, no one came to a conclusion. People who wanted to visit the Bai family would have to get off their carriages at the entrance of thene and make the rest of the journey on their feet. After a half an hour¡¯s walk, they would reach the end of thene, and on the left would be the Bai family¡¯s residence.


    Compared to the rest of the houses in this alley, the Bai residence was a lot more spacious. It was about six to seven times the size of the narrow houses along thene, and a small yet exquisite courtyard surrounded the house on its side and front. Clusters of bamboo grew around randomly, and next to the door, weing guests, was not an old pine tree but an old osmanthus tree. In the autumn, it would be entirely covered in osmanthus blossoms, and the scent of osmanthus would waft down the whole Qingzhu Lane.


    In people¡¯s haunt I built my cot; of wheels¡¯ and hooves¡¯ noises I hear not1.


    Ever since that time when the son of the Defender Duke snatched Bai Shaochang off the streets, in the past two years, other than the qin session every ten days, the Bai family had declined to receive all but their most intimate friends. Wu Xingzi could not help eximing over his good fortune, to be able to receive this opportunity that everyone yearned for.


    Ping Yifan had mentioned that this time, Young Master Bai had invited three guests, and he was not clear on who the other two guests were. Bai Shaochang was aloof and unapproachable, but it did not necessarily mean that he would only invite people from rich and powerful families. Instead, it was more likely that he would invite musicians from various troupes, or even female entertainers of Nanfeng Pavilion.


    When the two people arrived at the Bai residence, the other two had yet to reach. There was still half an hour left to the agreed-upon time. The steward of the Bai residence was a young man, yet to reach thirty. He looked honest and cid, but his eyes were shrewd. Respectfully, he led the two people into the drawing room for tea. Despite giving Wu Xingzi a couple of looks, he did not direct any questions in particr at him, and he quickly withdrew from the room, allowing the two to rest there at ease.


    Wu Xingzi sipped at the tea, observing this drawing room that was of an average size. The furnishings within were all very simple and elegant, and due to the proximity of the neighbours,ughter and chatter of the craftsmen could be heard indistinctly. Combined with the sound of the wind and cicadas, it was not noisy. Instead the ambient sounds inexplicably gave people a peace of mind.


    Today, Ping Yifan was a lot more silent than their previous meeting. With lowered lids, he drank his tea, looking just like a picture. Wu Xingzi could not stop sneaking peeks at him, and finally, he was lost in his admiration of Ping Yifan¡¯s long and thick eyshes.


    ¡°Why?¡± A wave of heat swelled up within Ping Yifan, and he sighed. Putting down the teacup in his hand, he turned and looked at Wu Xingzi. ¡°Staring at me like this, won¡¯t you get tired of it?¡±


    With a smiling yet resigned look from Ping Yifan, Wu Xingzi shrunk into himself, turning his face away in bashfulness. ¡°Eh? Did wee too early?¡±


    Ping Yifan stared at him in amusement, but he did not persist in questioning him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not too early. If we were to arrive a bitter, I¡¯m afraid we would¡¯ve ended up bumping into the other two guests outside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Was there a significance implied in those words? Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose, unable to resist looking at Ping Yifan again.


    This gentle gaze felt like hooks, scratching again and again against Ping Yifan¡¯s heart. He could not help but sigh, ¡°Wu Xingzi.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like this.¡± The way he was looking at him, Ping Yifan was almost unable to contain himself anymore, and he wanted to reveal his true identity, dragging the man into his arms for a good cuddle. However, now was not the right time. The person he was waiting for was about to arrive, and he definitely could not allow all his previous efforts toe to waste. As such, he could only forcefully suppress the passion surging up within him.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked. He seemed to realise that his gazes had been rather impolite, and the tips of his ears gradually reddened. ¡°I¡¯m just, I¡¯m just¡­ a little nervous.¡±


    This was not a lie. Although the Bai residence was decorated in a very in and simple manner, it was still a ce unknown to him, and Adviser Wu could not help but feel a little shy.


    Ping Yifan was aware of this too. He struggled internally for a moment, then sped Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, tightening his grip around it. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Bai-gongzi wouldn¡¯t eat you up, hmm?¡±


    His hand felt hot, and it took no time for a thinyer of sweat to cover it. However, Wu Xingzi still could not bear to let go, and held Ping Yifan¡¯s hand tightly as well. The two people did not speak anymore, quietly drinking their tea. Just as they finished, the steward came at the perfect time to invite them towards the qinpound.


    The qinpound was located in the midst of a bamboo forest at the back of the Bai residence, three storeys high. The roof was not surrounded by walls, and in the summer, bamboo curtains were strung around. The thin and delicate bamboo strips swayed gently in the wind, and as the sun shone through the drawings on them, onto the floor made of a bamboo weave, it formed a beautiful drawing to apany the sound of the qin. The scattered light was like sands of gold.


    Young Master Bai was already seated in front of his qin. Seeing the two of them, a small smile appeared on his face. He stood up, cupping his hands in wee. ¡°Mr. Ping, Mr. Wu.¡±


    The two men hurriedly cupped their hands back in courtesy.


    Bai Shaochang was not the conversational sort, and he could even be described as being unskilled at small talk. As such, he did not speak more to the two men, instead signalling at his servant next to him to lead them to take a seat on the cushions. Just as Ping Yifan was nning to help Wu Xingzi sit down, the second guest had arrived. Like them, it was two men. One was dressed in a full robe, tall and handsome. A pair of seductive, charming eyes happened to meet Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, and the two people froze momentarily.


    ¡°G-guan¡­ Guan Shanjin¡­¡± Thest of his words were swallowed back into Wu Xingzi¡¯s tummy. He raised his hands, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. It seemed as though he was afraid that he had seen wrongly, and his eyes were almost falling out of their sockets. How was it that Guan Shanjin too¡­ He jerked his head towards the person next to Guan Shanjin. Unsurprisingly, it was Mr. Lu¡¯s white-ssed figure. His heart felt as though it had just been stabbed with a sharp knife, and his thin body shuddered violently.


    A day without seeing each other was as though three autumns had passed. Unknowingly, they had been separated for over thousands of years. And in these thousands of years, Lu Zezhi had been apanying Guan Shanjin for the whole time. Did Wu Xingzi still have anything to do with Guan Shanjin now? The man probably could not even remember a trace of his shadow by now! Despite so, Wu Xingzi still could not drag his eyes away. Carefully, he looked at Guan Shanjin¡¯s brows, Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes, Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips and¡­ After the intense pain in his heart faded, what came next was confusion. Something seemed to be different with the Guan Shanjin who was in front of him. Wu Xingzi could not put it into words, and he only felt that he had lost any desire of wanting to get close to the person he was looking at. That little hook that always hooked away his soul seemed to not exist anymore.


    Guan Shanjin evidently did not expect that he would meet Wu Xingzi here either. When he recovered his wits, the first thing he did was ncing over to Ping Yifan, who had his arm around the old fellow¡¯s waist. Next, his strong brows creased slightly, and annoyance appeared on his face.


    Inparison, Mr. Lu¡¯s expression was just like usual, and he even gave Wu Xingzi a friendly smile. ¡°Mr. Wu, have you been well?¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Thank you, thank you. I¡¯ve been eating well, sleeping well, and my legs are well too¡­¡± Just as he finished answering, he staggered, nearly falling onto the cushion. This came as no surprise. Before seeing Guan Shanjin, his legs were already bent, about to sit down. After seeing the man, he had maintained that posture of neither sitting nor standing. If not for Ping Yifan considerately supporting him, he would have most definitely embarrassed himself greatly.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Mr. Lu could also be considered a veteran of verbal exchanges with Wu Xingzi, and he long knew that this old fellow in front of him could not be treated like any other normal person. Receiving such a reply, it was not surprising to him. Now, he was solely doted upon and cherished by Guan Shanjin, protected like he was the apple of his eye. Who in the Protector General¡¯s residence was not ttering and fawning over him? The only thing was that the Protector General and his wife were unable to put away their prejudices towards him. However, despite their efforts, they had been unable to dissuade Guan Shanjin and his persistence, and so they could only treat him courteously. Lu Zezhi was now entirely living infort.


    Tightening his hold around Guan Shanjin¡¯s arm, he turned to look at Ping Yifan. The young man had an ordinary appearance, with a gentleness that seemed as though it was carved by water. From his clothes, he could gather that he, at most, came from a decently well-off family, a pretty adequate match with Wu Xingzi. Lu Zezhi¡¯s smile became even more sincere and gentle. ¡°This is Mr. Wu¡¯s partner?¡±


    Partner? Wu Xingzi widened his eyes, his face flushing an instant red. His head shaking like a rattle, he answered, ¡°No no no! Uhhh uhh uhh¡­ Ai, uhh¡­¡±


    Seeing that he was so anxious that he had turned incoherent, Ping Yifan narrowed his eyes at Lu Zezhi as he pressed his index finger against Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Shh. Our rtionship, it¡¯s enough that the two of us know what it is, hmm?¡± Caressing the center of Wu Xingzi¡¯s lip with his rough finger, he carefully helped him to his seat. He could not be bothered to even speak a word to others, and of course no one saw the sneer shing across his face either.


    ¡°Laoshi, let me help you.¡± Over there, Guan Shanjin also did not pay any attention to Wu Xingzi and Ping Yifan. Considerately, he helped Lu Zezhi to their cushions and they took their seats.


    Giving Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi a few nces, a faint smile curled around Lu Zezhi¡¯s lips, and he regained his usual elegance and haughtiness. Now, he no longer saw Wu Xingzi as anyone to be worried about. Such an ugly old thing, knowing when to retreat, he surely did not waste his forty years of life, living like a fool.


    Now, the one who posed a bigger threat to him¡­ Undetected, his eyes turned towards the man sitting in front of the qin.


    Thest guest did not bring along anypanion. He was also someone who looked rather familiar, and looking closely, it turned out to be Yan Wenxin.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes rounded once again. Hepletely could not believe what he was seeing. Did the calendar state that it was bad luck for him to leave the house today? Not only was Guan Shanjin here, but Yan Wenxin had appeared as well! He averted his eyes uneasily, but he could not help sneaking looks at Yan Wenxin. The previous time at Chongxu Guan, they were a little too far apart, and he did not see him clearly then.


    This time, in this smallpound, their seats were almost face to face. Under the summer sun, the lines of Yan Wenxin¡¯s face were clean and well-defined. Although his hair had already turned grey, and a long beard covered half his face, Wu Xingzi was still able to quickly match his eyes to the young man of the past. It felt as though nothing had changed; he was still that warm and pleasant person, and that aloofness and loftiness ingrained in his bones still made him seem like the deity of the plum blossoms.


    Noticing Wu Xingzi¡¯s naked and undisguised gaze, Yan Wenxin did not seem to feel offended. Instead, he gave a friendly nod of his head, a pair of kindly yet sharp eyes curving along with a smile.


    Wu Xingzi shifted his eyes away, feeling a little wretched, and his fingertips felt icy cold. He understood, even though he had immediately recognised Yan Wenxin, Yan Wenxin had long forgotten who he was¡­ It was also possible that he had aged too much as well. After all, they had not seen each other for over twenty years, right?


    On the other side, as the host, Bai Shaochang had noticed all the exchanges between his guests. However, he seemed to not be bothered in the slightest. cidly, he gave them a simple introduction of each other, then bowed his head and started to y his qin.


    The sound of the qin was melodious and pleasant to the ears, like the music of the heavens. It was like jade beads falling onto a silver te, like the chirruping of a hundred birds. A qin tended to exude a slight trace of metallic, lethal, icy solemnity, but in Bai Shaochang¡¯s hands, it became rich and sweet, pleasing like a spring breeze. If the man was like the sound of his qin, one could imagine how Bai Shaochang, who seemed cold, aloof and even distant on the surface, was actually a man brimming with passion and gentleness.


    Unfortunately, despite such good music, despite such a rare opportunity, other than Bai Shaochang himself, it was regrettable that none of his guests had their heart on the music.

 Chapter 81 - Showdown Part 2

    Chapter 81 ¡ª Showdown Part 2


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Expressionlessly, Ping Yifan witnessed Wu Xingzi¡¯s every move. He watched as the old fellow sneaked countless peeks at Guan Shanjin, and the emotion left on his face was very subtle. It was unclear whether he was feeling relieved, or he was feeling a very faint sense of regret, but his attention was quickly taken away by Yan Wenxin.


    It had to be said that when Wu Xingzi was secretly looking at Guan Shanjin, he still knew how to somewhat conceal his actions. However, the way he looked at Yan Wenxin waspletely undisguised, to the point where it could be considered offensive. It was likely that the old fellow himself did not realise it.


    As for Yan Wenxin, he was fine. Despite how overt and brazen Wu Xingzi¡¯s gaze was, he paid no attention to it. After the initial greetings, he seemed to bepletely focused on Bai Shaochang¡¯s music, and his expression was fullypatible with the melody. If Ping Yifan had not deliberately paid him a small bit of attention, it was likely that he would not have noticed at all how the other man was currently observing him.


    Hmph, what a sly, old fox.


    In Guan Shanjin¡¯s case, he was even more distracted. With his head bowed, he was fiddling with Lu Zezhi¡¯s hand. In Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, he seemed to be showering Lu Zezhi with warm and tender affection, but both Ping Yifan and Yan Wenxin had long noticed the Great Southern Garrison General¡¯s distraction, and how he seemed to be troubled.


    Perhaps due to the worries on the audience¡¯s minds, Bai Shaochang¡¯s tranquil mood was affected. His music gradually became a little disordered, and his ying finally culminated in a string of the qin breaking.


    Bai Shaochang¡¯s brows knitted slightly. A drop of blood instantly beaded up on the tip of his finger, staining a small section of the string red.


    ¡°Be careful, Bai-gongzi.¡± Although it was only a perfunctory sentence, Yan Wenxin was still the first to react. Next to them, the servant had already picked up a bottle of medication to clean the wound for his master. Bai Shaochang shook his lowered head.


    ¡°It¡¯s Qiuxiao who has been discourteous.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that? I¡¯m afraid, it¡¯s us, the listeners, who have affected the rity of your mood,¡± Yan Wenxin spoke as he surveyed the rest of the guests. The moment Wu Xingzi met his eyes, his face flushed red and he bent his neck immediately, regret filling his face.


    Ping Yifan pinched his hand, speaking up with an apologetic tone. ¡°What Lord Yan said is true. Everyone says that when ying his qin, Bai-gongzi ces great emphasis on the rity of one¡¯s mind, as well as one¡¯s concentration and focus. Seeing it for myself today, it¡¯s just as they said. I am truly feeling ashamed.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Ping-gongzi is taking it too seriously.¡± Bai Shaochang pressed his lips together, his face a little pale. The wound on the tip of his finger was fairly serious, and it would be unlikely that he would be able to y well if he were to continue ying. As such, he pushed the qin away, stood up and gave a courteous bow. ¡°Today, I, Qiuxiao, am unable to do the honours of making friends through music, and I am truly apologetic. When the wound on my finger is healed, I hope that all of you would be willing to ept my invitation for another round again.¡±


    ¡°Bai-gongzi is too courteous.¡± His guests all chimed in with various courtesies, and this gathering somehow just ended like this, and the guests all somehow received another invitation.


    Young Master Bai was the first to make his farewells and leave thepound. However, he had no intentions of rushing his guests off. Instead, he instructed his family¡¯s steward to take care of the guests. After some snacks and more tea were served, a few children came in. They were all less than the age of ten, and all of them had a musical instrument in their hands. There were flutes, pipas, xuns1, and even a zither.


    They watched as the steward personally packed away Young Master Bai¡¯s qin, and the two smart servants next to the steward tidied up the stand where the qin rested. The children all sat down on their respective seats, and one by one, they started ying.


    Although the father and son of the Bai family were skilled in qin-ying, they were also learned in other instruments as well. This was especially so for Young Master Bai, who was extremely gifted musically, and he basically was born with the talent in ying music. No matter the instrument, he was veryfortable in ying them all. Although it could not bepared to his excellence in ying the qin, it was no worse than other famous masters of music.


    He epted a few children as students, and the reason why they were not referred to as his disciples was because Young Master Bai was a yer of the qin, and for him to ept disciples, he naturally had to teach them how to y the qin. However, as of now, although Young Master Bai had taught the children a type of instrument each, letting them y and perform during the banquets hosted by the Bai family, he had never taught any one of them the art of the qin.


    All the children performing in front of the audience had been taught by Young Master Bai.


    Despite the children¡¯s young age, as well as theck of strength in their fingers and lungs, they had been trained since young. The sound of their music was already beyond mediocre, and with the summer sun and cool breeze, as well as the scenery in front of the audience, it was extremely pleasant to the ears. Just like a bout of rain after a long drought, it made the listeners feel refreshed and alive.


    Wu Xingzi listened for a while, and once again, he could not help sneaking looks at Guan Shanjin.


    Just now, seeing Yan Wenxin had caused Wu Xingzi too much of a shock, and he had been unable to gather back his wits for a moment. This, Ping Yifan could understand. Now, in Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was a bit of a snack that Ping Yifan had personally fed him, yet those deceitful eyes were fixed directly upon Guan Shanjin, almost undressing him. Ping Yifan could not help but frown, and he gave ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± a harsh re.


    On that side, the ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± who was currently behaving affectionately and tenderly towards Lu Zezhi stiffened abruptly. All his hair stood on ends, and in no time, he broke out in cold sweat. In his heart, he could onlyin bitterly, yet he still had to pretend as though nothing had happened, and exchange a vague hint of an icy smile with Ping Yifan. His attitude seemed full of scorn, yet people who understood his disposition well would know that he was somewhat fearful of the in-looking man in front of him.


    The ongoings naturally did not escape Yan Wenxin¡¯s eyes. With lowered lids, he sipped on his tea with no hint of a reaction, yet many thoughts were already running through his mind.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Is he ill?¡± Wu Xingzi mumbled softly.


    When Ping Yifan heard that, a trace of hostility shed past his warm eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s ill?¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Only then did Wu Xingzi realise that he had identally voiced out his thoughts. Hurriedly, he closed his mouth, looking very awkward. Ping Yifan sighed softly, grabbing Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand gently and pulling it to his lips, pressing a kiss on it.


    ¡°Ai, don¡¯t be like this¡­ there are many people around¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face was a bright red. For now, Guan Shanjin was shoved to the back of his head, and he nearly could not even remember who the man was.


    ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Ping Yifan leant over and tugged the man into his arms, then kissed his palm another two times, looking rather wicked.


    Wu Xingzi did like it very much, but he was not bold enough for such behaviour! In the past, when he was together with Guan Shanjin, all their intimacy had been in private. At the very most, only Rancui, Hei¡¯er and the two maid servants had witnessed them in action before, and they had never been so tant about it. Wu Xingzi tried a few times to tug his hand back, but he failed. As such, he gave up and just hid his head away, pretending to be dead instead.


    This was exactly what Ping Yifan wanted, for Wu Xingzi to not look at that Guan Shanjin or Yan Wenxin anymore.


    Fortunately, Guan Shanjin too did not stay for long. After having some tea and a piece of a snack, Lu Zezhi revealed a look of fatigue. The young man pampering him naturally did not miss it. He spoke quietly into Lu Zezhi¡¯s ear, then stood up and made his farewells to the group.


    Of course, as the Great Southern Garrison General, as well as the Protector General¡¯s son, Guan Shanjin paid no attention to Ping Yifan and Wu Xingzi, two members of themon folk. He did not hesitate in putting on airs, and even his courtesies towards the Minister of Personnel, Yan Wenxin, were very perfunctory. He did not want to stay for a second longer.


    Before their departure, Lu Zezhi again nced over to Wu Xingzi. His mouth curled up in a faint, graceful smile, seeming as though there were a thousand and one words in the curve of those lips. Simply put, the meaning of that smile was ¡ª a dog who lost its master.


    It was unclear if Wu Xingzi understood the implication, as the old fellow was still looking at Guan Shanjin dazedly. However, both Ping Yifan and Yan Wenxin picked up on it.


    Ping Yifan lowered his lids, concealing the disgust in his eyes. Gently, he spread apart Wu Xingzi¡¯s palm with his hand. After tweaking all of the older man¡¯s fingers one by one, he inteced their fingers together.


    As for Yan Wenxin, there was no change in his expression. Under the cover of light and shadows, he eyed Wu Xingzi from head to toe, then used his teacup to hide the hint of a smile on his lips.


    Since Guan Shanjin had left already, Ping Yifan too was not in the mood to continue lingering there anymore. His reason for bringing Wu Xingzi here today was that he wanted to probe Wu Xingzi a little, as well as knowing that the old fellow liked listening to the music of the qin. That was why he had epted Bai Shaochang¡¯s invitation. Why else would he have spent so much effort for this farce?


    However, the snacksid down in front of them had yet to be finished. The snacks provided by the Bai family were truly delicious. They were not especially exquisite, and were only just steamed cakes. There were rose voured ones, as well as ones studded with pine nuts, and they were coated in ayer of sugar. The steamed cakes were soft and tender, extremely fluffy, and the aroma of the milk and dough could be tasted in every bite. The vour was not covered by the rose or the pine nuts, and the vours all melded perfectly well together.


    The sugar coating the cakes was clearly a traditional type that was used in worship and offering. Glittering and translucent, the sugar looked like fine crystals, and it was most definitely gifted to the Bai family by the emperor. Just this snack alone was enough to see how highly the Bai family viewed their guests. Wu Xingzi had always liked to eat, and he did not like to see things go to waste. So, he could not help but eye the snacks left on the table Guan Shanjin and Lu Zezhi were using. That look of pain amused Ping Yifan greatly, and so he curled a finger under Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin, turning the man¡¯s head towards himself as heughed. ¡°They all say that a person¡¯s appearance could be so good looking that one could feast their eyes on it. Does that mean that my looks cannotpare to some pieces of steamed cake?¡±


    The words sounded teasing, but the sour jealousy in those words was so thick that it could overwhelm Fang Xuanling¡¯s wife2.


    How could such aparison be made?! Enchanted by the male next to him, Wu Xingzi momentarily forgot about those pieces of steamed cake that shared no fate with him. Obediently, he opened his mouth and epted a piece of snack Ping Yifan fed him.


    Looking at how intimate the two people were, Yan Wenxin smoothed his beard as he spoke, ¡°This youngd looks rather unfamiliar. Where are you from?¡±


    Wu Xingzi naturally did not think that he was the ¡°youngd¡±. However, to suddenly hear Yan Wenxin striking a conversation, the steamed cake in his mouth seemed to turn into wax. Despite having a touch more of reservedness and loftiness, that bright and clear voice was still as gentle and warm as it was twenty years ago.


    As for Ping Yifan, who had no choice but to ept thebel of ¡°youngd¡±, he felt extremely unhappy. However, not a hint of his feelings was revealed on his face. After pushing a cup of tea into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, he lifted his head and cupped his hands at Yan Wenxin. ¡°I was born and raised in the capital, just that I¡¯m only one of themon folks, and have yet to achieve anything even today. It¡¯s natural that Lord Yan finds me unfamiliar.¡±


    ¡°Youngd, you look hale and hearty, and your appearance is good too. How could it be that you don¡¯t have any achievements?¡±


    Yan Wenxin himself had been born in a poor and humble family, and he naturally understood the mentality of poor, young men. Every man had a dream of shaking free from the shackles of poverty. Who would be willing to muddle along in life, remaining mediocre and unambitious? However, which of those mediocre men ambling along would have the ease and confidence of the youngd in front of him? And how could they be neither humble nor servile when facing an important court official? To give such a perfect reply, leaving no room to seek faults with, yet still leaving cracks to tempt others to probe into it, this was definitely something that could only be learnt in the aristocratic and noble families.


    ¡°I¡¯m unlearned, and I don¡¯t care much about the teachings of sages and wise men. However, I¡¯ve gained a little in the path of trade, but I¡¯m only someone who makes profits off others. How could I be unabashed enough to be familiar with Lord Yan?¡±


    Hearing the response, Yan Wenxin burst out inughter. ¡°Youngd, you¡¯re too humble. The Great Xia dynasty does not look down on merchants and traders. It¡¯s said that every trade has its master, and I can see that you¡¯re not just some small being muddling their way through life.¡±


    Seeing that Ping Yifan was about to give another courteous reply, Yan Wenxin gave a wave of his hand. ¡°Ai, I am still able to discern talents amongst us. Youngd, you don¡¯t have to be that unassuming. You say that you were born and raised in the capital, may I know which area?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s around the Winding Liantang Path in the south of the city. With Lord Yan¡¯s nobility and aristocracy, I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯d be rather unfamiliar with the city south.¡± Since Yan Wenxin had already made his point, Ping Yifan no longer maintained his submissive and overawed attitude. Instead, his words wereced with a trace of mockery.


    ¡°The city south¡­¡± Yan Wenxin stroked his beard, smiling. ¡°I have to make it clear, naturally, I¡¯m not as knowledgeable as you with regards to the area. However,pared to the other court officials, I can be said to be familiar.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lord Yan truly cherishes the entire country.¡± Ping Yifan returned a smile.


    However, he clearly had no intentions to chase after the bait in Yan Wenxin¡¯s words. After giving him a perfunctory reply, he lowered his head, asking Wu Xingzi, ¡°Are you hungry yet? It¡¯s about time for lunch. The Bai family should be inviting us to have a meal, or would you rather go have something else more interesting?¡±


    Wu Xingzi had just finished his snack and tea, and his appetite had basically been whetted. Rubbing his belly, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s not disturb Bai-gongzi any more. Rancui says that a roast duck shop just opened a few days ago. I do want to try it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s settle on that. Now that the steward has yet to invite us, we should quickly make our farewells.¡± Ping Yifan then deftly stood up, before helping Wu Xingzi up as he teased him. ¡°In any case, the Great Southern Garrison General is no longer here. It¡¯s all just things and people of the past, why do we have to get so hung up on it?¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Having his thoughts exposed, Wu Xingzi could not help blushing. Just as he wanted to settle Ping Yifan¡¯s concerns, a thought suddenly shed past his head. Jealousy was simmering under Ping Yifan¡¯s words. At any time else, Wu Xingzi would be very embarrassed, yet secretly revelling in it. After all, only when their hearts were towards each other, would they be so concerned with the other.


    However, why did this jealousy surface? Was it just a simple reason, that Ping Yifan did not like the fact that he was looking at other men, or did he know about the previous tryst he had shared with Guan Shanjin?


    If it was the former, the number of times he had peeked at Guan Shanjin was much less than the number of times he had sneaked a look at Yan Wenxin. However, Ping Yifan held no jealousy towards Yan Wenxin. Although he did give the man a few gentle jabs, it was because of his annoyance from being questioned, as well as he did not wish to have more interactions with such court officials.


    No no no. Reflexively, Wu Xingzi shook his head. He must be thinking too much, and his thoughts must have strayed too much¡­ That tryst between Guan Shanjin and him, at the very most, the news had only spread around Bastion City for a few days, and then again in Qingcheng County for a few days. After that, the news about Guan Shanjin going to the Yue Manor to snatch the groom had been suppressed as well. There was no reason to suspect that any information had been carried to the capital, and Wu Xingzi also did not believe that while liking Mr. Lu, Guan Shanjin would allow such ambiguous and scandalous rumours to spread around for other people to gossip over. In the capital, it was likely that no one dared to spread any gossip about the private matters of the Great Southern Garrison General, unless Guan Shanjin had deliberately allowed it.


    However, Wu Xingzi had been in the capital for quite some time already, and Rancui was very well-informed about various news and gossip. If he had heard something about it, he would have most definitely let Wu Xingzi know.


    Then, the meaning implied in Ping Yifan¡¯s words¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Look at how dazed you look.¡± Ping Yifan pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose. He wrapped an arm around the older man¡¯s waist, and enveloped him in the scent of orange blossom and white sandalwood.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just hungry¡­¡± Wu Xingzi forced a smile out, then bent his neck, as though he was bashful. Ping Yifan pinched at the soft skin around his waist, sighing, ¡°Ah, why do you never put on weight?¡±


    Without saying goodbye to Yan Wenxin, Ping Yifan led Wu Xingzi away from the qinpound.


    Yan Wenxin did not mind that he was snubbed. Not too long after, the steward of the Bai family brought along Young Master Bai¡¯s invitation to lunch, and he epted it with pleasure.

 Chapter 82 - How to Prove This?

    Chapter 82 ¡ª How to Prove This?


    Edited by DancingDolphinYo


    Having been an adviser for half his life, Wu Xingzi was definitely not a schr who knew little of the world. Although Qingcheng County was a small ce, as long as there were people, there would be various forms ofplications in their rtionships. A new magistrate would rece the previous one every six years, and he had worked for four of them. If one was to search through the entire Great Xia, there would probably be no one else who knew more about the matters of Qingcheng County than Wu Xingzi.


    An adviser was not an official position established by the court, and it was often a teacher hired by the magistrate himself to assist him in dealing with general affairs. Without an adviser, the magistrate would be hindered in many areas when trying to work, so the true power of an adviser was not small in the least.


    To be able to peacefully remain as the one and only adviser of Qingcheng County, it was enough to prove that Wu Xingzi was not a muddle-headed man. In contrast, he was a lot more capable and intelligent than his appearance portrayed. It was just that his disposition was very soft, and normally, he was like a pot of water that would never boil despite the mes. Gentle and cid, shy and bashful, it seemed as though anyone could bully him.


    Wu Xingzi was very distracted throughout lunch. The food from the newly opened roast duck shop was truly tasty, and customers had been swarming it over the past few days. During meal times, it was not easy to get a table, and it was unclear how Ping Yifan had managed to get the best seat, right next to the window. Ping Yifan himself did not eat much, his attention fully on feeding Wu Xingzi.


    The pancake was fluffy, the sauce a perfect bnce of sweet and salty, and the skin of the duck was crisp and not greasy. ording to Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite, it would not be a problem for him to finish the entire duck, and he did finish up more than half the dishes on the table. Ping Yifan then invited him to sail across theke for a mood lifter, but Wu Xingzi rejected him, saying that he was feeling unwell. He returned home, with Ping Yifan feeling concerned over him, and his farewell was a little perfunctory.


    In a daze, he sat in his room, carefully going through every single detail of his interactions with Ping Yifan.


    To put it down bluntly, he had fallen for Ping Yifan too quickly. Even with regards to the Yan Wenxin of the past, he had only watched him, admiring him as a beauty. Although the man had left an indelible mark on his heart, there was still a span of a few months before Wu Xingzi truly fell for him.


    However, that was not the case for Ping Yifan. During their first meeting, he clearly still had yet to get over Guan Shanjin, and he was still pining after him. Even if he had a change of affection, it would need some time, right? Who could have guessed that upon his first nce at Ping Yifan, he would have an uncontroble desire to get closer to him? Wu Xingzi had originally believed that the reasons why he liked Ping Yifan were because he was talented, yet not showy, and how his disposition was warm and kind, sofortable like a breeze in spring. Like a moth to mes, he did not even pause to think about it, and hetched himself onto him without any hesitation.


    Till now, they had only met a total of three times, no?


    One was during the gathering of the Peng Society, one was the trip to Chongxu Guan a few days ago, and thest time was today¡­ Would liking a person be such a quick matter?


    The scent on Ping Yifan, it was identical to Guan Shanjin; Ping Yifan¡¯s hands, after some careful consideration, were no different from Guan Shanjin¡¯s as well ¡ª dry, warm and rough, looking as though they were carved from jade, stirring a desire within one¡¯s heart and causing them to like them very much; moreover those little actions of his ¡ª Guan Shanjin too liked to pinch his nose and fiddle with his hands, and the strength he used along with the doting expression on his face¡­ Listing them all like this, every detail was so familiar that it frightened Wu Xingzi¡­


    So, did he like Ping Yifan, just because this seemingly inconspicuous man was simr to Guan Shanjin?


    No¡­ Covering his face, Wu Xingzi gave a bitter, self-mockingugh. Perhaps, right from the start, he had already recognised exactly who it was underneath Ping Yifan¡¯s face. That familiar, faint fragrance, how could he ever forget it?


    Laughing andughing, he tasted an acrid saltiness on his tongue. Wu Xingzi wiped his face, only to realise that it was covered with tears. In a trance, he stared at his damp palm. Not too long ago, Ping Yifan was still fiddling with his hand intimately, intertwining their fingers together. The man had made him feel that there was no hurry in deciding if he should return to Qingcheng County, and that the capital was a nice ce. If they were to continue spending time with each other, they might really walk down the path of bing life partners.


    Wu Xingzi had been alone for more than half his life, and he now finally had someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.


    Someone knocked on his door. Hurriedly, Wu Xingzi wiped away the traces of tears on his face. With a faint smile, Rancui stood at the door and asked, ¡°May Ie in? I heard from the girls that you¡¯re back early today, and you seemed to be troubled.¡±


    ¡°Come in¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. A minute hoarseness could be detected in his voice. Rancui carefully observed him from head to toe, his gaze finally stopping at Wu Xingzi¡¯s reddened eyes, and he sighed lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought along some pine nut candy, would you like to share them?¡± Rancui sat down next to Wu Xingzi, retrieving a bulging package wrapped in a handkerchief from his wide sleeves. Unwrapping the package, a sweet smell filled their noses. Each piece of candy glittered like crystals, and looked indescribably tempting.


    However, Wu Xingzi did not move. He still could not calm himself. Staring at Rancui for a moment, who had a piece of candy in his mouth, he quietly asked, ¡°Rancui, does Ping Yifan really exist?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Rancui raised a brow, his reply a little muffled. ¡°Why would you suddenly ask this? Is there something wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his nose. His posture, which had finally straightened up after all this time, again hunched over, and he looked like a withered stalk of grass.


    In his heart, he already had a guess, and all hecked was concrete evidence. However, it was this concrete evidence that would be hard to obtain.


    After all, during today¡¯s meeting, ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± had attended it along with Mr. Lu. From start until the end, Ping Yifan had been seated next to him. If these two people were the same, then was Ping Yifan fake, or was it Guan Shanjin? No matter how one thought about it, this was aplicated and difficult thing to do. What reason was there for him to do this?


    However, if Ping Yifan was real, and Guan Shanjin was also real, how could there be two people who were so simr in this world? And how did Ping Yifan know about Guan Shanjin¡¯s secrets?


    Wu Xingzi thought that he had seen through the whole matter, but after some careful thinking, he seemed to have again twisted himself into confusion.


    ¡°With my identity as the manager of the Peng Society alone, and not as a friend, I can guarantee that Ping Yifan exists.¡± Rancui shoved a piece of pine nut candy into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. Although he did not know what had happened over at the Bai¡¯s residence, and how Guan Shanjin, the fool, had slipped up, now that Wu Xingzi was starting to suspect something, he must quickly think about how much he should reveal.


    ¡°He really exists¡­¡± Biting into the candy, Wu Xingzi eyed Rancui. Not only did his heart not settle in peace, but his thoughts were in an even bigger muddle now.


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a Ping Yifan in the capital. He lives along Winding Liantang Path in the south of the city. He¡¯s twenty-five this year, and he owns a store selling a variety of goods.¡± Rancui took out a copy of the Pengornisseur, flipping to Ping Yifan¡¯s page with much familiarity. Pointing at the man on it, he said, ¡°He¡¯s also a long-time client of the Peng Society. When he just reached adulthood, he had dropped by our office. His character is decent, and he has never dyed paying the membership fee either. Although born from a poor family, he has never tried to cheat out of making any payments. His ancestors were schrs, but unfortunately, his family¡¯s status declined. He did not walk down the path of a schr, seeking an official rank, and his store can be considered to be doing very well.¡±


    And his pengornis is excellent too, Wu Xingzi secretly added. He stared at the Pengornisseur, lost in his thoughts. On the page, the drawing of Ping Yifan was a little blurry. There was a slight decline in qualitypared to the drawings of the other members, as though they were trying to hide something.


    Wu Xingzi carefully reached out and covered the upper half of Ping Yifan¡¯s face, but he could not say exactly how simr the drawing was to the person in real life.


    ¡°I saw Haiwang today.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Rancui rested his elbows on the table, supporting his chin in his hands. A glimmer of schadenfreude could be faintly detected in his eyes. ¡°He received Bai-gongzi¡¯s invitation as well? How interesting.¡±


    ¡°Interesting?¡± Confusion appeared on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. Today, he was entirely not in the mood to listen to the qin, nor did he pay much attention to Young Master Bai. He only remembered that Young Master Bai had broken one of the strings of his qin.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi was there too, right?¡± Rancui asked, smiling. Without waiting for Wu Xingzi¡¯s response, he continued on, ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that he was there. Although the private matters of Lord Protector¡¯s residence will never escape its doors, my boss has his connections, and I¡¯ve heard some things as well. They say that the son of the Lord Protector insists on marrying Lu Zezhi and no one else, but the Lord Protector and his wife refuse to agree. I heard that they disdain Lu Zezhi for his dastardly behaviour. A teacher for a day, a father for life. He¡¯s basicallymitting incest.¡±


    As Rancui spoke, heughed until he was nearly breathless. He quickly poured himself a cup of tea, sipping at it and catching his breath.


    ¡°But since Haiwang likes him, he¡¯d definitely not let Mr. Lu feel wronged.¡± When Wu Xingzi recalled how Guan Shanjin had doted on Mr. Lu today, he felt a little agonised.


    Yes, that Guan Shanjin had to be the real one. How else could he disy such pampering and doting? Mr. Lu had also been with Guan Shanjin for so many years already, and it did not make sense that he could not tell whether the person next to him was real or fake. Despite the suspicions remaining in his heart, for now, Wu Xingzi believed that he was thinking too much about it. He was not Guan Shanjin¡¯s beloved, so why would the man spend so much effort and thoughts into getting close to him?


    Thinking like this, his emotions steadied a lot, and his appetite too improved. He picked up a few pieces of the pine nut candy and started eating.


    ¡°In any case, no matter whether Lu Zezhi feels that he¡¯s been wronged or not, it¡¯s not the only thing he has to worry about.¡± Rancui pursed his lips. ¡°The Lord Protector¡¯s wife is Guan Shanjin¡¯s mother, and she has no reason to allow her son to destroy his own future. They can ept that their future daughter-inw would be a son-inw, and his age or family background would not matter. However, this person must have a good character, and it doesn¡¯t matter if he cannot help improve the family¡¯s standing, but he needs to not drag them down. In her eyes, Lu Zezhi is doing worse than dragging their family down. After all, Lu Zezhi is from the same hometown as the Lord Protector¡¯s wife, and she is well aware of his background and his character.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the Lord Protector and his wife rather satisfied with Mr. Lu? Before Mr. Lu, there haven¡¯t been any teachers who were able to manage and teach Haiwang, no?¡± This was something Guan Shanjin had said himself. Ever since then, Wu Xingzi had understood that to Guan Shanjin, Mr. Lu was special, and he was not simply only his teacher.


    ¡°A ten year old child is different from a twenty-seven year old man,¡± Rancui replied enigmatically, while smiling. ¡°Guan Shanjin likes people who are clean and honest, and it would be best if they¡¯re not too intelligent. He himself is overly intelligent, and if it¡¯s another intelligent person sleeping next to him, he¡¯d long be tired of him. However, it doesn¡¯t mean that he likes a fool.¡±


    With Rancui¡¯s eyes on him, Wu Xingzi suddenly felt a little restless. He decided to just look down and stuff himself, and he did not speak up.


    Rancui had no intention of forcing him, and breezily continued. ¡°The Lord Protector¡¯s wife prefers Bai-gongzi.¡±


    A cough, and Wu Xingzi spat the crumbs of candy and tea out of his mouth. Thanks to Rancui¡¯s nimbleness, he avoided the misery of getting sprayed all over his face. As for Wu Xingzi, he was choking and coughing forcefully, and both tears and snot were all over his face. After some time, he finally caught his breath. Hastily using his sleeve to wipe his face, his reddened eyes were round, and he could not believe what he heard. ¡°The Lord Protector¡¯s wife ns to matchmake Bai-gongzi and Haiwang?¡±


    ¡°Mn-hm.¡± Rancui sprawled across his chaise lounge, waving his handzily. ¡°I feel that they¡¯re quitepatible. Look at Bai-gongzi, how the both of them are both matching in looks and talent! Compared to Lu Zezhi, he¡¯s even more innocent and pure, like a lotus rising up from the mud, resting upon the surface of theke, like a true immortal that has never been caught up in worldly desires. At the very most, Lu Zezhi can only be considered to be the mud.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Haiwang¡­¡± It was impossible that his affections would change so easily! After all, Lu Zezhi was someone he had adored for so many years! In his heart, Wu Xingzi felt that the two men had gone through so many things to be together, and so they were the mostpatible.


    ¡°One may know a person for a long time without knowing his true nature,¡± Rancuiughed.


    One may know a person for a long time without knowing his true nature¡­ Wu Xingzi could not help but think of Ping Yifan again.


    They had only met three times, so why did he like him so quickly? Was the person he liked actually Ping Yifan, or Guan Shanjin¡¯s shadow? How did they meet each other so coincidentally?


    ¡°However, people can sometimes do foolish things. The deeper one¡¯s feelings are, the more foolish they be. Sometimes, we can see how deep one¡¯s affections are by looking at how much they are willing to pretend to be a fool.¡±


    Pretending to be a fool¡­ Wu Xingzi refilled his own cup of tea, moodily emptying it down his throat.

 Chapter 83 - A Trap Within A Trap(?): Part 1

    Chapter 83 ¡ª A Trap Within A Trap(?): Part 1


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After Guan Shanjin sent Lu Zezhi back to his courtyard, he did not show him any additional tenderness and concern. In fact, he did not even have his lunch with him, casually using the excuse of having to deal with work to brush him off.


    He turned and left immediately, and even his courteous farewells sounded perfunctory.


    The exquisitepound was staffed with about a dozen attendants. In the incorruptible household of the Lord Protector, this was essentially the onlypound like this. Even thepound used by the Lord Protector and his wife only had four attendants.


    The Lord Protector¡¯s household had very strict rules. They were originally a military family, and each Lord Protector of every generation needed to enter the battlefield and fight for their own status and progress. There was no harem of concubines who would squabble and argue, and there was not even a single person who dared to chatter and share a little gossip after a meal. This hugepound was so quiet that it felt as though Lu Zezhi was the only one there.


    He could not put on an expression of being a disgruntled spouse, but he also could not help feeling a bitterness within his heart. Guan Shanjin did dote upon him, and also made him promises. However, he did not spend much time apanying him, and recently, he had gradually be more perfunctory in his actions. Even the most intimate actions that urred between the two of them were only a few impersonal hugs, and there was not even a single kiss.


    When facing Wu Xingzi, Lu Zezhi could even suppress the frustration within himself. For his own dignity, he had to put on a show, a mask. Now that he was back in the Lord Protector¡¯s residence, he could no longer conceal the undeniable disconstion in his heart.


    He knew that his own identity and status were very awkward. The Lord Protector and his wife made no disguise of their feelings towards him, and the only person he could rely on was Guan Shanjin.


    Now, only a few short months had passed, yet Guan Shanjin¡¯s adoration and doting towards him had already faded by quite a lot. He had inadvertently heard about how the Lord Protector and his wife had the intention of matchmaking Guan Shanjin and Bai Shaochang; so today¡¯s invitation was probably not just a simple invitation to listen to Bai Shaochang y, but also his response.


    Sitting on a chair, Lu Zezhi gripped a half-empty teacup tightly, his entire palm reddening.


    No, he could not allow himself to descend down this path of hopelessness. Bai Shaochang¡¯s looks, and the way he carried himself, were the qualities that Guan Shanjin was drawn to. Lu Zezhi understood that he could notpare to Bai Shaochang, and if Guan Shanjin and Bai Shaochang truly became a match, he would be immediately abandoned. After all, the bloodline of the Lord Protector was famed for how their hearts only beat loyally for that one person in their life, and there waspletely no reason for a third person to have their space there.


    Gritting his teeth, Lu Zezhi came to a decision. He summoned the servant whom he had brought along from Bastion City, the person who had been following him for the longest time, and whom he trusted the most after Hua Shu had been rid of.


    ¡°Help me pass this message to Lord Yan, tell him that I¡¯ll consider that suggestion of his, but he has to give me some guarantees.¡±


    Hearing that he had to pass a message to Lord Yan, the servant was a little hesitant. ¡°Master, Lord Yan and the General do not get along with each other, this¡­ If the General finds out, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be disadvantageous to you.¡±


    Although themon folks had not heard anything about the tussle between Yan Wenxin and Guan Shanjin in court, any of the court officials, aristocrats or businessmen with a bit of power were all aware of it. Ever since the Great Southern Garrison General had returned to the capital for a debrief, Yan Wenxin had been continuously bothering Guan Shanjin both openly and secretly. Although Guan Shanjin had the Lord Protector¡¯s protection in court, and for now, his work had not been affected by the nuisance, he was currently being ced aside, and had a lot of free time on his hands.


    It was said that when one¡¯s capability was too great, their superior would be anxious. It was no wonder that Guan Shanjin did not return to the capital for so many years.


    At this moment, if a disaster were to happen within his own home, one could only imagine how upset Guan Shanjin would be.


    After hearing the servant¡¯s doubt, Lu Zezhi pursed his lips slightly. ¡°We just don¡¯t have to let the General know about it. I¡¯m only helping him probe Lord Yan for information. After all, he has alreadye seeking for me. He definitely is nning something against the General, so why don¡¯t I turn his trick against him? However, before the matter is concluded, we must not let the General worry. After getting Lord Yan¡¯s guarantee, andter, when he falls into the trap Iy for him, we¡¯ll just make it up to the General.¡±


    In truth, only Lu Zezhi understood what sort of selfish motives he had while he was trying to feel Lord Yan out.


    ¡°As expected, Master is truly intelligent. I¡¯m only a servant,cking in experience and vision. Madam will one day finally understand Master¡¯s devotion towards the General. That Bai-gongzi or whoever, how can he evenpare to a fingernail of yours?¡±


    Listening to the servant¡¯s ttery, Lu Zezhi secretly revelled in it. He curled his lips up in a small smile, waving his hand. ¡°Hurry up and go. Remember to be very careful, don¡¯t let anyone else other than the two of us know about this. Also, Lord Yan¡¯s guarantee has to be written down in ck and white, understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± After all, he was someone assigned by Guan Shanjin to serve Lu Zezhi. He was quick and cautious, and when leaving the Lord Protector¡¯s residence, no one else discovered anything.


    When Guan Shanjin left Lu Zezhi¡¯s courtyard, he headed straight to the study. As he pushed the door open, there was already someone waiting for him there. Hearing his footsteps, that person looked up from a book in his hand, greeting him with a grin. ¡°Yo, General, you¡¯re back? Did you enjoy listening to the qin?¡±


    That person was Man Yue. He was dressed casually, and was half-reclining on a soft daybed next to the window with his shoes off. With the cool wind blowing through the open window, together with a jug of iced fruit wine and some meat jerky strips, he was veryfortable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me General¡­¡± ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± grunted gloomily. His voice was no longer the pleasant sounding one from before, bing a lot lower and even a little hoarse. With no reservedness, he dropped down onto the chair across the daybed.


    ¡°Your acting is quite passable,¡± Man Yue eximed, clicking his tongue. Pouring out a cup of fruit wine, he tossed it over. ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± caught it steadily without spilling a single drop, gulping down the wine with a woebegone look that had never appeared on that face before. He then gave a long exhale.


    ¡°Why? Acting as the General doesn¡¯t feel good?¡±


    ¡°Guan Shanjin¡± red at Man Yue, reaching out and adjusting his face. As the face mask was removed, it revealed another young and coarse-looking face under it. Only when one looked carefully would they then realise that it was the bearded Fang He without his beard, one of Guan Shanjin¡¯s four closest bodyguards. A few red spots could be seen on his bronzed skin, and they felt so unbearable that he could not help scratching at them. Now that his awe-inspiring looks had been forced to look so foolish andical, Man Yue burst out into loud, rudeughter.


    ¡°Man Yue, you¡­ Ai¡­ Do you have any medicine?¡± It took Fang He great strength to stop himself from leaving scratches all over his face. He was truly quite unfortunate. Despite being a coarse-skinned, rough looking, strapping man, his skin was sensitive to the resin face mask that most people could use. If he wore it for too long, bumps and rashes would appear on his face. Without applying any medication, his face would even swell, and in half a day, he would turn into a pig¡¯s head. However, he was still unlucky enough to be the one who drew the short end of the stick. He had no choice but to wear the mask and pretend to be Guan Shanjin, faking devotion and passion towards Lu Zezhi.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s four bodyguards were of simr height and stature to him, and people could be easily bluffed on the first look. If they were to lie on the bed without taking their clothes off, even the Lord Protector and his wife might asionally be mistaken. Whenever there was a need, the four of them would sometimes handle matters while pretending to be Guan Shanjin. Other than having to dote and pamper on Lu Zezhi, Fang He could be considered to be very familiar with doing this.


    ¡°Here, take it.¡± Man Yue pulled out a t box from his robes and tossed it at Fang He. He could not help but tease, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell that your skin is so tender, just like a girl. Come,e over and let me touch it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± Fang He shot him a re as he carefully applied the medicine on his face.


    Man Yue no longer made fun of him, but asked with a serious expression, ¡°How was the meeting today?¡±


    ¡°Master desperately wanted to use a knife and chop me up.¡± Fang He¡¯s shoulders copsed, and he sighed heavily. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ve exposed myself inadvertently, and that Yan Wenxin would be able to tell that something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Yan Wenxin most definitely could tell that something¡¯s wrong, but you don¡¯t have to worry. The General is well aware, and he also did not think that you¡¯d be able to handle that old fox. You just have to remember that as the saying goes, people can be too clever for their own good. We don¡¯t have to worry about what we¡¯ve revealed, as it all depends on what they think they saw.¡± Man Yue tore a piece of jerky and put it in his mouth, giving a mysterious smile.


    Fang He was a military man. Although he was not a fool, he could not follow such twisting andplex schemes. Whatever Man Yue said was it.


    ¡°Instead, it¡¯s Lu Zezhi who doesn¡¯t realise that the General next to him is a fake one?¡± Fang He was more curious about this.


    They all said that Lu Zezhi had deep affections for the Great Southern Garrison General, that he did not regret his feelings, and was willing to endure all criticism over it. Fang He was feeling rather ufortable about this.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi just doesn¡¯t dare to realise it.¡± Man Yue pursed his lips mockingly. ¡°For all these years, the General has been basically keeping him like a pet. Even if it¡¯s a cage made of gold, it¡¯s still a cage. After staying in a cage for too long, any great ambition would all be swallowed down and stifled. Furthermore, Lu Zezhi has always been aiming to be kept like a pampered pet. In the past, he still had somewhat of a backbone, and knew how to scheme and n. However, he¡¯s now turned into a useless waste from being kept by the General. If he were to leave the cage, he would not be able to survive, so why would he try leaving it? He only wishes that he would be kept and taken care of forever, living a good andfortable life with no worries, with someone to pamper and dote on him. No matter how unbearable things are, nothing canpare to having peaceful days in front of him.¡±


    ¡°You mean, even if Lu Zezhi suspects that I¡¯m fake, he would pretend not to know? As long as he remains in this cage, all his feelings and affections would only be excuses?¡± Fang He¡¯s expression revealed how much disgust he felt. Spitting a few times, he felt extremely stifled.


    ¡°This is also a sin caused by the General.¡± Man Yue shrugged, reminding Fang He. ¡°However, you must keep yourself calm. It doesn¡¯t matter much whether Lu Zezhi realises it or not, as he would still tell himself that you¡¯re the real General. However, if you were to meet Mr. Wu, this would not be the case. If he discovers something, he would definitely find an opportunity to ask about it.¡±


    Fang He trembled a little in dread. At the Bai¡¯s residence, he did not fail to notice the look in Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes. More than reminiscence or affection, it was a look of probing¡­


    ¡°If Master wants to deal with Yan Wenxin, he should just deal with him directly. Why does he need to put in all this effort?¡± Of course, this was only a casualint. No matter how thick-headed Fang He was, he knew that Yan Wenxin was a top official of the court, and hiswork of power was aplicated affair. With his crafty and scheming character, one could not act wilfully if they wanted to yank him up along with his roots in one breath.


    ¡°The Lord Protector and his family have been generations after generations of court officials. This time, they dare to touch Yan Wenxin, the order naturally must¡¯vee from above. How could they not take things step by step, and deal with it carefully? Also, Yan Wenxin, this old fox, is truly not easy to deal with. The General will soon be facing tough times.¡± Man Yue jabbed the book in his hand up towards the sky. This hint could not be anymore obvious. Fang He¡¯s muscr body shrunk into himself, and he could not help scratching at the red spots on his face again.


    ¡°The General has yet to return?¡±


    ¡°One shouldmit themselves to the act. The General will be temporarily staying at Ping Yifan¡¯s quarters for now. You¡¯ll have to excuse us, and prepare yourself.¡± Not without any sympathy, Man Yue reached out and patted the air in constion, then burst outughing again. After the medicine was applied, the red spots on Fang He¡¯s face now became red patches. Together with that rough and boorish face, it was extremelyical.


    Fang He had no other choice. He could only continue quietly discussing with Man Yue about their next steps, with red patches all over his tanned skin.

 Chapter 84 - A Trap Within A Trap(?): Part 2

    Chapter 84 ¡ª A Trap Within A Trap(?): Part 2


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    A carriage stopped in front of the official residence of the Minister of State Affairs along Wuyi Row. The driver leapt down and gave the gate of the residence a couple of forceful knocks. Upon confirming that there was the sound of footsteps hurrying over, the driver then turned back to help his employer out of the carriage.


    Opening the gate was a youth around thirteen or fourteen years of age. With an oval face and sharp chin, the youth had a pretty nose and lips, as well as eyes and brows that seemed toe from a drawing. After seeing the middle-aged man dressed in Confucian clothing disembark from the carriage, the youth stuck out a tongue yfully. The youth took half a step back as though wanting to hide, but the man had long noticed the situation.


    ¡°Making trouble again.¡± The man ¨C the owner of the residence and the current Minister of State Affairs, Yan Wenxin ¨C frowned unhappily. Taking a few steps forward, he rapped his knuckles on the youth¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡¯re no longer a child anymore. Stop wearing boy¡¯s clothing all the time. You¡¯ve been entirely spoilt by your mother.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Dad, it¡¯s so much easier to move in boy¡¯s clothing! I¡¯ve yet toe of age, I promise I¡¯ll be obedient in the future.¡± The youth was Yan Caijun, the girl who loved dressing up as a boy. She had originally only wanted to sneak a look at who the visitor was, but who would have thought that she would be caught by her father instead.


    ¡°Should you not be embroidering right now?¡± Yan Wenxin red at his daughter, feeling resigned. His youngest daughter had a character like his, bold and intelligent. Yielding when she ought to, and never missing an opportunity to push the limits when she could ¨C if only she was a boy, Yan Wenxin thought.


    His two sons both had a sedate and gentle personality, just like his wife. In the future, although they would be able to progress smoothly in court, it would be hard for them to excel. Without much ambition, they would pretty much only have a smooth-sailing life by relying on their family.


    ¡°Embroidery is too boring. After straining the embroidery hoop, Mom chased me out.¡± With how Yan Caijun¡¯s eyes were sparkling, how could Yan Wenxin not see that his daughter¡¯s actions had been deliberate?


    ¡°Go back and apologise to your mother. If you¡¯re feeling too antsy for embroidery, then go and study instead. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll test you on recitation.¡± Yan Wenxin waved his hand, chasing his daughter away. No matter how rxed the barrier between males and females in Great Xia was, there was no reason for the noble and aristocratic young mistress of their family to parade herself everywhere, running about wildly outside.


    ¡°Which book should I memorise from?¡± The girl wailed, but she did not dare go against her father. Her lips pouted heavily, and blowing her cheeks out, she walked to the study.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Yan Wenxin suddenly called out to her. Yan Caijun¡¯s eyes lit up, and she bounced back to her father in a cating manner. Shaking his head, he could not help but give a knock on his daughter¡¯s brows. ¡°Ask Huaixiu toe to my study. If you don¡¯t recite well tomorrow, your punishment will be to copy all the books at home once. You¡¯ll only be allowed to step out of the house when you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Ai!¡± Yan Caijun screamed, getting frustrated.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡± Yan Wenxin nudged his daughter¡¯s shoulder, before turning around and quickly walking to his own study.


    Yan Caijun naturally did not dare disobey her father¡¯s instructions, and she hurried off to pass the message to Huaixiu.


    Fifteen minutester, a quiet knock sounded on the door of Yan Wenxin¡¯s study. Yan Wenxin was seated by the table, looking at some of the letters on it. With a low voice, he asked, ¡°Is that Huaixiu? Come on in.¡±


    The door to the study was pushed open. Outside was a young man, dressed in in green clothing, with a straight and slender figure. He called out respectfully, ¡°Yifu1.¡± Only then did he enter the study, closing the door firmly behind him. With a slightly unsteady gait, he walked over to Yan Wenxin, bowing deeply.


    ¡°Yifu, calling Huaixiu here, do you have any instructions for me?¡± The young man was Yan Wenxin¡¯s adopted son. When he was born, he had been abandoned on the path to Chongxu Guan, and had already cried to the point of losing his voice. Completely covered with mosquito bites, his little, tender body was bruised all over. It was aplete coincidence that Madam Yan happened toe across him.


    At that time, Madam Yan had already given birth to their oldest son, and in her belly was their second son. Seeing how pitiful the baby was, she picked the child up and brought him home. At first, she nned on raising him as a servant, but when he was three or four years old, Yan Wenxin noticed that the child was very clever and ambitious. Knowing how gentle both his sons were, he had been pondering if he should adopt someone to raise as a de that could protect the Yan family. As such, he decided to adopt Huaixiu, changing his name to Yan Huaixiu.


    Today, Yan Huaixiu was Yan Wenxin¡¯s confidant. Any matters that Yan Wenxin could not deal with openly, Yan Huaixiu would deal with them under the table.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡± Yan Wenxin smiled gently at his adopted son, pointing at a stool next to him. ¡°Have you investigated the things written in these letters?¡±


    Yan Huaixiu did not sit down. Instead, his body was still bent in a respectful bow as he replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve investigated every single one of them. Everything written inside is all true.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Yan Wenxin nodded, then he repeated himself. ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    This time round, Yan Huaixiu finally sat down on the stool. His head hung low, and he did not look at his adopted father directly in the eyes, an image of humility and obedience. Yan Wenxin looked at his adopted son¡¯s head of dark hair, his full forehead, his ivory skin, as well as the smooth expanse of his nape currently exposed ¡ª they gave off an inexplicable, indescribable sensualness.


    ¡°I¡¯m very assured by how you handle matters.¡± Yan Wenxin reached out, giving Yan Huaixiu a light pat on his shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so reserved around your adopted father. You weren¡¯t like this when you were a child, but you¡¯ve be more and more distant as you grew older. Is it because I¡¯ve been too strict?¡±


    ¡°No, no. Yifu has always treated Huaixiu very well!¡± Yan Huaixiu hurriedly lifted his head after hearing what Yan Wenxin said. His face was full of anxiety, and his eyes were filled with respect and piety. He seemed deeply afraid that Yan Wenxin would not believe him. ¡°It¡¯s just that Huaixiu is yifu¡¯s servant, how can I¡­¡±


    ¡°Ai¨C Don¡¯t say things like that. I¡¯m more than well aware of your sacrifices for the Yan family. Even those two brothers of yours are not as capable as you. If not for you being my right hand man, how could I have such a tight and steady grip on my position in court? You must think more highly of yourself.¡± Yan Wenxin again patted his adopted son¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Many thanks for your praise.¡± Yan Huaixiu could not help but stand up. Again, he bowed towards his adopted father, only to be pressed back into his seat.


    ¡°Today, I bumped into that Ping Yifan at Bai-gongzi¡¯s little concert.¡± Now that he had gotten the pleasantries over with, Yan Wenxin went straight to the topic. He tapped his fingers where the lettersy on the table. ¡°This Ping Yifan, his identity ispletely valid and proper. There¡¯s nothing that stands out in particr.¡±


    Written in the letter were details about Ping Yifan¡¯s identity and background. Everything, from his birth to his ancestors in the past four generations, was all listed clearly in those pages.


    ¡°Yes, Ping Yifan¡¯s identity is very clean.¡± Yan Huaixiu responded. ¡°One of his ancestors, four generations past, was an Imperial Schr, and his family could be considered a schrly one. However, as they had ack of a socialwork in the capital, he had been assigned to a small county in the south to be an official there. His achievements were ordinary, and he only returned to the capital after his resignation. When it came to the generation of Ping Yifan¡¯s grandfather, their family was in decline. They barely managed to scrap a merit schr title to prop up the family, working as a secretary in Chengtian Manor. As for the generation of Ping Yifan¡¯s father, they did not even manage to attain the rank of a schr. As such, they were reduced to living in Winding Liantang Path, writing romantic novels for a living. The man only managed to have a son in his old age, and that¡¯s Ping Yifan.¡±


    ¡°Mn. These were all noted down in the letter.¡± Yan Wenxin nodded, confirming his adopted son¡¯s attentiveness.


    When Ping Yifan was born, his father was close to fifty, while his mother was younger than his father by around twenty years. She used to be a beggar, and seemed to have some sort of mental disability. She was a little foolish, with issues recognising people. However, as she had a very delicate, fair face, she was brought home by Ping Yifan¡¯s father, and was then joined by marriage through lies and coaxing. Only after nearly a decade did she then give birth to Ping Yifan. A reason for the dy of his birth might also have been that Ping Yifan¡¯s father was afraid that her body was not that clean, after having roamed through the streets.


    Not too long after Ping Yifan understood more about the world, his father passed away because of illness. At that time, Ping Yifan had just reached thirteen years of age. His mother was unreliable, as she basically was like a child. As such, he could only rely on himself to support his family. Studying was clearly not a practical use of his time, and so he applied to work as a sales assistant in a shop selling sundries. By the time he reached his twenties, he too owned his own shop, and now, it could be considered one of the rather reputable shops in the capital.


    However, being so ordinary his entire life, how could he have attracted the attention of Yan Wenxin, the Minister of State Affairs, as well as one of the emperor¡¯s favourite officials?


    Yan Wenxin was naturally more concerned about something else.


    ¡°Say, with such achievements at his young age, what did Ping Yifan rely on?¡± Yan Huaixiu nced at his adopted father, before asking hesitantly, ¡°Is yifu asking Huaixiu?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Yan Wenxin stroked his beard, smiling brightly at his adopted son.


    ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it. The current Ping Yifan is not that Ping Yifan from the Winding Liantang Path. When Ping Yifan was sixteen years of age, he had left for the south with a group of travelling merchants. Originally, he was nning on seeking out some rare and interesting items for the shop owner, butter on, he lost all contact. When he once again returned to the capital, he was neen years old, and he never met the people he once knew. After taking his mother away, he opened up his own shop. No one knows where the money to open his shop came from, and it wasn¡¯t until the Peng Society gathering a few days ago that he then once again appeared in public.¡± As Huaixiu spoke, he took out two drawings from his pockets and spread them out in front of Yan Wenxin.


    On the left was a drawing of a youth around fifteen or sixteen years of age. His face and eyes were round, and with his delicate looks, he was very pleasing to the eye. As for the drawing on the right, it was the face of the current Ping Yifan whom Yan Wenxin had just seen not too long ago. Ordinary, cid, and his eyes seemed rather dull. However, they had a good shape to them, and it made one feel warm when looking at them.


    It was a pair of charming, alluring eyes.


    Yan Wenxin tapped on the left portrait, then the right. Although a person would look different as he aged, the changes in his appearance from age sixteen to twenty-five would not be very big. He would at most grow into his features, looking a little more mature. It did not make sense that even the shape of his eyes would change as well.


    The sixteen year old Ping Yifan had a pair of round eyes, lively and clever; the twenty-five year old Ping Yifan had a pair of almond shaped eyes, alluring, gentle and steady.


    ¡°So there are also intelligent people among the southern barbarians.¡± Yan Wenxin folded up the two drawings, carefully keeping them away. Towards that group of barbarians, he now held them higher in regards.


    The current Ping Yifan was actually an illegitimate son of the previous barbarian king. Many years ago, he had taken over Ping Yifan¡¯s identity, nting roots in the capital to keep an ear out for news about the Great Xia, as well as umting wealth and riches for the southern barbarians.


    As Ping Yifan¡¯s shop dealt with sundries, it was not suspicious for him to have a group of travelling merchants under him. When he asionally pulled out new and interesting trinkets, he could use the excuse that he had traded for it. Over the recent years, his business had been expanding. Providing army rations would not be an issue for him, and if not for Guan Shanjin having suppressed the southern barbarians, many territories might have been swallowed up by them.


    However, it was because of Guan Shanjin that the wealth and riches the southern barbarians had amassed was of no use at all. It had to be known that the Great Southern Garrison General was not someone easy to deal with, and one could use neither the soft nor the hard approach with him. His attacks were like thunderbolts striking down from the sky, while his defenses were imprable. Previously, Yue Chonghua had finally managed to break a tiny crack in that wall, but he was dealt with in the blink of an eye. At this moment, the males of the Yue family might not even have arrived in the Northwest region, and it was unknown how many of them could survive the journey, or how many would be able to survive for beyond a year.


    It seemed like the one working with Yue Chonghua was Yan Wenxin.


    He had been eyeing the benefits that could be reaped from the southern barbarians for a very long time already. It was known that both the iron and salt trades were under the control of the authorities, and the profits were not small. The southern barbarians produced both salt and iron, but Guan Shanjin held a very tight control over them. The southern barbarian king had a lot of gloom and depression woe within him that could not be relieved, but unfortunately, there was no way for him to make his way past the gate of Guan Shanjin. As such, he could only gaze at his hoard and sigh.


    ¡°He¡¯s also received information about that matter of Bastion City already?¡± Now that the failure of a few months past was mentioned, Yan Wenxin could not help but frown. He had been hiding behind the scenes with regards to the cooperation between the southern barbarians and the Yue family. Although the liaison had been dug out by Guan Shanjin, it was unlikely that this business could be linked to Yan Wenxin himself.


    However, having a road that he spent years building sealed just like that, Yan Wenxin could not help but feel bothered. This was also the reason why he had been deliberately tripping up Guan Shanjin in court. However, so as not to end up alerting his opponent, Yan Wenxin dared not be too aggressive in his deeds.


    Guan Shajin was ostentatious and wilful, like an untamed runaway steed that was hard to control. Towards this young man, the emperor always closed an eye, not even taking offence and allowing Guan Shanjin to basically be a local tyrant at the southern border. Now that the young man had finally returned to the capital to give a debrief, the emperor too had no intentions of taking back the half of the military tally that was a proof of authority. It seemed that the emperor nned on letting Guan Shanjin return to the south to guard against the southern barbarians.


    Yan Wenxin dared not underestimate this junior, and he also understood that it was impossible to win the young man through other means either. Guan Shanjin was in no need of anything. As the Great Southern Garrison General, as well as the son of the Lord Protector, he was deeply trusted by the emperor, and he did notck for power nor wealth. He even had the strength of one-third of Great Xia¡¯s army behind him, and there was no way that Yan Wenxin would be able to sweeten him up.


    It was said that to understand a person¡¯s morality, one could start from their marriage and the way they dealt with things. However, the Lord Protector and his entire lineage was famed in Great Xia for never epting a concubine, and so there was no internal strife within his residence. About six to seven years ago, Guan Shanjin even openly dered that his interest onlyy with men, and he had no intentions of marrying a wife and continuing his line. Seeing that he was from a politically influential family holding great power, for the emperor, how could anyone else be more reassuring than Guan Shanjin?


    Because of this deration, the emperor could still tolerate Guan Shanjin¡¯s ever so slight arrogance.


    As for Guan Shanjin, although he was arrogant, he was very adept at not going beyond the boundaries. His understanding of the emperor was very urate, and he had never once aggravated the emperor by pushing beyond the eptable limits. Some fools only saw Guan Shanjin¡¯s wilfulness, forwardness and boldness, but they never understood his sophistication in handling matters, and how clever his means were.


    To Yan Wenxin, Guan Shanjin could be stated as the one enemy in Great Xia that was the hardest to deal with. Despite so, he had no choice but to think of a way to get rid of this obstacle. If he wanted to reap the benefits of a private alliance with the southern barbarians, he had to rip out every tiny shred of Guan Shanjin¡¯s power in the south.


    Huaixiu was also a clever man, and he could see his adopted father¡¯s displeasure. After a bout of silence, he then answered, ¡°Ping Yifan should already have known about the matter of Bastion City. With how the Yue family was dealt with, the southern barbarians too had suffered a great loss.¡±


    ¡°They must be panicking now too. Has someone been sent to get in contact with Ping Yifan yet?¡± Yan Wenxin sneered. In his eyes, the failure of this matter was entirely the fault of the southern barbarians. The Yue family was the number one merchant of Bastion City, but how could they seek out a coborator with such an obvious motive? There was no need to even mention how inadequately Yue Dade had educated his children. In the capital, there was no one who would dare eye anything that belonged to Guan Shanjin, but this daughter of the Yue family was stupid enough to do so.


    ¡°When Guan Shanjin returned to the capital, he had sealed off all paths to deliver messages between the southern barbarians and Great Xia. He had even nted a saboteur next to the southern barbarian king. For the past few months, things have not been very calm among the southern barbarians, and so the southern barbarian king did not have the mood to contact Ping Yifan.¡± Huaixiu hung his head, his expression full of self-reproach. The people he had sent to the south had all been caught. If not for quickly tying up the ends on his side, he might even have been tracked down and caught. However, he had also paid a great price for this. After carefully maintaining hiswork for so many years, it was now all for naught, and he even lost the money he had spent investing in these people.


    Yan Huaixiu had only managed to gather information about the southern barbarians through various other means. However, he still had no ability to find out who the saboteur was that Guan Shanjin had nted, and what he nned to doter as well.


    Yan Wenxin naturally did not think that Guan Shanjin would just stop there.


    ¡°As expected, he¡¯s a harsh and fierce one.¡± Yan Wenxin rapped the table, unable to conceal the manic in his tone. However, despite the viciousness of Guan Shanjin¡¯s methods, Yan Wenxin was also not an amateur. Currently, it was still hard to tell who would be the victor at the end. ¡°Since there¡¯s no issue with Ping Yifan¡¯s identity, that¡¯s perfect. Do you still have the token of trust that you received during your transaction with the southern barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yifu. I still have the token of trust. Other than me, no one else will be able to get their hands on it.¡±


    ¡°Mn. Take the token and go look for Ping Yifan.¡± For now, the southern barbarians had no way of making a move, and it was the perfect opportunity for them to operate right now.


    If they could directly rope Ping Yifan in, it would mean that they would have a hold around the throats of the southern barbarians. At that time, once his men took over thend beyond the southern borders, there would also be no fear that the southern barbarians would riot.


    ¡°Yes, Huaixiu will go now.¡± Yan Huaixiu cupped his hands together, withdrawing immediately. This time, he had to properly settle what his adopted father had instructed him to.


    When Huaixiu was gone, Yan Wenxin again spread out the two drawings of Ping Yifan, studying them carefully. He especially paid attention to the older Ping Yifan. Those facial features gave him a sense of unease, as they gave him a vague impression of someone, but he could not put to name who that person was.


    A knock once again sounded on the door of his study, and through it came the steward¡¯s voice. ¡°Lord Yan, Mr. Lu has sent someone over to request for a meeting.¡±


    Lu Zezhi had sent someone over? Yan Wenxin was stunned for a moment, then stroked his beard, smiling. ¡°Quick, invite him in.¡±


    In no time, the steward brought Lu Zezhi¡¯s personal servant to the study. That servant looked smart and bright. He did not lift his head up after bowing, and he said, ¡°My master has sent me to inform Lord Yan that after consideration, my master has decided to consent to the matter you¡¯ve mentioned previously. However, my master hopes that you can make him a promise, and it¡¯s best if it¡¯s written down in ck and white.¡±


    ¡°Oh? He¡¯s consented? I never would have expected that this would be his answer.¡± Yan Wenxin raised a brow. He had seen Lu Zezhi a few times. Towards that graceful man dressed in white, he had nosting impressions of him. It was true that Lu Zezhi¡¯s appearance was pretty good, but it was not memorable. Whenever he tried to recall it, the image was always blurry and indistinct. He did not know why Guan Shanjin would like a man like this.


    Yan Wenxin¡¯s response sent an inexplicable jolt through the servant. He could not help but look up, ncing at Yan Wenxin, then he hurriedly looked back down, pretending that nothing had happened.


    ¡°What promise does he want?¡± Yan Wenxin did not mind the action of the servant. Instead, his question was apanied by azy smile.


    ¡°My master means to let Lord Yan¡¯s sincerity lead the way.¡± This reply was very clever. It seemed as though no request had been made, but the intention could not be any more clear.


    With Lu Zezhi¡¯s current status, what sort of help did he need from Yan Wenxin? The man standing next to him was Guan Shanjin, the Great Southern Garrison General himself!


    ¡°My sincerity?¡± Yan Wenxin chuckled, stroking his beard. ¡°Mr. Lu is sure reserved.¡±


    The implication was that Yan Wenxin was scorning Lu Zezhi for his small-mindedness and awkwardness. He could not help being even more curious how such a person could be someone cherished by Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Lord Yan, my master is still awaiting your response.¡±


    ¡°As a servant, you sure are anxious! Mr. Lu is really good at training. Look at how loyal you are! Naturally, I¡¯ll show my sincerity, but I also have two matters that I¡¯d like to ask. If you can give me the answers, I¡¯ll offer the sincerity your master wants to the best of my ability.¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s gaze towards the servant hid none of his disdain. A master¡¯s moral conduct could be seen through his servants, and this Lu Zezhi was truly intriguing.


    ¡°Please, ask anything Lord Yan likes.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s tentatively assume that you understand what¡¯s the agreement between your master and me.¡± Seeing how the servant shivered slightly, shifting about in unease, Yan Wenxin continued, already clear on the matter. ¡°Why would Mr. Lu consent to this agreement? The person next to him is the son of the Lord Protector. Would his requests not be satisfied fully?¡±


    This question left the servant momentarily speechless. His head hung lower, his chin almost touching his chest.


    ¡°Also, isn¡¯t Mr. Lu worried that if the matter is exposed, Guan Shanjin would no longer dote on him?¡± Yan Wenxin gave a forceful knock on the table. A fierce shudder ran through the servant. He retreated a couple of steps, and he still had no response. ¡°Why? The cat got your tongue? Or is it beneath you to answer my questions?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡ª I¡­ Even if I were to have all the courage in the world, I wouldn¡¯t dare not answer¡­¡± The servant wiped at his sweat continuously, and even his breathing became heavier. Yan Wenxin no longer pushed him. Instead, with greatposure, he picked up his teacup and took a sip from it, before flipping through a book of poetry casually.


    After quite some time, the servant seemed to have calmed himself down. He stammered, ¡°In response to Lord Yan, my master understands all this. But¡­ But things may not always go in the manner one would like it to, and my master too needs some help. Although arge tree does provide ample shade, but to attach oneself to only just one tree, one would sometimes still have to suffer from the freezing wind and the scorching sun.¡±


    ¡°These words are not very cultured, but they do make great sense. Mr. Lu has trained you well.¡± Yan Wenxinughed, pulling back his previously domineering aura.


    ¡°Since Mr. Lu trusts me, then I cannot disappoint him.¡± Yan Wenxin deftly ground his ink and picked up a brush. After cing a few sentences down on paper, he blew the ink dry and folded it up. ¡°Bring this back to your master, and tell him it¡¯s my sincerity. I¡¯m clearly aware of which tree Mr. Lu wants the most. Since he is helping me, I can also help him maintain his hold over the shade of the tree he wants.¡±


    The servant stepped forward and received the note respectfully, carefully tucking it into his clothes. ¡°On behalf of my master, I thank Lord Yan.¡±


    ¡°No need for the courtesies, I also thank Mr. Lu for his help.¡± Yan Wenxin smiled at the servant, then instructed his steward, ¡°Send him out.¡±


    The servant too did not dare remain any longer. With great trepidation and awe, he left, following behind the steward. Before he walked away, Yan Wenxin even observed him pressing down on where the note was hidden.


    The study regained its tranquility. Yan Wenxin slowly sipped on the tea that the emperor had gifted him, his eyes lowered in thought.

 Chapter 85 - Advisor Wu Toughens Up

    Chapter 85 ¡ª Advisor Wu Toughens Up


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Rain urred over the next few days. Each time it rained, the weather dropped a few more degrees. Summer in the capital was about to end, and the autumn breeze gradually arrived along with the rain.


    Unconsciously, Wu Xingzi had been in the capital for over two months already. He often went on short trips with Ping Yifan, and they had explored all the famous sights and attractions around the capital.


    Today was a rare day that Ping Yifan had not invited him out. Wu Xingzi allowed himself toze about for half a day, only getting up from the bed when it was close to noon. Pulling a slightly thicker robe around himself, he sat by the window, resting his chin on his hand as he admired the rain.


    Lunch was quickly served, four dishes with two being vegetarian and the other two meat. They were apanied by a bowl of vegetable and tofu soup. After setting the table, Mint called out, ¡°Master, quick,e and have your lunch. You didn¡¯t have any breakfast, you must be extremely hungry.¡±


    Wu Xingzi agreed, but he did not move. He was a rare picture ofziness, and in his hand was a teacup. The originally steaming tea had already turned cold, yet less than half a cup had been drunk.


    Osmanthus waited for some time, but still did not see himing to the table. Walking over to him, she urged, ¡°Master, there are fresh lotus roots today, and jiejie has made fried lotus root. Take a sniff, don¡¯t they smell good?¡±


    ¡°It does smell pretty good. Mint¡¯s culinary skills have improved again,¡± Wu Xingzi praised with a smile. Only then did he stand up from his chair.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Master has recently often been eating outside with Ping-gongzi. There are so many great chefs in the capital, if we don¡¯t improve our skills, how can we be worthy of working for Master?¡± Mint covered her smile, the teasing in her voice causing Wu Xingzi to scratch his nose embarrassedly.


    ¡°Girls,e and have lunch together,¡± Wu Xingzi said, feeling a little apologetic. Ever since he met Ping Yifan, he had been neglecting the two girls at home. Ping Yifan liked bringing him out on trips. Once they became more familiar with each other, he would oftene by and pick him up early in the morning, only sending him home past 7pm.


    Only after staring out into the courtyard for quite some time did Wu Xingzi then notice that the two girls had created a small plot for gardening, building a rack and nting eggnts.


    Mint and Osmanthus naturally would not actually share a table with their master. Standing by the side, they would asionally dish out more food for Wu Xingzi, chattering away as they spoke with him. While doing so, they shared all the rumours they had heard in the capital.


    ¡°Master, do you know of a court official named Yan Wenxin?¡± Speaking of Yan Wenxin, Mint¡¯s face flushed red. Her smile vanished, and her cheeks puffed in anger.


    ¡°Yan Wenxin?¡± Wu Xingzi was startled, nearly dropping the fried lotus root between his chopsticks. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the current Minister of State Affairs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him!¡± Fury could be heard in Osmanthus¡¯s voice as well, as her brows knitted deeply. ¡°This Yan Wenxin, who knows what¡¯s going on with him. He seems to dislike our General greatly. Hmph! If not for the General guarding the southern borders, could these officials in the capital have such carefree lives?¡±


    Born in Bastion City, Mint and Osmanthus loved and respected Guan Shanjin like a god. Whoever dared say a negative word about Guan Shanjin, both girls could even roll up their sleeves on the spot and give that person a good whacking.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± Although Wu Xingzi had been living in the capital, he had spent most of his time with Ping Yifan. Towards the ongoings in the capital, he was truly unaware of it, knowing nothing of the happenings. He also was not sure if it was deliberate, or just unintentional, but Ping Yifan had never mentioned Guan Shanjin or Yan Wenxin after the meeting that happened over at Bai Shaochang¡¯s ce. The younger man even rarely mentioned anything that had to do with the capital, at most giving short exnations about the specialties they were having on the table. Hence, Wu Xingzi knew that there was a cer in the northern suburbs of the city, where vegetables were nted using water from a hot spring, and thus people could still have summer fruits and vegetables even in the depths of winter.


    ¡°Aiyah, it makes me angry even when I¡¯m just speaking about it! That Yan Wenxin actually dared harm the General! He said that the General is disloyal to the Emperor, and that was why he stayed at the southern borders for five years, refusing to return to the capital!¡± The girls spat. The most important reason that Guan Shanjin remained at the southern borders for so many years, not returning to the capital for a debrief, other than his disinterest in the power struggle in the capital, was that in private, the southern barbarians were actually not in peace at all. On the surface, they seemed to have dered themselves subjects to the Great Xia, but in truth, they were suppressing their anger, nning on rising up again once they found an opportunity. If there was no Guan Shanjin to defend the borders, there was no guarantee that Bastion City would have been able to enjoy a peaceful life.


    However, it was stated clearly in thews of Great Xia, that if there was no war, the head of the army would have to return to the capital every two years for a debrief, and Guan Shanjin had defied thisw twice. Although the emperor neither urged him back, nor punished him, this was still a strike against him. This was exactly what Yan Wenxin was using against him in court, colluding with the censorate and other court officials who supported him ¨C one of whom included the Minister of War ¡ª to submit dozens of missives to the emperor. As the Lord Protector¡¯s line of ministers had always been focused on being just and righteous, never forming parties and factions within the court, the Lord Protector and his son thus stood alone. A few days ago, Guan Shanjin had finally been removed from his role, and he was no longer the Great Southern Garrison General. The emperor even wanted to ce him under house arrest, for him to reflect at home. Only the heavens knew how long this house arrest wouldst.


    The once peerless, matchless Great Southern Garrison General, the son of the Lord Protector, fell from a great height above to the grounds below in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Is Haiwang not returning to Bastion City?¡± Listening to all this, for now, Wu Xingzi had no appetite.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± Mint and Osmanthus spoke simultaneously, both wearing frowns on their little faces. They had only heard about this on the streets, and they were unclear of any further details. However, the General was such a clever man. He would definitely be able to get out of this danger, and return to Bastion City!


    Wu Xingzi nodded. He put down the chopsticks in his hand, rubbing his chest. Towards the dishes covering the table, he no longer held any interest. As he sat there nkly, no one knew what he was thinking.


    A momentter, he suddenly asked Mint, ¡°Is Rancui at home?¡±


    ¡°The manager¡¯s home,¡± Mint nodded as she answered. Just now, she had sent over a te of freshly-fried lotus roots to the manager to apany his meal too.


    ¡°You should go ahead and finish everything, there¡¯s no need to wait for me toe back and eat. I have something to discuss with the manager.¡± Wu Xingzi stood up. Without waiting for the girls¡¯ response, he hurried off.


    Rancui was currently having lunch. His appetite was ordinary, but there were quite a number of dishes on the table. At the same table was also Hei¡¯er, who currently had his head bowed, and was deboning the fish for Rancui. Looking at that focused look of his, Rancui could not help but be amused. In his bowl were already two pieces of deboned fish, the snow-white tender flesh gleaming with a dark green sauce. It looked extremely appetising, and one could not help eating a couple more mouthfuls of rice with it.


    When Wu Xingzi arrived, Rancui was already half-full.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± Seeing him, Rancui called out to him warmly. ¡°Quick, have a seat. Shall we have lunch together?¡±


    He gave a kick to Hei¡¯er next to him. Hei¡¯er, who was currently drinking his soup with his head lowered, immediately wiped his mouth and stood up. Deftly, he ced a new set of cutlery in front of Wu Xingzi, then quietly removed his own set of cutlery and stood in the corner of the room.


    ¡°I- I¡¯ll just have some soup¡­¡± Wu Xingzi originally wanted to refuse, but his stomach, failing to live up to expectations, growled loudly. With a blush, he wrapped his arms around his stomach, sitting down anddling a bowl of soup to soothe his empty belly.


    The dishes Rancui had were naturally a lot more exquisite than the ones Wu Xingzi loved to eat. The soup was a broth made of emerald bamboo, creamy and smooth. The bamboo was soft with a crisp outeryer, and the soup was stewed with seafood and shellfish. The soup slid down with a warmth into his tummy, and Wu Xingzi momentarily became even more ravenous. After all, he was a person who could eat and loved to eat. Having not eaten any breakfast, how could he have endured his hunger during lunch? Despite the troubles weighing on his mind, he still managed to sweep the dishes on the table clean.


    Smiling, Rancui filled up Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl. He was in no hurry to ask why Wu Xingzi came by, and afraid that Wu Xingzi was not yet full, he asked a servant to bring two more dishes of food over, as well as a te of mantous. As he ate some candied lotus root, he apanied Wu Xingzi.


    When they were finally done with the meal, Rancui then feigned casualness as he asked, ¡°Did Ping-gongzi not invite you out today?¡±


    Ping Yifan? Wu Xingzi did not expect that this would be the first thing Rancui would mention. Dazedly, he replied, ¡°He said that the rain today is too heavy, and it would not be good if I fell sick. Also, he has a group of travelling merchants stuck in the rain, and he needs to go handle it. Hence, it¡¯s likely that he would not be able to see me for the next couple of weeks.¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, feeling a slight sense of reluctance.


    Rancui covered his mouth with his hand. It seemed as though he was blocking his sudden bout of dry coughing, but the truth was that he could not hold his sneer back, and he nearly gave a roll of his eyes. This excuse was truly something, and Wu Xingzi was probably the only one who was willing to believe it. Today was not the first day the rain had fallen. It had already been raining for quite a number of days, but did Ping Yifan not bring Wu Xingzi out anyway?


    ¡°And the reason you¡¯re looking for me?¡± Picking up his teacup, Rancui drank some tea to soothe his throat.


    Wu Xingzi frowned thoughtfully, seemingly not knowing how to start. Rancui did not hurry him, knowing that Mint and Osmanthus must have said something to do with Guan Shanjin. If not, why else would Wu Xingzi have such an expression? He just was not sure if Wu Xingzi hade by to confirm the rumours, or hoped that he would give a hand.


    ¡°Rancui.¡± A momentter, Wu Xingzi gritted his teeth, looking as though he was ready to risk it all. ¡°Do you have any sort of drug that can make people tell the truth?¡±


    This question startled even Hei¡¯er, who had always stood in a corner motionlessly, unaffected by anything. Staring at Wu Xingzi in amazement, he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, only to have Rancui hold up his hand and stop him.


    Rancui was naturally surprised as well. He watched Wu Xingzi¡¯s uneasy yet determined face for some time, before slowly opening his mouth to confirm, ¡°You¡¯re asking about drugs that can make people tell the truth?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. He could not help but rub his palms on his knees. It seemed that his hands were sweaty. Next, he quickly emphasised, ¡°The drug cannot be too strong, I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯ll be bad for the body. Just, just make it such that one would let their barriers down a little, and be willing to speak some of the truths, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I do have such a drug, and the effects aren¡¯t strong too. Four hours after ingestion, the person will answer any question, then fall asleep after that. If you don¡¯t want him to remember, just give him another drug. Although the truth-telling effect would then onlyst for two hours, he would not remember anything after waking up.¡± Rancui tapped his chin with a finger, giving a sudden smile. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering, who is it that Mr. Wu ns to use the drug on? Is it Ping Yifan?¡±


    Wu Xingzi hunched into himself, shivering a little. His forehead was covered in a thinyer of sweat, and his hand went to scratch his nose unconsciously. Just when Rancui thought that he did not n on answering, he heard Wu Xingzi¡¯s low and muffled response. ¡°It¡¯s Ping Yifan¡­¡±


    Hei¡¯er was well trained in martial arts, and his hearing was much more sensitive than the average person. As such, he could hear Wu Xingzi¡¯s answer clearly.


    Things were getting rather anxious. ¡°Mr. Wu, why do you want to give this drug to Ping Yifan?¡±


    Rancui was unable to stop Hei¡¯er. With an expression as though he was looking at a fool, he rolled his eyes. Wu Xingzi had already suspected that Ping Yifan had a ratherplicated identity, and he most definitely had been specting over it before deciding to give him this drug. With Hei¡¯er¡¯s question, was it not just confirming Wu Xingzi¡¯s suspicion?


    If Ping Yifan¡¯s identity was just as he himself had said, why would Hei¡¯er even show a modicum of concern over it?


    The master was foolish, and the subordinate too. How did this group of fools defend the southern border? Rancui inexplicably felt sympathy for Man Yue. They all said that one should y their roles well, and he was afraid that Man Yue was the only one who was putting in all the effort.


    As expected, Wu Xingzi¡¯s head sunk low after hearing Hei¡¯er¡¯s question. His hands, ced on his knees, tightened into fists. ¡°I- I n on bing life partners with Ping Yifan, and even if I never return to Qingcheng County, spending the rest of my days in the capital, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad either. However¡­ I would like to confirm Ping Yifan¡¯s intentions. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Clenching his jaw, Wu Xingzi did not finish his sentence.


    Hei¡¯er¡¯s face darkened a little. He knew that in his life, Wu Xingzi had only ever liked three men in total. He shared no fate with the first two men, and now, he was still willing to present his heart. Momentarily, Hei¡¯er was speechless.


    ¡°Bing life partners with Ping Yifan¡­¡± Rancui¡¯s slender fingers tapped lightly on the table. Seeing how Wu Xingzi was so nervous that his exposed skin was pale and mmy, he pushed over the te of candied lotus roots. ¡°Have some, and calm yourself down. This is something I specially bought from House of Taotie. They only sell one kilogram¡¯s worth a day, and the ingredients and skills are all top-tier, you¡¯ll definitely like it.¡±


    Wu Xingzi picked up a slice and ced it into his mouth. However, it seemed to be somewhat vourless to him, and he kept ncing over at Rancui with wet, damp eyes, deeply afraid that Rancui would not agree to help. After all, to drug a person was rather despicable, but as he was unable toe up with anything else, he had no choice but to do this.


    Looking at how Wu Xingzi was nibbling at the candied lotus root with his two front teeth like a tiny mouse, Rancui smiled. ¡°However, I thought that you hade looking for me to ask about the matters of Guan Shanjin. The two girls should have already informed you, right?¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s head drooped lower, his body shrinking even more as though he wanted to hide from Hei¡¯er¡¯s eyes. He nodded hurriedly, ¡°I, I heard about it¡­ The Minister of State Affairs, Lord Yan, along with the censorate, have submitted dozens of missives. Now, Haiwang has been dismissed from his position, and he¡¯s under house arrest in the Lord Protector¡¯s residence.¡± Not much concern and worry could be detected in that serious and solemn tone.


    Seeing that Hei¡¯er wanted to speak again, Rancui shot him a frown, forcing the tall and muscr man to have no choice but to swallow his words. Hei¡¯er¡¯s face darkened even further, his feelings almost wafting off him.


    ¡°Mint and Osmanthus do have quite a good grasp on the news. It¡¯s no longer a secret how Yan Wenxin does not like Guan Shanjin. That year, when the son of the Lord Protector returned from the northwest region, he had attained countless military achievements. Songs like ¡®With a General Guan in the northwest, we don¡¯t need the heavens, nor do we need the earth, to protect my life¡¯ even spread to the capital. At that time, the Emperor had frozen out Guan Shanjin for quite some time as well. A sharp knife had to be used, but there had to be some sort of insurance against it, and a wife and children were the best sort one could ever have.¡± Rancuiughed. He drank some tea, pretending that he did not notice how entranced Wu Xingzi was. ¡°Then, which noble family in the capital didn¡¯t want to form a connection with Guan Shanjin? This was not a connection with the Lord Protector. The Lord Protector was as stubborn as a mule, going his own way in court. Although he was a military man, he was very ingenious. However, Guan Shanjin clearly was not the sort who was willing to aggrieve himself. In the entire court, he was the only one who was young and able to fight. If the Emperor wished to continue holding on to the Great Xia, there was no choice but to use Guan Shanjin. Naturally, Yan Wenxin thought this way too. That year, his daughter was only thirteen, but he still sent a drawing of her to Guan Shanjin. In private, he made many moves as well. He¡¯s the Minister of State Affairs, and he had his finger on the pulse of all the court officials. If he had a pawn with power over the army in his hand as well, he basically had power over the entire Great Xia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Yan Wenxin is truly intelligent.¡± Wu Xingzi waspletely engrossed in the story. He nodded along, agreeing strongly. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    Was Wu Xingzi actually treating this like a story-telling session? Rancui chuckled, ncing over at the tense-looking Hei¡¯er. He sipped his tea before he continued, ¡°After that, Guan Shanjin then only had a Lu Zezhi in his heart. You know this as well. This Lord Protector¡¯s son, he has a million negative points about him, but there¡¯s at least one thing that is still eptable. That is, the fact that he¡¯s very faithful, and he doesn¡¯t change his mind easily after settling on that one person. As such, he spread the word that in his life, he would only be willing to spend the rest of his days with a man. What wife and children, he didn¡¯t want any. Even if his family¡¯s lineage was to end with him, he still didn¡¯t want them.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sucked in a breath, then exhaled lightly. His eyes were still damp, but Rancui could not read his thoughts. He only saw Wu Xingzi nodding, speaking softly, ¡°Haiwang is someone who takes responsibility.¡±


    What a bare and utterpliment. Rancui resisted giving a roll of his eyes. What responsibility? He was clearly an idiot. He had Lu Zezhi in his heart, yet he could still go around with his flirtations, causing Rancui to lose two Peng Society members just like that. Now, looking at how Guan Shanjin¡¯s attentions were fully focused on a certain someone, was it still not clear who he liked and who he did not like?


    ¡°Whether he takes responsibility or not, I¡¯m not sure. However, it was certain that he had offended Yan Wenxin.¡± Rancui pursed his lips, lowering his voice. ¡°Think about it, Yan Wenxin is vicious and scheming. How could he just give up like this because Guan Shanjin did not like girls? He did not only have a daughter, he had sons as well, and even a foster son too.¡±


    Rancui paused here, but Wu Xingzi was already stunned.


    This meant, to aplish his objectives, Yan Wenxin even nned on pushing his sons at Guan Shanjin? He did not dare even think about how old Yan Wenxin¡¯s sons were then! One must have been fifteen, and the other thirteen only! Guan Shanjin would definitely not have gone for them. After all, he seemed to prefer men who were older¡­ However, talking about viciousness, Guan Shanjin also did not lose to Yan Wenxin in any case. These were all Rancui¡¯s internal criticisms. He had already said everything that he should say, and he did not forget the reason Wu Xingzi came looking for him. Standing up, he walked into his bedroom, returning in a moment.


    In his hand were two paper bags, one green and one pink. He ced both bags on the table. ¡°Here, this green bag, it¡¯s the drug to make people tell the truth. It¡¯s colourless and tasteless, and you can just scatter it in wine, tea or food. After ingestion, the effect wille in less than ten minutes. For the next four hours, there would be no lies and deceptions. He will then fall asleep after the four hours, and he¡¯ll be fine upon waking up. If you don¡¯t want him to remember that he had been drugged, remember to mix the drug from the pink bag into the green one. The drug in the pink bag tastes a little bitter, and it¡¯ll be best mixed in wine. Although the effect of the truth-telling drug will thenst for only two hours, you¡¯ll be guaranteed that there would be no issues for you after that.¡± After the exhaustive exnation, Rancui smiled as he pushed the bags towards Wu Xingzi.


    Looking at those two bags, Wu Xingzi struggled internally for a while. In the end, he still only picked up the green bag with the truth-telling drug. His fingers hovered above the pink bag for a moment, then he pushed it back to Rancui.


    ¡°There are some things that are still better remembered.¡± Hearing the meaning implied in his words, Rancui held his smile back.

 Chapter 86 - Tell the Truth

    Chapter 86 ¡ª Tell the Truth


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The day after requesting for the drug, the rain coincidentally stopped as well. Wu Xingzi woke up early in the morning, going to the market to buy some vegetables with the two girls. Upon returning home, he went to the kitchen tinkering for a bit. After he finished preparing some simple homemade dishes, he packed them up neatly in a box. He then borrowed a carriage from Rancui, and went to look for Ping Yifan on his own ord, apanied by Hei¡¯er.


    Ping Yifan lived at the edges of Winding Liantang Path, where it was chaotic with various merchants living there as well. The shop which kickstarted his family fortune was situated right along Xuanwu Street in the south of the city, selling goods from the south. Behind the shop was apound, which was where Ping Yifan resided.


    Wu Xingzi hade here a few times before, and the shopboy at the storefront recognised him. Seeing Wu Xingzi walk in with a box of food, he greeted him warmly, ¡°Mr. Wu, are you here looking for our boss?¡±


    ¡°Yes, is he around?¡± Tightening his grip around the handle of the box, Wu Xingzi, who was doing something bad for the first time ever, broke out in cold sweat. It was remarkable how the smile on his face did not look forced or stiff at all.


    ¡°Boss is around, please head inside.¡± The shopboy knew that the status of the person in front of him was equivalent to his boss¡¯s spouse. Naturally, he would not stop him.


    Wu Xingzi nodded. He turned around, giving Hei¡¯er a wave to signal that he could head back. Hesitating for a while more, Wu Xingzi took a deep breath before taking his steps inside the shop.


    Ping Yifan woke upte today. When Wu Xingzi came in, he had just been awake for a little while. He had only just been done with a bath, and was sitting in the yard with his wet hair, drying it in the sun. In his hand was a book of ounts, and he looked very focused. However, with his loose hair, his usual mild temperament seemed to be reduced a little, and instead he looked a little more alluring.


    ¡°Ping Yifan.¡± Unsurprisingly, Wu Xingzi was entranced by the beauty in front of him. With slightly reddened cheeks, he stared for a moment before calling out to the man.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Ping Yifan had already long heard himing in, but he just chose to y along. The old fellow had lightened both his steps and his breathing while walking in, like an old andzy cat. Unconsciously, Ping Yifan¡¯s heart softened into a puddle, and he did not spend any effort specting why Wu Xingzi would make a sudden appearance. Lifting his head, he smiled at Wu Xingzi, and his eyes then fell onto the box of food in his hands. ¡°What did you bring?¡±


    ¡°Just some little things.¡± Wu Xingzi walked over with the box, looking a little awkwardly at the stone table covered with letters and ount books. Ping Yifan had never concealed any of his paperwork from Wu Xingzi, and it seemed that he had no intentions of tidying them away right now too. With a bright smile, the younger man watched Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°It¡¯s nearly noon. I¡¯ve made a few dishes, and even asked Rancui for a bottle of fruit wine. Shall we share them?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve cooked?¡± Pleasant surprise suffused Ping Yifan¡¯s face, and he casually bundled up the documents on the table and ced them on a chair next to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time eating something you cooked.¡± Ping Yifan then helped Wu Xingzi take the food out from the box and ced them neatly on the table. After which, he pulled the older man into his arms, pressing a kiss onto his cheek.


    ¡°Ai, we¡¯re in broad daylight¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was still easily embarrassed like usual. Shyly, he pushed Ping Yifan a couple of times, but still he could not suppress his inner desire for intimacy. Very quickly, he reclined obediently in Ping Yifan¡¯s arms, allowing the man to caress him.


    However, they were not excessively intimate. Although the couple had known each other for more than a month, and they both had the intentions of bing life partners with each other, Ping Yifan did not truly have any intimate contact with Wu Xingzi. The asional cheek kisses were already the most intimate actions they shared, and normally, he would only hold Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand or wrap an arm around his waist. As for Wu Xingzi, he was really hankering for more. In the past, when he was with Guan Shanjin, there was basically years¡¯ worth of intimacy between them! However, Wu Xingzi was shy, and dared not take the initiative. Now that he was surrounded by the scent of white sandalwood and orange blossoms all the time, his desire was almost turning him wicked.


    This was one of the reasons why he wanted to use the drug on Ping Yifan. With nothing else to lose, he might as well give it a try. Once he rified Ping Yifan¡¯s status, he could also bear with his desire more willingly. After all, without this familiar scent and warmth, Wu Xingzi still had no need to recklessly barge into this intimacy. The pengornis drawings and his right hand were enough.


    There were two vegetarian dishes, two meat dishes, and a cold dish as well. Wu Xingzi¡¯s skills could not be considered top-notch, but the ingredients were fresh. Ping Yifan enjoyed the food greatly, and he had more of the wine as well.


    And so, when he realised that the situation was not quite right, he was already in a state where he could not even move a finger.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ping Yifan stared at Wu Xingzi in disbelief. He had never guarded himself against the person in front of him before. The effect of the drug came on fast and furious, and although he used his inner force to block the drug from spreading in his body, it was already toote, and rather ineffective. However, no matter how rapidly the drug worked, it could notpare to the astonishment of having been drugged by Wu Xingzi. Ping Yifan tried his best to support his feeble body, his unblinking stare seemingly boring a hole through Wu Xingzi¡¯s head.


    ¡°A-are you alright? Does it hurt?¡± This was the first time Wu Xingzi had used a truth-telling drug. Looking at how Ping Yifan was breaking out in sweat, looking unsteady on his feet, he started bing anxious. ¡°I- I only gave you a truth-telling drug, how did things turn out like this? I¡¯m going to get a physician!¡±


    He turned around, wanting to hurry off.


    ¡°Truth-telling drug?¡± Ping Yifan instantly felt a sense of relief. Grabbing onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s arm, he pulled the older man back to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is normal¡­¡±


    Ping Yifan gasped, letting go of hisst worry. He could not me Wu Xingzi for it. Even if what he had been given today was poison, he probably¡­ could only just scratch his nose and ept it.


    One would, at most, feel a little more ufortable when the truth-telling drug took effect. As heid a trap for Yan Wenxin, he had arranged to ce a few hidden guards around himself, and they had all withdrawn once Wu Xingzi arrived. If they were to see Wu Xingzi running off in a panic, and they entered to see him lying on the ground, drugged, there was no guarantee what sort of actions they would take against Wu Xingzi. Ping Yifan was not willing to let the man next to him suffer even in the slightest.


    ¡°This is normal?¡± Wu Xingzi cautiously confirmed it again with him. After seeing Ping Yifan¡¯s decisive nod did he then pat his chest and return to his seat, watching the person in front of him carefully.


    For a period of time, neither spoke up. Only Ping Yifan¡¯s panting from the effect of the drug could be heard clearly in the room. Looking at how his face was pale and sweaty, and how he was gritting his teeth trying to hold himself up, Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ached. He used his sleeve to wipe away Ping Yifan¡¯s sweat, then fed him a few sips of tea. After confirming that the effects of the drug were temporary, and that Ping Yifan was not harmed in any way, Wu Xingzi then sighed deeply.


    ¡°Why did you¡­¡± After somewhat recovering, Ping Yifan was the first to speak. However, Wu Xingzi did not react in his usual bashful manner, but had a slight frown and a stern expression. His wet eyes were fixed on Ping Yifan, seeming as though he had gained a clear understanding. With his mouth half-open, Ping Yifan could no longer continue with his questions.


    ¡°Ping Yifan, who are you exactly?¡± Wu Xingzi did not beat around the bush, and his first question immediately made Ping Yifan deeply understand that this was a matter of importance.


    Under the influence of the drug, Ping Yifan knew that he could not lie. His mind was muddled, his limbs aching and weak. His vision was hazy, as though he was in a dream-like state. Gradually, he started to not be able to differentiate whether he was dreaming or not. Unable to stop himself, his mouth fell slightly open as he emitted a weak cough. However, he was still a great General, and he did have some slight resistance towards this sort of drugs. Using his utmost determination, he bit deeply on his lip, nning on refusing to answer.


    Wu Xingzi looked at how Ping Yifan was forcing himself to keep quiet, to the point where he had bit his lips bloody, and his heart twitched in pain. That face, about 60% simr to Guan Shanjin, was twisted, terrifyingly savage looking. Rivulets of sweat flowed down his face, collecting on the tip of his nose and chin before dripping down further. In no time at all, Ping Yifan¡¯spels were soaked. Despite this, Ping Yifan still had his eyes tightly shut, refusing to spill even a word, enduring to the point where his entire body was trembling.


    ¡°Why do you choose to suffer¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sniffled, almost about to cry. He could not bear to see Ping Yifan torturing himself like this, but Rancui did not give him the antidote. What else could he do so that this torture would notst for four hours? Even the strongest person would be tortured to death like this. Reaching out, Wu Xingzi lightly stroked Ping Yifan¡¯s ashen face, soothing him in a gentle voice. ¡°Haiwang, I know that it¡¯s you.¡±


    The person under him jerked violently. Eyes that were clouded from resisting the drug fixed upon Wu Xingzi in shock. The bleeding lips moved, vague mumbles slipping out. In the end, there was still nothing said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡± Wu Xingzi asked again. Immeasurable guilt weighed upon his heart, and he was regretting his actions. However, he had no choice but to do so. Even though it was a method that would cause immense trouble and hurt, it was still something to do.


    This time, Ping Yifan did not resist the drug¡¯s effect, and he shook his head slightly. It was because he trusted him too much, and thus he fell in this trap. It was also because he trusted him too much, and with his defensesid low, the drug had such a strong effect on him, causing him to barely be able to resist it. If it was anyone else who had drugged him, even if it was Man Yue, he would have long noticed that something was wrong and would have withdrawn already. He would have even fought back in return and caused the other party a few wounds.


    Wu Xingzi sighed again, helping Ping Yifan ¡ª no, he knew that this was Guan Shanjin now ¡ª wipe the sweat on his face. He stared at him nkly for a moment, his thoughts churning in his head, but he could not think of a better way to make Guan Shanjin speak. It was also of no surprise to him that this was happening. After all, a great General who was stationed at the borders, if he could not resist truth-telling drugs, would he not be easily defeated under its influence? Guan Shanjin definitely had to have been trained to resist the effects of the drug. Although he wished to hear the answers from Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth, it was sure to be difficult to do so.


    However, for Wu Xingzi to give up just like this, it was impossible too. Racking his brains, he asked a series of simple, insignificant questions. Still, Guan Shanjin stubbornly kept frowning with his eyes tightly shut. His body would asionally quiver and jerk, causing Wu Xingzi to shudder along with him, to the point where Wu Xingzi could no longer bear with it anymore.


    Dully, Wu Xingzi sighed, and again he wiped Guan Shanjin¡¯s face. He then poured a cup of fruit wine, speaking aloud, ¡°I put the drug in the wine. You know that I¡¯m not good at drinking, and you¡¯ve seen me drunk twice. Later, you didn¡¯t let me drink again, and so I decided to drug the wine.¡±


    He smiled at the man who was looking at him nkly. ¡°Haiwang, I¡¯ll tell the truth with you, alright?¡±


    The young man jerked, looking like he wanted to reach out to smack away the cup in Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand. However, he was a step toote. Just as Wu Xingzi finished talking, he tilted his head back and emptied the cup, only to end up choking and coughing. With reddened eyes, Wu Xingzi looked calmly at Guan Shanjin. ¡°We should have a frank and honest conversation with each other.¡±


    Those rabbit-like red eyes were both pitiful and adorable-looking. Guan Shanjin sighed, finally no longer forcing himself to resist the drug¡¯s effect. Trembling, he reached up and removed the mask on his face.


    ¡°When did you manage to guess it?¡± As expected, under the mask of Ping Yifan was Guan Shanjin¡¯s face. Tossing the mask casually on the table, he carefully pulled the older man into his embrace. ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you¡­¡±


    Compared to Ping Yifan¡¯s somewhat hoarse voice, Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was smoother and gentler, but the difference was not very big. Still, through a mask, there was a feeling as though they werepletely different.


    Wu Xingzi pressed lightly on the corners of Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes with the tip of his finger, then slid down the beautiful curves of the face. When he finished touching the entire face, his eyes were so red that he was almost about to cry, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart was aching terribly over it.


    ¡°Ai, don¡¯t cry¡­ It¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have deceived you. I won¡¯t hide anything anymore, just ask what you¡¯d like to ask.¡± He kissed the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose in constion, then kissed the corner of his mouth, nearly giving into temptation to press the older man down and tangling their tongues together.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide it anyway.¡± Wu Xingzi snorted lightly. He was gradually falling under the effect of the drug himself, and his gaze was turning more nk as he cuddled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, panting.

 Chapter 87 - Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

    Chapter 87 ¡ª Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    With the drug¡¯s effect rushing over him, not only did Wu Xingzi feel his body weaken, his brain turned nk and his tongue turned thick. Murmuring aloud, even he himself could not hear what he was saying clearly. It felt as though he was drifting up in the clouds, or floating along in a dream. He realised that at this moment, if he were to say anything, it would be nothing but the truth, and there was no way for his brain to lie or deceive.


    He squinted his blurry eyes, staring straight at Guan Shanjin. Opening his mouth, he mumbled, ¡°Say, that pink and adorable pengornis, Murong Chong, where did ite from?¡± That pengornis drawing held great credit for his love at first sight towards Ping Yifan, as the image found a firm hold in his heart.


    The pengornis Murong Chong? Guan Shanjin froze, but he quickly understood what Wu Xingzi meant. Unable to stop himself from breaking out into suddenughter, he pulled up the hand of the old quail to his lips, taking a bite. ¡°What you¡¯ve been thinking and pondering about, what you wanted an answer to, it¡¯s the pengornis drawing?¡±


    ¡°Mn. I really, truly like that drawing very much, although it can¡¯tpare to yours¡­ Where did ite from?¡± Alright, Wu Xingzi was Wu Xingzi. Ever since the first time heid his eyes on the vibrant world of pengornises, it had be the most important thing to him. Now that he had taken the truth-telling drug, he could no longer hide it.


    ¡°I asked Man Yue to draw it casually from my own pengornis.¡± Although it was not anything significant, Guan Shanjin still blushed a little. If this was an ordinary circumstance, he might not even have been willing to answer honestly, as he found it too embarrassing.


    Hearing that, Wu Xingzi blinked slowly as his lips curled up in a smile. ¡°You got Man Yue to draw your pengornis? You pulled it out and showed it to him?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth straightened a little, his eyes falling very naturally downwards. Unfortunately, he could only see his ownnguid legs and hips. After all, he was tucked firmly in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms.


    ¡°No, why do I have to pull it out and show it to Man Yue? Isn¡¯t my pengornis drawing in the Pengornisseur already? I got Man Yue to draw ording to it, and afraid that you would recognise it, I even got him to add some colour to hide it.¡±


    It was truly a wonder as to how Wu Xingzi, this shy old thing, had gotten such an astonishing talent. His judging of the pengornises could be said to be piercing and sharp, and his ability to recognise people and faces might not even be as urate as recognising their pengornises. He could even notice any discrepancies, and be able to identify that the pengornises of Ping Yifan and Guan Shanjin came from the same source.


    ¡°That was truly well-coloured,¡± Wu Xingzi eximed in praise. His mind naturally again went to Ping Yifan¡¯s pengornis, and the memory of secretly enjoying it at night made his face flush red.


    ¡°Why did you pretend to be Ping Yifan?¡± Now that the matter of the pengornises had been rified, it was time to ask about the owner of the pengornis. Guan Shanjin, while embracing Wu Xingzi, twitched and jerked. Unconsciously, he again wanted to refuse to answer. Wu Xingzi¡¯s entire body was limp, and while trembling, he reached out, patting the man¡¯s arm that was on his waist in constion. Very quickly, the man behind him rxed his tense muscles, exhaling slowly.


    ¡°I pretended to be Ping Yifan, as I wanted toy a trap for Yan Wenxin, that old fox, as well as¡­ hiss¡­¡± Just as Guan Shanjin wanted to resist answering, the pain in his head became so intense that it caused him to gasp. He was not intentionally trying to hide the truth, only feeling that the truth was too embarrassing. Unfortunately for him, this drug was truly too demanding. Unwilling to let Wu Xingzi worry over him, dejectedly, he gave an honest answer. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to be tempted away by other men. Rancui, that little fox, is always pushing you, always hoping to just shove you at any other man out there and have you spend the rest of your life with him. Isn¡¯t that so? Look, just as your heart calmed down, he immediately gave you a copy of the Pengornisseur. Tell me yourself, beforeing to the capital and meeting Ping Yifan, how many letters did you send through the pigeon express, hmm?¡±


    The lilt at the end of the question tickled Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart. He hummed a couple of times, unable to stop himself from nuzzling into Guan Shanjin¡¯s warm and broad chest.


    With the continuous grinding against him, Guan Shanjin felt himself lit ame with desire. He no longer suppressed himself, but bent his head down and pressed against the old fellow¡¯s tender lips, suckling on them. Their tongues tangled and intertwined, and Wu Xingzi was kissed to the point where he felt as though even his eyes were heating up. Only when he was unable to catch his breath, and his entire being felt like a puddle of water, did Guan Shanjin finally release that trembling tongue, ending the kiss. However, as Wu Xingzi was panting for air, Guan Shanjin again could not help himself and started kissing the older man. The soft and clinging kiss seemed endless, and Guan Shanjin truly wished that he could just swallow the old man inside him and be done with it.


    ¡°Ai¡­ Don¡¯t kiss¡­¡± Wu Xingzi really could not endure it any longer, and he pushed at Guan Shanjin feebly. There were still many questions he wanted to ask, and he could not let his previous efforts go to vain! With how demanding this drug was on the body, how could he drug Guan Shanjin a second time with it? What was he going to do if he did not use these four hours wisely?


    Guan Shanjin naturally understood. Although he wished to just push Wu Xingzi down and go ahead, skipping over all the honesty and truth-telling bits, he vaguely knew that if he really wanted to tuck the old thing under his wing for the rest of his life, pampering him and doting on him, he could not avoid today¡¯s situation. If not, the person who would be left empty-handed, would definitely be him.


    After giving a fierce nibble on Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, Guan Shanjin panted, pressing his forehead against the forehead of the man lying in his arm, and their breaths mingled. ¡°You can continue asking. Hurry up and finish.¡±


    His self-control was getting demolished under the influence of the truth-telling drug, and it was hard to say how long he could hold on for. Although he had been meeting Wu Xingzi everyday recently, as he was afraid of exposing himself as well as being jealous over Ping Yifan, he had been fiercely suppressing his desires with his inner strength. Now, his desire could be said to being down upon him like an avnche, and his cold sweat was not entirely due to the truth-telling drug.


    With his mouth open as he gasped for air, Wu Xingzi saw that Guan Shanjin was about to start kissing him again, and so he hurriedly asked, ¡°Why do you want toy a trap for Yan Wenxin? Did it start from Bastion City?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ When I was at Bastion City, I had already begun to deal with Yan Wenxin. This matter cannot go beyond this courtyard, and it¡¯s best that you forget everything upon hearing it, hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin gently caressed Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. Only after he saw him nod and promise, did he then continue. ¡°The one who wants to deal with Yan Wenxin¡­ it¡¯s the Emperor. You know that the family line of the Lord Protector has always been ministry officials, and the one we¡¯re loyal to is the person on the throne, and to the country itself. During these years, Yan Wenxin has been prospering well within the official court, and in his hands is countless wealth and power.¡±


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t the Emperor value him greatly?¡± Wu Xingzi still remembered how Rancui and Hei¡¯er talked about Yan Wenxin. He was the highest ranking official in court, and the Minister of State Affairs, with ties to all the officials in the court. He had the Emperor¡¯s utmost trust and was greatly valued by the Emperor. If not for the majority of the army being under Guan Shanjin, he would be the most powerful person, and even be able to overthrow the court. Not only did he have ambition, he was very capable as well, but the Emperor seemed to not have noticed this wolf next to him.


    Guan Shanjin sneered. ¡°If Yan Wenxin is an old fox, then the one on the throne is basically the epitome of a fox in a human body. Back then, he had supported Yan Wenxin because he wanted his ability, his methods, and his mind. Yan Wenxin was both vicious and full of forbearance, and this would greatly profit the Emperor, bing another sword in his hands. A person like this would never be tamed, and he was bound to bring chaos. How could the Emperor never see this? The eldest son of the Lord Protector needed to build up an army, before the Emperor could decide if that person was fit for power. Only after returning to the capital from the northwest region did I gain an official position. The Emperor also took that opportunity, gaining clear insight to the sort of person Yan Wenxin was. The years I stayed in the south, refusing to return to the capital, had also been silently approved by the Emperor. It was to let me rest for a while. However, no one thought that Yan Wenxin could even spread his feelers right beyond the south, and so this was a pleasant surprise.¡±


    Never expecting that there would be so many twists and turns in the situation, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were so wide that he looked even more foolish. A beatter, he raised a shaky hand, pressing it against Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth as he spoke, feeling troubled, ¡°So¡­ so you were actually hiding something so important from me, but I¡¯ve drugged you instead¡­ Don¡¯t say anymore, I won¡¯t continue asking, I won¡¯t continue asking.¡±


    Wu Xingzi was truly scared. It was not because he was afraid of knowing these secrets, or afraid of attracting trouble towards himself, but he was afraid that Guan Shanjin would be further implicated.


    However, under the influence of the drug, Wu Xingzi could not control his mouth. He heard himself continue, ¡°But, Zaizong-xiong is not this sort of person. I can be considered to have interacted with him for some time, and he truly wishes to work for the interests of the country.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, so he then cheated you out of your money, and used a perfume sachet he bought to steal your heart?¡± Recalling these matters, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart felt bitter and achy, mixed emotions swelling up within it. He knew that it was impossible for Wu Xingzi to not have fallen for other people in his life, and to just wait for Guan Shanjin. In the past, did he not have Lu Zezhi in his heart too? However, it was clear that the position of Yan Wenxin in Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart was different, just looking at how he was speaking up for him.


    ¡°Thest time he saw you, he didn¡¯t even recognise you. Yet, you¡¯re still thinking about him?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Wu Xingzi blinked guilelessly. He already held no feelings for Yan Wenxin, but he was still someone whom he had liked and thought about for so long. Their past interactions and meetings were all sweet memories. Back then, Yan Wenxin had shared his ambitions with great spirits. To Wu Xingzi, it felt as though he was a ray of sunlight shining directly upon his heart, dispelling the gloom of his parents¡¯ deaths. Even though this rtionship turned out to be false, it had once been of great help to him.


    Now that years had gone and things had changed, he had only felt some slight sadness upon seeing Yan Wenxin for the first time again. Later on, he waspletely focused on pondering over the rtionship between Ping Yifan and Guan Shanjin, as well as the rtionship between Guan Shanjin and Lu Zezhi. Hepletely had no time to even think about the person who had left twenty odd years ago.


    Hearing him stammer an exnation, Guan Shanjin then felt that his jealousy was no longer as acrid, and the ache in his heart even turned to joy. Leaning over, he again started kissing and caressing the older man.


    ¡°I know you want to ask me about Lu Zezhi.¡± This time, Guan Shanjin did not need Wu Xingzi to start the topic. He was well aware of the greatest issue keeping the two of them apart. The person in his arms had immediately stiffened up once he heard the name ¡°Lu Zezhi¡±, and the kiss-reddened cheeks paled abruptly as his head sunk so low as though it was trying to bury itself in his chest.


    Guan Shanjin felt ashamed. Tightening his hug in constion, he patted softly on the thin back. Just as he was about to speak, Wu Xingzi spoke up first. ¡°Haiwang, I like you. It¡¯s not a casual type of liking, but one that makes me want to spend the rest of my life with you. Even Zaizong-xiong had never made me want to want this before. I really, really like you too much¡­ But I know that there was Lu Zezhi in your heart, and that was why I left¡­¡±


    The gentle voice sounded very serious. Even though the drug was making him mumble a little, each and every word, in Guan Shanjin¡¯s ears, was full of emotions.


    nkly, he looked at the old quail in his arms. He suddenly felt as though sparks from a meteor hadnded on his arm. Looking carefully, he realised that a few drops of tears had fallen there, and Wu Xingzi was crying silently. The heat from the tears had clearly vanished instantly, but they fell like the ashes of a meteor, burning into his blood, travelling into his heart. In his chest was a pain that he had never felt before, and Guan Shanjin hugged the older man tightly, deeply afraid that the man would again disappear in the blink of an eye. If it were to happen again, this time, he would truly fall into madness.


    ¡°My father only had my mother, and when I was younger, he told me that as a man, it was enough for us to love just one person forever. Could a person¡¯s heart actually be split into so many parts? In the past, my father had even attained the Imperial Schr rank, and was assigned to the Imperial Academy. He had not nned on marrying so early. At that time, he was only eighteen, and he enjoyed great literary fame. Although he had never said it out loud, I always thought that there might even be people in the capital who had heard of his name before. Still, he met my mother, and it was love at first sight. His heart could not be split, and it was all given to my mother. To help her family, my mother had been sold into the capital,ing in as the lowest caste of all. It was impossible for her to marry my father as his official wife, and she could at most be his concubine. My father refused to wrong my mother, and so he decided to give up his official position. After thinking of how to get rid of my mother¡¯s ¡®untouchable¡¯ status, he brought her back to his hometown, Qingcheng County, and settled there.¡±


    This was the first time Wu Xingzi had shared the private details of his family. Guan Shanjin had guessed that the status of Wu Xingzi¡¯s father was not a simple one, and he could not be just a simple private teacher. However, he did not expect that it would be something like this.


    Wu Xingzi now looked up, his eyes still red. Despite the haziness from the drug, there was still a fixed determination in them. ¡°I will definitely listen to what my father said. They left early, but they always loved each other for the rest of their lives. What I want is also only that. My heart will only be given to one person, and I also only need just one person¡¯s heart. Since your heart belongs to another, I don¡¯t want it then.¡±


    Letting someone go to achieve their dreams, was it also not a form of disappointment to oneself? How could a person not be selfish? If Wu Xingzi were to look deep inside himself, whether it was his departure, or his insistence in believing that Guan Shanjin and Lu Zezhi held mutual affections for each other, or even when he fell for Ping Yifan, at the very source of everything was his selfishness.


    Just like how heter threw away that perfume sachet Yan Wenxin had gifted him, he wanted everything. If there was even a little bit missing, he did not want it at all.


    Guan Shanjin was stunned. It was as though this was the first time he truly knew what sort of character this old quail in front of him had. Wu Xingzi did have a good temperament, seeking for nothing and asking for none. However, anyone would still have a bit of a temper, and if they red up, they could wound others. Still, after his astonishment, waves of indescribable joy crashed down upon Guan Shanjin.


    He hugged Wu Xingzi tightly, wishing that he could just subsume his entire person into his blood and bones. ¡°My heart only belongs to you. If you want it, just take it. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll just throw it away. In this life, there would not be a second person who would get it.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Mr. Lu? After all, you snatched him from his wedding.¡± Wu Xingzi did not expect that he would be given such an intense promise. His heart was so sweet that it felt as though it was submerged in honey, but once he thought about the white-robed man, the smile on his face froze.


    Understanding that this matter would not be so easily glossed over, Guan Shanjin answered a little unwillingly, ¡°I¡¯m only using him¡­ Lu Zezhi doesn¡¯t like me as well. What he likes is the doting Ivish on him, as well as the free and easy life of not needing to lift a finger. In the past, I did like him before, but it is the past, after all. There are some rtionships, where once the opportunity is missed, they would never happen. This is the reality between him and me. He ced himself on a pedestal, while I dared not touch him, and dragging on like this, I met you, then he no longer mattered. Don¡¯t put any me on yourself, as this matter cannot be med on anyone. Feelings cannot be forced, and I will not wrong myself either.¡± This was Guan Shanjin¡¯s usual powerful momentum. He would either conceal everything to the very end, or he would take the opportunity, revealing it all and gaining an advantage with it.


    ¡°But why did you also¡­¡± Guan Shanjin bent over, pressing a kiss onto Wu Xingzi and stopping him from finishing his question. Fiercely, he caught up Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft little tongue with his, sucking on it for a moment before letting go, panting as he replied, ¡°I did it for you. The old fox Yan Wenxin isn¡¯t an easy one to catch, and his methods are vicious as well. How can I not worry and let you be pushed to the forefront? The moment an error is made, you would definitely be used by that old man against me. For the big picture, and for your safety, I have no choice but to keep Lu Zezhi by my side.¡±


    The words ¡°no choice¡± made Wu Xingzi feel slightly apologetic.


    ¡°Are you going to continue making use of Mr. Lu?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The moment Guan Shanjin finished responding, he pressed a finger against Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, not letting him say another word. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you more details than that. Don¡¯t ask anymore, alright? You only have to know that the person in my heart is you, and your safety is of the utmost importance to me. Even if the scenario is to be repeated over and over again, I would still make the same choices. Making you sad is something that I¡¯ve done wrong towards you, but it¡¯s a lot better than having you meet with danger.¡±


    The words were stark and not flowery, but a blush still spread across Wu Xingzi¡¯s face and ears that were listening to them, and his breathing even quickened. The purpose of the truth-telling drug was to lower their heart¡¯s defenses, a drug that would make one reveal their heart, and there was actually only one vulgar thing that his heart truly desired.


    A sudden soft lick on his palm shot straight into Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart, and his eyes narrowed in understanding.


    This lewd darling really knew how to endure, but if they both continued enduring, it would not result in anything good for each other.


    Since what had to be said had already been said, and Guan Shanjin had gotten used to the drug¡¯s influence, his limbs no longer weak, he deftly lifted up the person in his arms, walking into the bedroom and kicking the door shut.

 Chapter 88 - This Is Called A Slutty Hole (NSFW)

    Chapter 88 ¡ª This Is Called A Slutty Hole (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    There was definitely not just a truth-telling element to the drug Rancui had provided. As the manager of the Peng Society, no one would believe that there was no aphrodisiacponent to the drugs he had on hand. The effect of the drug coursed through their bodies demandingly,pletely bringing forward all their heart¡¯s desires to the surface.


    Guan Shanjin panted heavily, his forehead covered in sweat from enduring. It had only been a few small steps, yet the fronts of the robes of the two people were all soaked by the time they were inside the bedroom. Wu Xingzi stayed huddled in his arms, like a spoilt, pampered puppy. With a burst of energy, he nuzzled his nose into the man¡¯s broad chest, inhaling deeply like a besotted fool. He could not stop himself from mumbling about how good Guan Shanjin¡¯s scent was, and the younger man could only continue enduring as mes of desire spread within him.


    The old thing had always been very open-minded towards the matters of sex, and could be extremely sluttish in bed. Now, under the influence of the drug, it was unclear how much lewder the older man could get. Guan Shanjin was vaguely in anticipation of it.


    Guan Shanjin lifted his foot backwards and kicked the door shut. Ping Yifan¡¯s bedroom was decorated very simply. Upon first nce, it looked even more humble than a room that would cost a coin to rent a night. Only the nket on the huge bed looked to be soft andfortable, and Guan Shanjin stumbled to it, copsing onto the bed with the old thing wriggling about in his arms. Now, even the back of his clothes was drenched with sweat.


    The scent of white sandalwood and orange blossom became noticeably stronger due to the sweat, and it quickly suffused the cramped room. Wu Xingzi twitched his fleshy nose. Just by smelling this scent, he felt as though he could melt into a puddle already. At first, he still moaned about, teasing Guan Shanjin with things like, ¡°You smell so good!¡± ¡°Can I lick you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re poking at me!¡±


    The words spilling from Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth made the lower part of Guan Shanjin so hard that it hurt. His crotch stiffened up majestically, looking as though it could burst through his clothes andy damage on the person in his arms.


    By now, Wu Xingzi was no longer speaking. He clung onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulders, his head lying on the crook of his neck as he gave tiny gasps mingled with muffled moans. His heated breaths were like sparks, and Guan Shanjin tightened his grip as he felt as though he was being scorched. No longer trying to hold on to his rationality, he stripped the person in his arms clean. The smooth and soft skin under the robes glowed with a thinyer of sweat, and the two were even more overwhelmed with lust.


    ¡°Take off your clothes too, ai, the friction hurts.¡± Under the drug¡¯s influence, their skin was even more sensitive. Guan Shanjin was wearing Ping Yifan¡¯s clothes, and although the material was not too bad, and the craftsmanship good, they were still rather coarse. They could notpare to the clothes made for the son of the Lord Protector, and as they scraped roughly against Wu Xingzi¡¯s skin, the old quail wailed as he twisted about.


    ¡°This Rancui¡­¡± Has done a wonderful job. Bearing with the pain, Guan Shanjin did not finish his sentence. He removed his clothes in no proper manner, as Wu Xingzi was kissing, grinding and rubbing against him. It was impossible to remove his clothes properly, and Guan Shanjin was unwilling to let the older man go. As such, he gave up and just tore his clothes away.


    The floor was covered with ragged clothes, both Guan Shanjin¡¯s and Wu Xingzi¡¯s. After so many months, the two had finally found each other in the same bed again. Under Guan Shanjin¡¯s smooth, porcin-like skin were firm, delineated muscles. Looking at his broad shoulders and his narrow waist, his tight buttocks and his long, powerful legs, as well as a huge, majestic pengornis, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were filled with besottedness. With trembling fingers, he reached out and grabbed hold of the pengornis he had been thinking of and missing for a long time, his saliva pooling and almost drooling out from his lips.


    ¡°So now, what rank does it hold on your list of pengornises?¡± Guan Shanjin allowed Wu Xingzi to lean into his cock. He just had a bath not too long ago, and so he smelt clean and fresh. Along with the musk of a mature man, the scentpletely intoxicated the horny old quail.


    ¡°Number 1, it¡¯s definitely number 1. No one canpare with you.¡± Wu Xingzi answered any questions posed to him. In the past, he would feel shy, but now, due to the drug, he had long forgotten how to even spell the word ¡°shy¡±.


    ¡°Oh? Even Ping Yifan?¡± This question reeked of jealousy. On the surface, Guan Shanjin had looked as though he did not care for Ping Yifan at all, but in his heart, he just could not let it go. He would never be able to forget how the old fellow had invited Ping Yifan to share his grave the first time they met!


    Hmph, he¡¯s only just a counterfeit.


    ¡°¡­ He can¡¯tpare.¡± After some hesitation, Wu Xingzi replied cautiously. The drug had a much greater effect on him than on Guan Shanjin. Other than instincts, he had nothing left. Although the conclusion to the entire matter was pleasing, Guan Shanjin was extremely possessive. Towards Wu Xingzi, he was very small-minded, and that short bout of hesitation left him grunting unhappily.


    ¡°Were you thinking about lying to me?¡± Guan Shanjin crooked a finger under Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin. The old fellow was currently rubbing his cheek against his beloved pengornis, and his pink little tongue was dabbing at his lips, nearly brushing against the enormous head of his cock a few times. The hunger in Guan Shanjin was nearly unbearable, and hence, along with Wu Xingzi¡¯s motions, he prodded his cock at Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, causing those soft lips to swell up a little.


    ¡°No¡­ I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± With such a huge, delicious thing rubbing at his mouth, Wu Xingzi chased after it. Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was stuffed with cock.


    Finally getting a taste of pengornis, he felt indescribably satisfied. His skill at cocksucking was still not there yet, but he still gave tiny licks at the drops of fluid gathered on the tip of the dick. Next, he sucked on the huge head of the cock, the sound evident as he swallowed the cock further down.


    Guan Shanjin panted. He had wanted to take the opportunity to provoke Wu Xingzi into more dirty talk. However, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth really felt too good, warm and wet and it knew how to suck, though that soft little tongue of his was a little unskilled but very lewd. He teased his cock with his lips, then curled his tongue and slid it up his pulsating vein as he sucked on his cock. The pleasure made Guan Shanjin groan aloud, and his long fingers slid through the old fellow¡¯s hair. Gripping onto the back of his head, he shoved the entirety of his thick cock all the way inside Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Mm!¡± With the thick, hard object suddenly in his throat, Wu Xingzi gave a dry heave. Groaning slightly, he pushed at Guan Shanjin¡¯s thigh, wanting to catch a breath. However, the man had lost his mind from passion, and the few gentle pushes instead baited his beast-like nature. Half-kneeling, he insistently shoved himself further into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth.


    The thick cock soon stretched out the old fellow¡¯s throat, trapping his tongue tightly. Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was basically like a cock sheath, and he could only allow the man to thrust furiously into him. Guan Shanjin was going in very deep, long bing a starving wolf due to having suppressed his desires for so long.


    As Guan Shanjin thrusted wantonly, Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks would asionally bulge out due to the cock in his mouth. Choking and whimpering, his hands on Guan Shanjin¡¯s thighs tightened, his nails almost white yet he could not release his grip. His pitiful image had a trace of lewdness to it, and the thrusts into his throat made him choke to the point where tears were flowing out from his eyes. His throat seemed to be bulging out each time the cock entered it, and it felt as though his slender throat would be impaled.


    Guan Shanjin looked down at how lewd and horny Wu Xingzi was, as well as his reddened, teary rabbit-like eyes. He wished that he could just do this fellow to death, preventing him from ever running away again, and with no idea about where to find him. Crudely, he thrusted deeply into Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, his full balls pping against Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin, turning the skin there red. It could be seen how much strength he was using.


    After a few more dry heaves, Wu Xingzi copsed limply, no longer able to resist or wee the thrusts. asionally, he would still move his mouth, sucking the cock a little and causing Guan Shanjin to moan. Guan Shanjin would then shove his head further down on his cock, wishing that he could just thrust through his throat.


    Probably because he had been suppressing his desires too much, Guan Shanjin too could notst for too long. In less than half an hour, Wu Xingzi felt the cock in his mouth stiffen further, jabbing viciously into him. The hand on the back of his head tightened its grip further, and Guan Shanjin bent over, pulling Wu Xingzi close to him anding straight into his mouth. The scorching ejaction was thick and of arge volume, spattering powerfully against the sensitive insides of Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat. He shuddered as he choked, almost thinking that he would die just like this. Somee even spilled out through his nose, smearing across his face with his drool and tears. However, most of it ended up being swallowed right into his belly, and for a moment, it felt as though his stomach was getting full.


    Guan Shanjin did love Wu Xingzi after all, and so he took his cock out from his mouth, gently stroking his swollen lips before pressing a kiss to them. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Wu Xingzi frowned a little, feeling slightly aggrieved. His throat felt as though it might have been injured, and his voice was extremely hoarse. Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached, and just as he was about to get off the bed to bring Wu Xingzi some water to soothe his throat, two arms wrapped around him tightly, and he could not leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to get a cup of water for you. Doesn¡¯t your throat hurt?¡± Guan Shanjin lowered his head,forting Wu Xingzi. With two wet eyes, Wu Xingzi looked at the younger man. His entire body was blushing red, his thighs rubbing together, and it was evident that his little cock had spilled too.


    ¡°My lewd darling.¡± Guan Shanjinughed gently, fondling that little thing with his fingers, immediately understanding what Wu Xingzi wanted.


    There was no hurry in getting any water. Right now, desire was thrumming through them, and that extremely sluttish hole must be hungering to be filled. One only had to look at the bedsheets and see how there was already a huge wet stain there. Could they still have time to consider any hurts or water?


    ¡°Come on in¡­¡± Wu Xingzi pulled at Guan Shanjin, spreading his two legs open shyly and revealing his hole. To no surprise, the long-unused hole had regained its sticity, and right now, due to the passion he was feeling, it seemed as though it was winking. As it opened up to a hole the size to fit a pinky finger, lewd fluid dripped out.


    ¡°In there?¡± Having found release once, Guan Shanjin was a lot calmer than Wu Xingzi. Leaning down, he gave a small peck on the older man¡¯s lips, baiting his tongue out and sucking on it. Quietly, he grunted, ¡°It¡¯s bitter, and all you can taste is me.¡±


    It sounded like aint, but soft, lingering kisses came one after another. The old fellow was kissed to the point of bleariness, and his eyes lost focus. All he knew was to stick his tongue out and tangle it with the other man¡¯s.


    ¡°Quick, tell me. Where do you want me to enter? If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t know what to do.¡± After a bout of kissing, Guan Shanjin finally pulled away as he panted. Wickedly, he looked at Wu Xingzi as he smiled.


    ¡°Ai?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were half-lidded. The tip of his tongue slid past his red, swollen lips, and he curled his legs around Guan Shanjin¡¯s firm and narrow waist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to go in? Say it clearly, where do you want me to go?¡± Reaching out, Guan Shanjin tucked the two fair and slender legs around his waist, and his once again erect cock tapped against the winking hole. Wu Xingzi gasped loudly, tightening his legs as he writhed in bed, moaning and groaning as he tried to find relief against Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°This little thing must have been starving.¡±


    Each time Wu Xingzi drew himself closer, Guan Shanjin would retreat a little, maintaining a barely-there distance. Lewd fluid again dribbled out of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole.


    Pitifully, he pleaded, ¡°Come on in, push yourself inside, I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re starving, but you haven¡¯t given me an answer yet. Where do you want me to push inside?¡± Guan Shanjin affectionately drew his fingers around Wu Xingzi¡¯s face, then pinched his fleshy nose. ¡°Say it clearly, hmm?¡±


    Wu Xingzi was extremely anxious. Lifting his thin waist, he twisted about. ¡°I need something back there, quick,e soothe it¡­¡±


    ¡°Back there¡­ Here?¡± As Guan Shanjin asked, he ground the head of his cock against the wet and hungry hole, making the old fellow tilt his head back and moan, bing even more sluttish.


    ¡°Fuck me¡­ Haiwang¡­ Fuck me, please¡­¡±


    ¡°This, here, is called a slutty hole. Where do you want me to fuck, hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin did not let him off, insisting that Wu Xingzi say something lewd. After all, although the old fellow had always been very open in his actions, his mouth had always been very shy. With this rare opportunity, could he let it go?


    Wu Xingzi looked at Guan Shanjin with teary eyes. After a moment of faltering, he finally opened his mouth bashfully. ¡°Haiwang, fuck my slutty hole, I need it¡­¡±


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin gave a faint smile, and it was as though the aura of spring was filling him. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pounded as he looked at him, and he felt as though he was melting with that look.


    Having endured long enough, Guan Shanjin gripped Wu Xingzi¡¯s hip with one hand and his own cock with the other. He ground a few times against the hole, drawing even more fluids out, before thrusting half his cock into the older man.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shuddered, his hole screwing down tightly to the point where Guan Shanjin could not move. The younger man panted heavily, bending his neck and leaving a number of bites on his neck. His scorching palm rubbed soothingly against his cyx, and it took some time before Wu Xingzi finally rxed. Guan Shanjin then immediately impaled the rest of his cock into Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi shrieked, feeling an immense pressure on the sensitive spot within him, and his little cock instantly spurtede onto the younger man¡¯s abdomen.

 Chapter 89 - How About Burning The Pengornis Drawing of Ping Yifan?

    Chapter 89 ¨C How About Burning The Pengornis Drawing of Ping Yifan? (NSFW)


    Seeing the ejacte Wu Xingzi spurted on his abdomen, Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes narrowed with a smile. He wiped the fluids away as he spoke gently, ¡°Smell it, my body is now saturated with your sluttish scent. Now that I¡¯ve been marked by you, you have no choice but to acknowledge me, alright?¡±


    Wu Xingzi whimpered shyly hearing that. Looking at the younger man with clouded eyes, he twisted his hips, urging him on. ¡°Hurry up¡­¡±


    ¡°My lewd darling¡­¡± A warm, soft, yet tight sheath wrapped around his cock. Having just experienced an orgasm, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body twitched and shuddered, as though countless little mouths were sucking on his skin. Guan Shanjin grasped Wu Xingzi¡¯s hips, tugging him towards his crotch, and a visible bulge was seen through the old quail¡¯s soft, tender belly.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡° Wu Xingzi shut his eyes, stretching out his slender neck. A lewd moan escaped him, weak and quivering. It was apparent that he was in such pleasure that he almost could not bear it.


    How pliable. Guan Shanjin aimed at a certain spot within Wu Xingzi and started fucking into him in delight.


    Momentarily, the entire room was filled with the pping sounds of flesh, along with the squelching sounds of bodily fluids as one person thrusted into the other. The soft, clinging moans of Wu Xingzi quickly turned into tearful gasps, mingling with the younger man¡¯s gentleughter.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ Ah¨C¡° With a tight grip around his hips, Wu Xingzi was fucked rapidly. Guan Shanjin was a man of martial arts, and his strength was mighty and his energy formidable. In the past, he would still pamper the older man, afraid of injuring him through fucking, and so he would somewhat control himself. Now, under the influence of the truth-telling drug that was mixed with either an aphrodisiac or a hallucinogen, his beastly nature thus took over. Other than the first few probes that could somewhat be considered courteous, he basically let go of his own restraint for the rest of the fucking, impaling himself into Wu Xingzi as deeply as possible.


    The thick, long cock entered Wu Xingzi, all the way into his belly, and one could even see the shape of it from the bulge through the skin. Still unsatisfied, Guan Shanjin thrusted harshly a couple more times, then caressed the bulge with his hand. With such sensations from both inside and out, Wu Xingzi was fucked until he was left shuddering, his eyes rolling back and his tongue hanging out. His little cock, now half-hard, was dribbling fluids non-stop.


    Each time the veiny huge cock pulled its way out of Wu Xingzi¡¯s body, the hole would clench down on it. Soon, Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole was quickly fucked loose, moulding into the shape of Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock. Pressed on the bed, Wu Xingzi¡¯s legs dangled apart. He was in too much pleasure from the deed. His mind was no longer working properly, and he no longer even had the strength to wrap his legs around Guan Shanjin¡¯s waist.


    When Guan Shanjin saw his half-opened mouth, he could not resist bending down and kissing him.


    He was pretty much lying entirely on Wu Xingzi, sucking forcefully on that pink little tongue of his, then tangling their tongues together. It was an intimate and cloying kiss, filled with the sound of sucking and nibbling, so powerful that Guan Shanjin could almost reach the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s throat. The older man was left mewling and whimpering, and he shook his head, trembling, not knowing whether he wanted to draw closer, or pull away from the younger man.


    With the passionate kiss, Guan Shanjin did not neglect the work lower down. Fiercely, he worked his hips, pumping into the man, the huge head of his cock aiming true at the now swollen sensitive spot inside. Wu Xingzi was both afraid and in ecstasy, calling out impassioned nonsense, cycling between pleading for mercy and begging for more. The words were all swallowed up into the younger man¡¯s mouth, and in no time, Wu Xingzi could barely even catch his breath. As his body started spamming, his toes all curled up tightly in pleasure.


    His little cock, unable to withstand such fierce delight from Guan Shanjin, quickly spurted once again. This time round, Wu Xingzi fainted straight away, and only then did the man release his mouth. Dotingly, he licked away the tears forced out of the older man¡¯s eyes, while the head of his cock still ground into the spot within him. In this position, he flipped the unconscious man right over.


    With such a vigorous action, Guan Shanjin basically fucked Wu Xingzi awake again. The older man opened his mouth, a moan torn out from his throat, and hepletely could not tell if he was dead, or he was currently being fucked to death.


    Wu Xingzi started crying quietly.


    ¡°Be good.¡± Guan Shanjin bit his soft nape, not letting go. He adjusted the hips of the older man higher, his palm pressing against the slight bulge of his belly. Not waiting for Wu Xingzi to settle, he again started fucking fiercely into him.


    With this position, Guan Shanjin could thrust even deeper, and it was easier for him to put even more power into his thrusts. As such, Wu Xingzi felt as though he was about to be pierced right through. Pushing his head into the bed, his mouth was open, saliva drooling from his lips. He could not even call out aloud, while his hole unashamedly wee the thrusts of the other man, suckling wetly on the intruding cock.


    The man¡¯s cock was truly too deep, and the insides of Wu Xingzi quivered and spasmed, his entrance red and swollen. With the opening there twitching and gaping, it looked unimaginably lewd.


    Wu Xingzi was pretty much fucked dumb now. Shuddering, he touched his belly, his palm continuously feeling the pressure from the cock thrusting into him. Quickly, something warm spattered out, and his entire belly as well as the bedclothes under him were soaked. In his bleary state, he did not realise at all that he had been fucked into squirting, and the squirt did not only happen just once, but came one after another along with the thrusts of the man behind him.


    Feeling Wu Xingzi¡¯s orgasm, not only did Guan Shanjin not stop his vigorous thrusting, his actions became even more demanding, pushing Wu Xingzi into an endless orgasm. With Wu Xingzi¡¯s muscles wringing and mping down on his cock, Guan Shanjin panted heavily, his alluring face turning somewhat savage with the epitome of pleasure. He looked both beautiful and charming, yet also like a demon that would eat his prey.


    With how tightly Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole was screwing down on his huge, thick cock, Guan Shanjin could barely move. His hands became more aggressive, his grip on Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist tightening. Like this, he thrusted even more fiercely into the man¡¯s body, causing the muscles shuddering from the orgasm to lose their resistant and turning ck.


    Soon, Guan Shanjin reached his peak as well. Savagely, he left a slightly bleeding bite mark on the back of Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft, fair neck, his trim and fit waist working to push himself as deep inside Wu Xingzi as possible. Wu Xingzi¡¯s round and perky buttocks were now fucked red and swollen, the pping flesh leaving marks all over them. Finally, the younger man roared out with his orgasm.


    Feeling the spurts ofe inside him, Wu Xingzi was once again left whimpering with the sensation. His belly felt heated, and with the amount ofe inside him, his belly looked as though he was three months pregnant. Trembling, he could not quite catch his breath, and he fell into unconsciousness once again.


    Lying on Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin took quite some time before he could finally calm down. After he pulled out his cock that was still half-hard, a mix ofe and Wu Xingzi¡¯s lewd fluids slipped out from Wu Xingzi¡¯s swollen, gaping hole, staining both their legs. The bedclothes beneath them were in a particrly tragic state.


    He too was a little tired. Not wanting to part with Wu Xingzi, he decided to just embrace the man and fall into bed, their limbs tangling intimately as they both fell asleep.


    Wu Xingzi slept deeply. Despite how sticky his body was after the act, and how wet the bedclothes were under him, he still sleptfortably in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms.


    As for Guan Shanjin, he had always been mindful of cleanliness. After a short nap, he woke up, then called for a servant to bring in hot water. Cleaning up the man in his arms as well as himself, he changed the bedclothes under them, then again wrapped his arms around the older man andid down to rest.


    It could be considered sneaking a half day break. There were still many things waiting for Guan Shanjin to settle, and not to mention how Yan Wenxin had already made his move. Now that Yan Wenxin had sessfully taken away his duty, his next move would be to draw the two hundred thousand soldiers Guan Shanjin once held rank over to his side.


    Guan Shanjin could not help but sneer. One¡¯s greediness truly knew no bounds. The soldiers he trained were not people anyone could easily order around. Although he clearly knew what the other party had in mind, he had no concrete evidence. If he made his move too early, that old fox would definitely find a way to survive, and his meticulous arrangements recently would be all for naught.


    Despite understanding this fact, he could not help but feel annoyed. Guan Shanjin tightened his arms. After much difficulties, he had finally managed to share such intimate contact with Wu Xingzi again, and he really did not want to let this man go so easily.


    Seemingly a little ufortable from the embrace, Wu Xingzi snuffled a couple of times, then opened his eyes blearily.


    He was not yet fully awake, and he stared at the muscr bare chest in front of him in puzzlement. Guan Shanjin had spent half his life in the military, and his physique was naturally outstanding. The swells of his pecs were firm but not harsh, his skin innately fair, and so the pressure from Wu Xingzi lying against him while sleeping had turned a portion of the skin pink. It was indescribably beautiful.


    A flush quickly took over Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. Unconsciously, he drew his fingers across that patch of pink. Immediately, he felt the muscles underneath flex, and the arms around him tightened even further. His heart pounded, and he quickly withdrew his hand, attempting to pretend that nothing had happened. Afraid, Wu Xingzi thought that the young and virile man could not be flirted with so easily. His body was still aching now, and if they were to repeat what they had just done, his body might not be able to take it.


    Guan Shanjin could not resistughing. Tapping on Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose, he joked, ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re really afraid that I¡¯ll eat you up? With how thin and scrawny you are, you won¡¯t be enough to even floss my teeth.¡±


    Wu Xingzi giggled. Now that the conversation was about eating, his stomach suddenly rumbled. He quickly held onto his thin belly, not daring to even look towards Guan Shanjin.


    Now was clearly a good time for affection, and the two had finally shared their hearts with each other. Why was his stomach so disappointing?!


    Guan Shanjin was not surprised. After all, it was now mealtime. Although he wanted to continue hugging the man and share a tender moment, he also could not bear to let Wu Xingzi go hungry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to prepare lunch. Eat your fill before you go back.¡± Embracing Wu Xingzi as Guan Shanjin got up from the bed, he dotingly helped the older man dress and put on his shoes. Wu Xingzi wanted to refuse his help, but the refusal was easily settled by Guan Shanjin. Blushing, he could only allow Guan Shanjin to do what he liked. Every breath he took was the pleasant scent of incense, and Wu Xingzi felt as though he was in a dream.


    He stared at Guan Shanjin nkly, looking at his brows, his face, his everything. The impassioned gaze made even Guan Shanjin feel as though he could not endure it, and the younger man could not help but reach out and tap on his eyelids. It gave the old quail quite a scare, causing him to nearly tumble backwards, and on his face was embarrassment.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Sighing, Guan Shanjin once again pulled the man into his arms. Without the man there, he kept feeling as though there was an emptiness in his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering¡­ if I¡¯m dreaming.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s brows knitted slightly, his expression serious yet a sort of uneasiness could be seen in his eyes. ¡°Maybe I did not get any drug from Rancui at all, nor did I deceive you into taking it. All that has happened is just a pleasant dream.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a dream, isn¡¯t that good too? Before you wake up, I¡¯m all yours.¡± Guan Shanjin tilted his head down, kissing Wu Xingzi¡¯s forehead, then coaxed him gently, ¡°This is your dream, and it¡¯s my dream as well. Perhaps, our lives are nothing but a dream. Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we live well in the dream? To waste it would be such a pity, right?¡±


    This made sense, but Wu Xingzi could not help but worry. Without the effect of the truth-telling drug, he instantly returned to being that frank and honest adviser from a tiny ce. Contented with his lot, he dared not dream of more. Even if he was about to turn mad from loneliness, he would just endure it silently by himself.


    ¡°What if I wake up abruptly from it?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wake up with you too.¡± Smiling, Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes curved into crescents. Pulling Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand, he ced it on his chest, patting it. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want me anymore once you wake up? Then I have no choice but to cling onto you.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­ How can I not want you¡­¡± Both Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears and cheeks were red from the flirtation. That self-pity of his was like the remnants of snow in March, melting away quickly.


    Twined intimately together, the two chatted randomly. On Wu Xingzi¡¯s neck appeared new red kiss marks, and his entire body was tucked into Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace, shuddering lightly. If not for the servant bringing in their lunch, the two people might have ended up in bed again.


    The cook in the Ping household was pretty good, the dishes a mix between meat and vegetables. Every grain of rice was shiny and distinct, smooth like pearls, and everything on the table was to Wu Xingzi¡¯s liking. After the meal, despite Wu Xingzi¡¯s huge appetite, he did feel somewhat stuffed.


    ¡°If you like, let¡¯s have lunch together from now on,¡± Guan Shanjin suggested as he gently rubbed at Wu Xingzi¡¯s stomach. Bashfully, Wu Xingzi agreed.


    ording to Guan Shanjin, he could only dispense with his disguise in this residence of Ping Yifan. Once he stepped outside, he would need to continue wearing Ping Yifan¡¯s mask, until Yan Wenxin was caught. The reason why Wu Xingzi liked Ping Yifan was because he dared not like Guan Shanjin, so now that they had confirmed their mutual affections, Wu Xingzi felt awkward looking at Ping Yifan¡¯s face.


    Whether it was Ping Yifan or Guan Shanjin, there were many things for him to handle. Although he wished to continue frittering away the time with Wu Xingzi, he could not do as he pleased. Despite the day still being early, Guan Shanjin still got someone to send Wu Xingzi back.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll get someone to go pick you up, hmm?¡±


    Looking at Guan Shanjin putting on Ping Yifan¡¯s mask, Wu Xingzi felt a prickling pain in his heart. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, only to hold back what was on the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t send anymore letters through the pigeon express again, alright? You can keep the pengornis drawings you¡¯ve received, but how about throwing away Ping Yifan¡¯s one?¡±


    Just as Wu Xingzi got onto the carriage, Guan Shanjin suddenly pulled the curtain aside and entered. Biting on Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips, he threatened, ¡°If you dare keep Ping Yifan¡¯s pengornis drawing, I¡¯ll dare to light up all your favourite pengornis drawings on fire.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was unable to hide. His mouth invaded, his tongue was voraciously sucked on. Only when he could barely breathe was his mouth then released. However, Guan Shanjin was unsatisfied, and the younger man pecked at his lips, turning them swollen.


    ¡°Oh¡­ no¡­¡±


    ¡°Be good.¡± Guan Shanjin did not care if the older man could endure it. By nature, he was overbearing and very possessive. Then, even when there was no conclusion to the rtionship between Mr. Lu and him, he could still tie the man down tightly next to him, never letting him be seen by others. Now, Wu Xingzi was both his in person and in heart, and so all he wanted was that the man be next to him all the time. ¡°I will settle the matter of Yan Wenxin as soon as possible, then we¡¯ll return to Bastion City and live together there.¡±


    ¡°Mn¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was dazed from the kisses, his tongue a little numb. Still, he obediently kept his mouth open, allowing Guan Shanjin to plunder it, and he felt as though he was about to melt.


    ¡°Master¡­¡± The servant finally had no choice but to grit his teeth and call out a reminder with a trembling voice. He was actually one of Guan Shanjin¡¯s bodyguards in disguise, and so he was naturally familiar with his temper. He also understood that Mr. Wu was essentially Guan Shanjin¡¯s spouse already, and to interrupt their tender moment, it was not very much different from pulling at a tiger¡¯s whiskers.


    However, he had no choice! Thirty minutes had already passed, but the sound of kisses could still be heard from the carriage. There was also the soft, indistinct moans of Mr. Wu, and although this was a back alley, there were still many people passing by. He could not endure so many probing eyes!


    Furthermore, ording to his master¡¯s temperament, if he were to realise that so many people had heard the sounds madam had made¡­ The servant¡¯s shoulders hunched inwards, trembling. Exhaling forcefully, he again spoke up. ¡°Master, we¡¯ll bete if we don¡¯t send Mr. Wu back now.¡±


    Yan Wenxin¡¯s adopted son, Huaixiu, would be having a meeting with Ping Yifan today. It was nearly time for the appointment, and no matter what, the servant would have to drag his master out from the carriage.


    From inside the carriage came Guan Shanjin¡¯s unhappy snort. A momentter, he finally pulled the curtain open and came out. His actions were deft, and there was no way anyone could see the other person inside the carriage at all. Uponnding on the ground, Guan Shanjin instructed the driver to go, and the servant pretended that he did not notice how Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch was bulging out.

 Chapter 90 - Your Good Friend Yan Wenxin is Now Online

    Chapter 90 ¡ª Your Good Friend Yan Wenxin is Now Online


    Edited by DancingDolphinYo


    A few dayster, Guan Shanjin was busy with something. Rumours about the Lord Protector and his son spread wildly in the capital, with everyone hitting them when they were down. With how glorious Guan Shanjin was previously in the capital, there were arge number of people taking advantage of this moment to tread on him. There were even storytellers in wine shops openly talking about how Guan Shanjin had an indecent rtionship with his own teacher, Lu Zezhi. These wine shops were always packed, and it further smeared the reputation of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate.


    As per normal, Wu Xingzi had no idea about these matters. He had never been the sort who liked to listen to such idle gossip and chatter. Furthermore, Guan Shanjin had already notified him earlier that there might be some adverse gossip about the Lord Protector¡¯s estate spreading through the capital soon, and he had asked him to not pay any attention to it, so as to prevent him from feeling bad over it. Hence, Wu Xingzi kept both his ears shut,pletely paying no heed to such chatter. He obediently enclosed himself in Rancui¡¯s ce, whiling away his days as he waited for either Guan Shanjin or Ping Yifan toe looking for him when there was free time.


    Today, Wu Xingzi and the two girls were turning the soil in the yard. Thinking that he would still be spending quite some time in the capital, and that he was not the type to rest idly, Wu Xingzi got Rancui¡¯s permission to draw out a small plot ofnd to grow some chives, cucumbers, cabbages and other vegetables to spend his time.


    Yesterday, the three of them went out to buy some sprouts and seeds. After busying themselves the entire morning, the yard in front of the residence now looked rather interesting. Neat rows wereid out in the vegetable garden, the seeds and sprouts nted. Having been watered, the tender shoots looked rather adorable under the sun of the waning summer.


    ¡°Aiyah, we should have nted the cabbages a few dayster. I heard that autumn¡¯s cabbages are tastier.¡± Mint wiped away the sweat on her face. Not realising that there was soil on her hand, her face was immediately smeared with dirt. Osmanthus looked at her sister, and she could not help but cover her mouth andugh.


    ¡°Ai, there are plenty of opportunities next time.¡± While shopping, Wu Xingzi even found pepper seeds. He recalled that in Bastion City, Guan Shanjin tended to prefer spicier food, and so he could not help but buy some of the seeds home. Once the seeds had grown, he would then use the pepper and fry some dishes for Guan Shanjin. Thinking about this, he could not help but feel delighted.


    ¡°Master, shall we heat up some water for you to clean yourself up? After working the entire morning, you¡¯re all covered in sweat. It must feel very ufortable,¡± Osmanthus asked Wu Xingzi, who had been even harder at work this morning than her sister and her. As for herself, she had just washed her face, along with her hands and feet, with the water collected from the well.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need. The weather is still warm, I can just clean myself up with the water from the well.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, please wait for a bit.¡± Mint did not care that her face was still dirty. Picking up the bucket, she nned to go collect more water from the well for Wu Xingzi. However, just as she left the yard, Hei¡¯er had entered.


    ¡°Hei¡¯er? Why are you here?¡± It had been a number of days since Wu Xingzi hadst seen Hei¡¯er, and so he weed him warmly. ¡°Is Rancui looking for me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Hearing Rancui¡¯s name, Hei¡¯er felt a hint of distress. However, due to his dark skin and his expressionless face, Wu Xingzi did not notice at all. ¡°Lord Yan, Yan Wenxin, has sent an invitation, inviting you to meet him at Tianxiang Restaurant at fifteen minutes past one.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yan Wenxin?¡± Wu Xingzi did not expect to hear this name. His shoulders hunched forward as he shuddered, and he opened his mouth, wanting to refuse the invitation. However, when the words were at the tip of his tongue, he forced them back down. Hanging his head, he asked hesitantly, ¡°W-why is he inviting me out of the blue? What did Haiwang say?¡±


    ¡°The General doesn¡¯t know.¡± Hei¡¯er¡¯s brows creased slightly. These days, Ping Yifan had been working very closely with the Yan family, and Hei¡¯er did not understand what his master was nning. A few days ago, Man Yue had told him to deal with everything at his own discretion, then disappeared, and none of them seemed to n on dealing with any of the rumours on the street.


    He tried to seek information from Rancui, but with how witty that little fox was, Hei¡¯er was quickly muddled by his words and he naturally failed to find anything.


    Just now, Rancui too was present when Yan Wenxin¡¯s invitation was delivered. He had even epted the invitation immediately, telling the errand boy that there was no need to worry as Wu Xingzi would definitely not refuse it. This made Hei¡¯er extremely bothered, as Guan Shanjin certainly would not wish for Wu Xingzi to interact with Yan Wenxin. Also, Hei¡¯er was well aware of the two men¡¯s history, and so he was even more unwilling for Wu Xingzi and Yan Wenxin to meet alone.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. His eyes fell onto the vegetable plot, seeming a little absent-minded.


    ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll refuse it on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­ It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, giving Hei¡¯er a difited smile. ¡°I¡¯m just a little bothered. Did he recognise me, and so he wants to catch up with an old friend? Or is it because of Ping Yifan, and thus he wants to probe for information from me?¡±


    Of course, it could be that he recognised him, and seeing how intimate he was with Ping Yifan at the Bai¡¯s residence, he also wanted to take the opportunity to probe him out.


    Wu Xingzi could not describe what he was feeling at the moment. If Yan Wenxin truly recognised him, how was he going to exin what happened in the past to him? Being recognised was even more troubling! Wu Xingzi would much prefer that Yan Wenxin only saw him as Ping Yifan¡¯s friend.


    ¡°What are Mr. Wu¡¯s intentions then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem meeting him. After all, it¡¯s been twenty years¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was extremely curious about what Yan Wenxin had in mind, and the desire of wanting to know gnawed at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be protecting you from the shadows the entire time. How about letting the two girls apany in the open?¡± Since Wu Xingzi had already made his decision, Hei¡¯er would not try to persuade him to change his mind. As one of Guan Shanjin¡¯s personal bodyguards, he naturally could not follow Wu Xingzi openly. Although he seemed to have betrayed Guan Shanjin when he brought Wu Xingzi out of Bastion City, they still had to remain cautious with their every action.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled at Hei¡¯er with appreciation. They agreed on a time to leave, then Wu Xingzi headed back to his room to clean up.


    The invitation had arrived at thirty minutes past eleven, and such a tight timing showed how insincere it was. Despite this, Wu Xingzi still dressed up properly, wearing his rarely worn Confucian robe whose colour was so light that it was like a bubbling brook in May.


    ¡°This is the first time Master has worn this colour,¡± Osmanthus eximed lightly in praise.


    Wu Xingzi usually dressed in colours that would not show stains, and the few pieces of light-coloured clothes in his wardrobe were all purchased by Ping Yifan a while ago. The materials used were delicate with exquisite stitching, but Wu Xingzi never thought about wearing them before. Now, dressing up like this, a simple elegance suffused his ordinary-looking face. The image he portrayed was like a pleasant breeze, and he looked very refined and graceful.


    ¡°Master looks really good dressed up like this. If the General were to see this, he definitely could not even bear to look away,¡± Mint happily teased Wu Xingzi, causing him to flush red and feel a little awkward.


    ¡°Ai, little girls shouldn¡¯t speak nonsense.¡± Wu Xingzi tugged at hispels, and retreated a few steps to look at his reflection in the copper mirror. Thinking for a moment, he took out a perfume sachet and hung it on his waist, then finally nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°However, the person Master is meeting is Yan Wenxin! Hai, what a waste that he¡¯s the one seeing Mr. Wu like this.¡± The faces of both Mint and Osmanthus screwed up when Yan Wenxin was mentioned. They had heard too many things on the streets, and how they wished that they could just beat him up when they saw him.


    Hearing those words, Wu Xingzi smiled faintly but did not respond. Unconsciously, his fingers shifted to the perfume sachet.


    He did not tell the two girls, but that year when he had deliberately dressed up to send Yan Wenxin off on his journey, the colour of the robe he was wearing was also very simr to this one. It was just that the robe was made of a much coarser material, its stitches simple, and it was also old.


    Back then, Yan Wenxin was dressed in a Confucian robe the colour of ink, and in Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind, the memory of his figure, with a book satchel on his back, was still as prominent as though it was just yesterday. He had walked with him for a very long distance, almost a half-day¡¯s travel away from Goose City, before reluctantly watching Yan Wenxin depart. He stood where he was, looking at the tall and slender figure, slightly hunching from the weight on his back, slowly vanishing down the path to the capital.


    Wu Xingzi had originally thought that they would meet again in a couple of years. He had never expected that it would be a farewell to their youths, to twenty cold winters, to the point where they nearly would never see each other again.


    He could see that Mint and Osmanthus were holding themselves back from speaking. Scratching his nose, he smiled helplessly. ¡°He¡¯s after all a top official in court. We can¡¯t show any disrespect.¡±


    Wu Xingzi understood that the girls were worried if he was still holding onto this affection of the past.


    How could that be? Ignoring the part where they had not met for twenty years, and the issue of one letting down the other, Guan Shanjin and him had just confirmed their mutual affections a while ago. His heart was still immersed in that honeyed, sugary-sweet dream, and even if one were to flip their affections like that, it would still require more time than that.


    When Wu Xingzi and the two girls were done preparing themselves, there was not much time left, and so they headed out hurriedly. Wu Xingzi had nned on walking to Tianxiang Restaurant. Although it was quite a distance away from Rancui¡¯s ce, there was still enough time if they sped up a little.


    However, when he arrived at the gates, Rancui was already standing there waiting for him. A pair of charming eyes swept up and down Wu Xingzi¡¯s body, and Rancui gave him a profound smile.


    ¡°Mr. Wu is heading out?¡± Rancui asked.


    ¡°Ai, yes. If we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll bete. We can¡¯t let Lord Yan wait for amoner like me.¡± Feeling awkward from how Rancui was eyeing him, Wu Xingzi unconsciously straightened out his clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, dressing up like this looks good on you.¡± Rancui waved his hand. ¡°Since you¡¯re meeting ¡®Lord Yan¡¯, you shouldn¡¯t look too shabby. You¡¯re a bosom friend of the manager of the Peng Society, and you¡¯re Ping Yifan¡¯s lover as well. It¡¯s right that you have some airs, and don¡¯t let people look down on you.¡±


    ¡°That does make sense.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, convinced. Just as he was about to make his farewells, Rancui spoke.


    ¡°Come up the carriage. It just so happens that I¡¯m going to the Peng Society, and I can drop you off along the way.¡± Rancui knocked on the door, and someone immediately opened the gates, greeting Rancui respectfully.


    The carriage outside the gate was not the usual simple, smaller one Rancui normally used. Instead, it was a lot bigger and more exquisite, gleaming under the sunlight.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened, and he was stunned for a moment before waving his hands frantically. ¡°T-t-this¡­ This is t-too¡­¡±


    Even in Bastion City, when Guan Shanjin was doting on him, he had never been invited on such a luxurious carriage before! This carriage might even be much more expensive than his little house in Qingcheng County!


    ¡°It¡¯s just to show off, don¡¯t let others look down on you. Furthermore, towards an old fellow townsman with affections long past, Yan Wenxin will be less on guard.¡±


    Wu Xingzi naturally understood what was being said.


    He looked down at the luxurious clothes on himself. That shining, glittering carriage would not be considered too outrageous.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Manager Rancui.¡±


    ¡°Please go on up, Mr. Wu.¡± Rancui held an arm out in a gesture of invitation. He first let Wu Xingzi, Mint and Osmanthus board the carriage, before he slowly made his way up with the help of the driver.


    The roads in the capital were very well maintained, and the carriage was big and steady. They quickly arrived at Tianxiang Restaurant, barely feeling any bumps or jolts along the way. The fragrance of delicious food wafted into the carriage through the curtains, and Wu Xingzi could not help twitching his nose, sniffing at the air.


    ¡°Then I¡¯lle pick you up about four hourster. If Lord Yan departs first, you should just have a meal at Tianxiang Restaurant. The most famous dish here is the steamed rose dumplings and heaven¡¯s duck. It¡¯s sweet and salty, bursting in vours, and whether eaten alone or with rice, it¡¯s excellent. Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t miss out on it.¡± Rancui reclined in the cushioned seat, waving azy goodbye to Wu Xingzi and the two girls. His fox-like eyes seemed as though they could not be opened. Feeling a little worried, Wu Xingzi wondered if Rancui did not sleep well the night before.


    In the end, he still did not ask. Adviser Wu¡¯s ability to avoid cmity and seek fortune was still pretty good. Hei¡¯er¡¯s face inexplicably shed through his mind, and he had a vague idea.


    Upon entering Tianxiang Restaurant, he was warmly weed by a waiter. ¡°Sir, are you here for a meal or for tea?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I have an appointment¡­¡± Before Wu Xingzi could say Yan Wenxin¡¯s name, the waiter had a look ofprehension, and he became even more enthusiastic.


    ¡°You must be Mr. Wu, right?¡± Seeing Wu Xingzi nodding, looking a little confused, the waiter smiled warmly. ¡°Please follow me. Lord Yan has instructed us that he has an important guest, and he¡¯s waiting in the Chang¡¯le Room at the back garden. Mr. Wu, here, please.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s palms were starting to sweat. Secretly, he rubbed them against his thighs. Feeling like a big muscovy duck stumbling into the imperial gardens, he nearly could not even walk straight. Instead, Mint and Osmanthus were calm and steady. Without making any obvious movement, they stepped up and supported Wu Xingzi, and two pairs of round, bright eyes darted all over their surroundings.


    Tianxiang Restaurant upied quite arge portion ofnd, having both a yard in front and at the back. The yard behind was picturesque, with a little stream and a bridge, full of poetry. Small pavilions were scattered around, exquisite yet not too affected. Compared to the mour and noise in the front, the yard at the back was more serene, and these pavilions were clearly meant to be used by top officials of the capital.


    Chang¡¯le Room was situated in an even more tranquil area. It was surrounded by swaths of bamboo trees, with a light breeze rustling through, as though it could blow away all the dust and weariness on the body.


    The waiter knocked on the door. Before he could speak, the door opened, and out came a young good-looking man with a gentle and refined air. He was dressed in white, a red silk sash around his waist, and the cuffs of his sleeves were embroidered with dark stitches, elevating his elegant bearing and ethereal appearance.


    Wu Xingzi could not help but take two steps back. The person in front of him was definitely not a servant of the Yan¡¯s estate. Dressed like this, he definitely had to be one of the masters. For Yan Wenxin to let someone like this answer the door, rather than saying that he regarded Wu Xingzi as someone important, it could be said that he was deliberately oppressing him. Wu Xingzi could be considered to have been involved in officialdom for half his life, and he immediately surmised that Yan Wenxin definitely did not recognise him. Today¡¯s invitation surely had to do with Ping Yifan.


    ¡°Is this Mr. Wu?¡± The young man¡¯s smile was very friendly, his gentle voice so musical and pleasant to the ears. However, Wu Xingzi could not rx. His heart leapt to his throat, and his back was cold and mmy.


    ¡°I¡¯m Wu Xingzi, and I¡¯m honoured to have received this invitation, and tremendously overwhelmed.¡± Wu Xingzi bowed for a long time, and the nervous quiver at the end of his sentence could not be concealed.


    He also could not understand why he was so nervous.


    A lightugh came from within the room, and the young man dressed in white too revealed a friendly look of amusement. ¡°Mr. Wu is too courteous. Lord Yan only wishes to have an exchange on equal standing, and there¡¯s no need to be so restrained.¡±


    Twenty years ago, they did have many equal exchanges, but twenty yearster, Wu Xingzi did not have the guts to do so.


    With difficulty, Wu Xingzi straightened up. The waiter had long been sent away, and the young man in white turned, holding out a gesture of invitation before going in first. Only then did Wu Xingzi wipe away the sweat on his forehead with faltering motions.


    He sighed. The top official of the capital was really not someone amoner like him should meet. He could not help but wish that Guan Shanjin was by his side.


    ¡°Please, Mr. Wu,e on in.¡± A voice drifted out from inside. It was not the young man in white. Sounding gentle and dignified, it made Wu Xingzi shudder.


    It was Yan Wenxin¡¯s voice.


    He hesitated for a moment. Finally, taking in a deep breath, he braced himself and entered, with no turning back.


    Although it was not the first time seeing him again, after seeing Yan Wenxin¡¯s familiar yet foreign face, Wu Xingzi could not help but catch his breath, his face turning ashen.


    Unlike the previous two times they met, the person in front of him did not have the stately air of a top official. Instead, he was dressed in a simple robe made of coarse material, the colour a dark blue without any embroidery. Still, it could not hide any of his elegant bearing.


    A smile hung on Yan Wenxin¡¯s face. Politely, he poured Wu Xingzi a cup of tea, his eyes half-hidden.


    ¡°Chang¡¯an, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    Wu Xingzi stumbled. It was as though he had travelled back to twenty years ago, and he stood there, frozen.

 Chapter 91 - Spring’s Frequent Visitor, While Money Disappears

    Chapter 91 ¡ª Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor, While Money Disappears


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Muddleheaded, Wu Xingzi did not know how he ended up sitting down in the seat across Yan Wenxin. Lifting the teacup, he gulped down the entirety of its contents.


    Chang¡¯an, that was the name Yan Wenxin gave him, and only Yan Wenxin had used that name before. During that period of time when they were together, this was how he always addressed him.


    Chang¡¯an Chang¡¯an, forever, evesting safety and peace¡­ The gaze Wu Xingzi directed at Yan Wenxin could be described asplicated. Many questions ran through his head. Did Yan Wenxin look for him because of Ping Yifan? Why did he give him that perfume sachet then? Why did he call him Chang¡¯an again? These questions circled his mind non-stop, and in the end, he was unable to ask even a single one of them.


    ¡°This is the cloud tea1 from Lu¡¯an. Do you like it?¡± Yan Wenxin took no notice of Wu Xingzi¡¯s hesitation in speaking. His tone was very warm and friendly, and it seemed as though the separation of twenty years did not exist. It was as though they were not even in the capital, but were still in that ce and that time twenty years ago. Although the peach blossoms were gone, the same people still remained.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ It¡¯s nice, it¡¯s nice¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head, drinking another cup of tea.


    Huaixiu, who had been standing by the side, had brought Mint and Osmanthus away at some unknown time. When he returned, he ced an exquisitely made food container in front of Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°This is a snack that I got someone to make at home. Try it?¡± Yan Wenxin opened the container as he spoke. When Wu Xingzi nced inside, he could not help but gasp lightly.


    In the container was not a snack that was very delicate and fine. Inside were a few small, round pieces of pastry, each with a peach blossom print on top, with light powder scattered across the skin of the pastry. Half were fried and half were baked, and the fragrance of the pastries filled their noses, carrying with it a hint of the fragrance of peach blossoms. Each pastry was only a quarter the size of one¡¯s palm, a perfect, bite-sized piece.


    This snack was named ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, the meaning very explicit. It was a ky pastry made withrd and peach blossoms, and in the middle was a thinyer of maltose with the vour of peach blossoms mixed into it. The vour was rich and decadent, the texture thick yet not sticking to the teeth. With the extremely delicate and ky pastry, it felt as though one was savouring an entire forest of peach trees when chewing on it.


    This snack was a signature of an old pastry shop in Goose City. It was delicious and contained good ingredients, but its price was affordable to the people. The fried version was cheaper, and one coin could buy about seven of them. The baked version was a lot more expensive, and one needed to pay eight coins to buy two. Twenty years ago, Wu Xingzi would always bring along seven ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± to visit Yan Wenxin. He would eat three himself, and give Yan Wenxin four. Paired with a coarsely made tea bought from a teahouse, even the bitter, astringent tea tasted a lot better.


    As the two people ate the fried ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, they would discuss poems and essays. Their time spent together was shrouded by the gentle sunlight, and even though their days were simple, and even a little impoverished, it felt like they were immersed in honey.


    Wu Xingzi suddenly recalled one of those days. That day, it was raining, and the days were close to winter. Although the temperature in Qingcheng County did not be cold very quickly, in the bouts of drizzles, the wind too turned bone-chillingly cold.


    That day saw thest batch of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± being fried. The boss of the shop put up a notice, stating that their store of peach blossoms had already been used up, and the sale of this pastry would be stopped until the next year, when the peach blossoms bloomed again. On the streets, people snatched and cleared out thest batch avable, leaving only one behind. Wu Xingzi did not care for anything, and in a rare moment for him, he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m buying it!¡±


    The boss jerked upon hearing his shout, nearly dropping the tray of freshly baked green bean cakes in his hands.


    It was a puzzleing up with a solution about how this lonely little ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± should be priced. As the boss was familiar with Wu Xingzi, with a wave of his hand, he packed it up and gifted it to Wu Xingzi directly.


    Grabbing the still-hot ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, Wu Xingzi ran down the street with an umbre in his hand. Because of his work at the magistrate¡¯s office, he had ended up arriving at Goose City a littlete today, and he was very worried about Yan Wenxin missing him.


    As expected, when he was near Yan Wenxin¡¯s little house, Wu Xingzi saw a tall and slender figure leisurely standing under the eaves, by the door. It was unclear which direction he was looking at.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong, I¡¯mte.¡± Wu Xingzi hurried over. Not paying attention, he stepped into a shallow ditch. With a stumble, he nearly fell t onto the ground.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Yan Wenxin too noticed him. He rushed forward, holding out his hands, and managed to pull Wu Xingzi into his arms.


    ¡°Aiyah!¡± The tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose bumped into Yan Wenxin¡¯s shoulder. In an instant, it felt as though his entire face was aching. His eyes turning red, his tears nearly rolled out. However, he did not have time to spare to rub his aching nose, and his eyes, full of regret, were fixed on a little oiled paper bag lying in the ditch¡­ It was ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, and it was now soaked with dirty ditch water.


    Without steadying himself, Wu Xingzi hurriedly bent down, wanting to pick the paper bag up. However, Yan Wenxin stopped him.


    ¡°Forget it. Since it¡¯s already dirty, why don¡¯t we offer it to thend? Worms and ants and gnats are lives as well, and feeding them will bring you good fortune too.¡± Yan Wenxin undid his frontpels, tucking Wu Xingzi¡¯s cold and wet hands inside. ¡°Hurry up ande inside. Look at how cold your hands are. Why aren¡¯t you taking care of yourself properly?¡±


    A warmth seeped through Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands, and the heat travelled upwards, along his blood vessels, turning his face red.


    He mumbled in response, ¡°It¡¯s fine, my body is very healthy. Zaizong-xiong, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    Hearing that, Yan Wenxin turned back to look at him, then straight about brought him into the house and handed him a cup of tea before speaking sternly, ¡°I¡¯m happy to dote on you.¡±


    Wu Xingzi was first stunned, then shyness took over him. His fingers trembled slightly, almost to the point where he could not hold onto the cup. He emptied the cup down his throat, before finally looking up with a blush as he said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m also happy, happy to treat you well¡­¡±


    Yan Wenxin did not respond, and Wu Xingzi was too shy to say anything more. Bowing his head, he quietly listened to the rain pattering down outside. The small quiet room made it seem as though there were only the two of them in the entire world. It was not scary, instead it made them feel tranquil and assured.


    A beatter, Yan Wenxin sighed deeply, then spoke with a smile. ¡°When I emerge sessful from the imperial examinations, I will definitely bring Chang¡¯an to buy an entire basket of baked ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯ and we can try it.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi thought that he had long forgotten about such minute matters, but it turned out that they were still so clear in his mind. The next year, Yan Wenxin had headed to the capital for the examinations, but in the end, he still was unable to buy a basket of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±. He owed the county a sum of money, and was earnestly saving up his entire sry, except for the amount he needed to live, to pay off his debt. Even the fried ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± that cost one coin for seven pieces was too expensive, and he naturally never ate another pastry like this again. Five years after that day, the eldest son of the pastry shop boss opened a shop in some big city up north. Apparently the business was booming to the point where they were extremely busy, and along with wanting to have his parents nearby to support them, the son moved the entire family away.


    ¡°I had thought that in this lifetime, I¡¯d never have the fate to eat this again¡­¡± Wu Xingzi eximed quietly as he carefully picked up a piece of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±. Hesitating for some time, like a mouse, he finally bit into it with his front teeth and started chewing.


    This was baked, its outer covering made of delicate pastryyers. It was soft and ky, and did not crumble when bitten into. The moment itnded on the tongue, it would melt. It was not sweet nor sticky, and the fragrance of the peach blossom filled one¡¯s senses.


    So it turned out that a baked ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± tasted like this. It was no wonder that it would cost eight coins just for two.


    Yan Wenxin saw that Wu Xingzi was enjoying it tremendously, and so picked one up to savour as well. It was another bout of silence, as Wu Xingzi ate one piece after another. In the blink of an eye, he finished the entire box of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±.


    ¡°Chang¡¯an is just like how he was in the past.¡± Yan Wenxinughed lightly, his expression reminiscing. ¡°Your appetite is clearly not small, but because of me, you always had to suffer and hold yourself back. I felt so bad, but didn¡¯t want to say anything to make you feel distressed. Now that times and things have changed, I also have no rights to dote on you anymore.¡±


    Another sigh was heard.


    Giving a wry smile in response, Wu Xingzi took out a handkerchief to wipe away the grease on his hands. In his heart, he had also made his n.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong, for you to look for me today, is it to reminisce over the past?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Yan Wenxin smiled at him. There was not even the slightest trace of surprise in his expression, and instead, he looked very frank. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s not just to talk about the past. Chang¡¯an has always been clever and nimble, and sees the world more clearly than anyone else. We have not met for twenty years, and it was I who let you down first. If it was just like that, how could I have the face toe meet you?¡±


    Their past was glossed over just like that. Wu Xingzi felt as though millions of needles had pierced his heart. His usually mild and gentle face turned a few degrees icier, and he looked to be a little weary and listless.


    ¡°It turns out that Zaizong-xiong still remembers.¡± Wu Xingzi sighed. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Zaizong-xiong, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    He knew that Yan Wenxin wanted to ask him about the past twenty years, but to Wu Xingzi, the past was the past, what was the point in asking about it? In the end, he had still let him down, and the debt between them could never be settled. To speak more about it was fruitless.


    If he were to fall into disarray because of the past, his meeting today with Yan Wenxin would be wasted. However, to suddenly learn that Yan Wenxin did not forget their past interactions, Wu Xingzi could not help feeling a little angry. Still, with his gentle temperament, his anger was easily suppressed.


    Seeing that Wu Xingzi did not take the bait, Yan Wenxin was not bothered. He did want to use their past to take hold of Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart, but anyway, the person in front of him had a mild disposition, and it would not take much effort to manipte him.


    Yan Wenxin waved his hand, signalling Huaixiu to withdraw. Then, he filled up both their teacups. ¡°Chang¡¯an is very broadminded, and I¡¯m truly ashamed. That year, it was I who left you. When I received the top position at the examinations, I should have written a letter to you to share the joy. However¡­ Ai, the prosperity of the capital sapped my will, and my teacher too valued me and wished for me to marry his daughter. Thinking about it over and over again, how did I get blinded like this? Over the past twenty years, I keep remembering you¡­ But what¡¯s the point in saying all this?¡± Yan Wenxin smiled bitterly. The aura of dignity that had been cultivated from standing in his position for so many years had now dissipated thoroughly, and he actually seemed a little dejected.


    Listening to Yan Wenxin go on and on, Wu Xingzi felt a mix of emotions within him, and bitterness welled up his throat.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re living well now.¡± He could not understand why Yan Wenxin was acting like this, and so could only give a few words offort.


    ¡°Then have you been living well?¡± Yan Wenxin directed a gaze of concern and affection towards Wu Xingzi, and Wu Xingzi was nearly entranced.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too bad¡­¡± After all, he had the Prince of Lanling of pengornises apanying him.


    ¡°A while ago, I saw you at Bai-gongzi¡¯s ce. There was someone next to you, so it was not an ideal situation to greet you. Please don¡¯t hold any anger towards me for that.¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not. I just thought that you didn¡¯t recognise me. After all, it¡¯s been twenty years¡­¡± Furthermore, there were Ping Yifan and Guan Shanjin around. How was it that he would have the extra attention to give to another person?


    ¡°Here, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be offending you. Chang¡¯an, please pardon me.¡± Yan Wenxin stood up and made a slight bow.


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly stood up and returned the courtesy, and he was secretly astounded.


    Were they finally about to talk business? Inexplicably, Wu Xingzi felt a little excited and thrilled. No matter what Yan Wenxin and him had shared in the past, it had not mattered for a long time already. Instead, Guan Shanjin and Yan Wenxin now were at loggerheads, and Wu Xingzi had never sided with an outsider.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong, please don¡¯t remain on courtesy. If you do have any advice, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Chang¡¯an truly hasn¡¯t changed at all,¡± Yan Wenxin eximed again. His expression turned serious, and with great solemnity, he spoke, ¡°I have to ask, that day, Ping Yifan, the man next to you, are you really in a rtionship with each other?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face flushed red as he recalled the honeyed, sweet atmosphere he shared with Guan Shanjin a while ago.


    When he went home, he tidied up his selection of top pengornises. Obediently, he followed Guan Shanjin¡¯s instruction, setting Ping Yifan¡¯s Murong Chong of pengornises on fire, despite feeling a huge regret over it. That wash of pink was really done to perfection! After that, he took Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis drawing and ced it properly up on top of all the others, and there was a feeling of relief, as though things had all returned to where they were supposed to be.


    Looking at how bashful Wu Xingzi was, even if Yan Wenxin were to live two lifetimes, he would still never be able to guess that Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart was currently full of pengornises. He only thought that Wu Xingzi was feeling shy thinking about Ping Yifan, exposing how deep his feelings were.


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s that way.¡± When Yan Wenxin¡¯s brows creased together, his expression became even more dignified. Deliberating for a few moments, he finally continued, ¡°Do you know Ping Yifan¡¯s identity?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi secretly admitted that he actually knew it quite well. Picking up the teacup, he took a sip, working hard and putting on a vaguely troubled expression. ¡°Of course I¡¯m aware. He¡¯s a person from the capital, and was born in the south of the capital, at Winding Liantang Path. His family had suffered a misfortune, but he¡¯s clean and unstained. Now, he¡¯s a businessman¡­ Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. In Great Xia, there is someone like this called Ping Yifan, and his background is exactly as you said. However, about a dozen years ago, he had gone missing beyond the south for a period of time.¡± Speaking of this, Yan Wenxin suddenly fell quiet and did not continue. Silently, he poked at the red-earth stove that was heating up the water. The charcoal within was white, and the fire within was a lot milder, even seeming ratherzy.


    Yan Wenxin could have been said to have perfected this skill of baiting. Despite Wu Xingzi having been prepared, he was still baited to the point where he could barely suppress his eagerness in wanting to know.


    He could not help but ask impatiently, ¡°What does Zaizong-xiong mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything, but am only curious about this matter. Has Ping Yifan ever talked to you about it before?¡± Their situation currently seemed like it was only a casual conversation, but Wu Xingzi was not an ignorant, foolish person, so how could he not be able to detect the instigation and provocation in Yan Wenxin¡¯s words?


    As such, he frowned, shaking his head with an expression of hoping that what Yan Wenxin said was a fluke. ¡°He never mentioned it before. That period of time probably is not something that he wants to recall, and isn¡¯t he perfectly fine in the capital now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Right now, he is living pretty well in the capital.¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s eyes curved with a smile, and he changed the topic abruptly. ¡°You haven¡¯t had any ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯ in a long time, shall I get people to prepare some for you to bring home? You can share it with Ping Yifan too.¡±


    ¡°How can I trouble you?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly refused.


    ¡°Ai, how is this trouble? During that time, if not for your great effort, how could I have made it to the capital to take the imperial examinations? This is only a small token of my regards.¡± Yan Wenxin waved his hand, summoning Huaixiu back with some unknown method. Quietly, he instructed Huaixiu to go back to the residence and ask the kitchen staff to prepare two more boxes of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± and bring it here.


    Wu Xingzi swallowed his saliva. He was on guard against Yan Wenxin, but he would never be on guard against delicious food.


    While waiting for the snacks, the two people spent another two hours alone. Yan Wenxin did not mention Ping Yifan¡¯s past again, but shared with Wu Xingzi anecdotes about famous people in the capital. His low, gentle voice was just like before, and Wu Xingzi could not help but be spellbound.


    When Huaixiu returned with the snacks, Wu Xingzi saw the beautiful young man lean into Yan Wenxin¡¯s ear and whisper something. He was not curious about what he was saying, his entire attention focused on the freshly baked ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± instead. Unable to stop himself, he picked up a piece to eat, and it was truly tasty.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± Yan Wenxin suddenly said.


    Wu Xingzi jerked from the shock, and he nearly choked. Quickly, he drank some tea to soothe his throat.


    ¡°Yifu2, it¡¯s definitely true.¡±


    Was this on purpose, to let him hear them? Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened, considering it for a moment. With a somewhat coy manner, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s just some idle chatter.¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s face carried a hint of a sneer. ¡°Chang¡¯an should have heard of the Lord Protector¡¯s son before, right? You¡¯ve met him too that day at Bai-gongzi¡¯s ce.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I know about him. He used to be stationed at Bastion City.¡± He even had a little red mole on his inner thigh, near his groin. Wu Xingzi was very familiar with him!


    ¡°Huaixiu heard that Bai Shaochang has moved into the Lord Protector¡¯s estate. The Lord Protector¡¯s wife ns to let her son and Bai-gongzi join in marriage.¡± Yan Wenxin snorted coldly. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re ying the ultimate hand now.¡±


    Bai Shaochang was going to marry into the Lord Protector¡¯s estate? Wu Xingzi froze, and his expression turned troubled.


    ¡°What is Chang¡¯an thinking about?¡± Yan Wenxin could not understand his expression, and so he had no choice but to ask.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I was just wondering, since Bai Shaochang was a man, would he be considered marrying into the family?¡±


    In the end, no one opened their mouth to answer this question.

 Chapter 92 - Meeting the In-Laws

    Chapter 92 ¡ª Meeting the In-Laws


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After bidding farewell to Yan Wenxin, only then did Wu Xingzi learn that Mint and Osmanthus had been forced to remain in another room. The two girls were clever. They understood that the other party was a top official of the court, and if he truly had malicious intentions, he would not have sent such a tant invitation.


    As such, they remained in the room at ease, snacking and drinking tea. They even packed up some honey cakes and apricot cakes in their handkerchiefs to share with Wu Xingzi.


    The three people met at the entrance of Tianxiang Restaurant. Wu Xingzi handed a box of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± to the girls before instructing them, ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Ping Yifan, so you two can head back first! There¡¯s no need to worry about me.¡±


    Just now, Yan Wenxin¡¯s intentions had been very clear. Although Wu Xingzi did not know why the man wanted to sow discord between Ping Yifan and him, since the ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitors¡± were still piping hot, and as he had not seen Guan Shanjin for a number of days already, why not take this opportunity and go with the flow?


    ¡°It¡¯s too far to walk to the south of the city from here. Why don¡¯t we head back first and borrow a carriage from Manager Rancui?¡± Mint smothered a smile as she gave a suggestion. How could she not understand that Wu Xingzi was so eager because he missed the General greatly?


    With this reminder, Wu Xingzi could not help but blush and rub his nose. ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s always you girls who are more meticulous.¡±


    It took about half an hour to walk back to Rancui¡¯s ce, and he easily managed to borrow a carriage. Mint and Osmanthus knew that Wu Xingzi did not wish for apaniments when he met the General, and so they stood by the gates, sending him off.


    During the journey, Wu Xingzi was in a joyful mood. Afraid that the pastries would cool and lose their vour, he tucked the box into his chest. A hot ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± was truly tasty, both fragrant and sweet. Guan Shanjin had been working hard the past few days, and having something sweet would be the best in such a situation.


    After a while, Wu Xingzi suddenly realised that he was humming. His face flushed instantly, thinking, by now, he was of such an age already. If he had married and had children, he would¡¯ve already had a number of grandchildren. How could he be acting like an emotional, unsteady, frivolous youth!


    Sitting there for a bit, he could not help but lift up the curtain and take a look outside. The carriage naturally could not be hasty in the city, but why did the rumbling of the wheels sound so slow? The driver of the carriage noticed his action, and so turned around to ask if he had any instructions. Shyly, Wu Xingzi bit his lip and shook his head, before retreating back into the carriage and continuing to hatch his box of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±. The box was now all warm and toasty.


    Some more time passed, and the sound of the crowd outside grew louder. Soon, the carriage stopped.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, we¡¯re here.¡± The driver lifted up the curtain, his expression a little odd.


    His mind upied with Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzipletely did not notice the strangeness of the driver. Excitedly, he leapt off the carriage with his box of pastries. The moment he looked up, he saw Guan Shanjin wearing Ping Yifan¡¯s mask. Joyfully, he wanted to go up to him, only for his feet to freeze abruptly. The smile on his face stiffened, and with his wide eyes, he looked both peculiar andical.


    It turned out that Ping Yifan was not standing alone outside the shop. Next to him was a woman wearing a veiled hat. Although her face was concealed by the thin gauze, it could be seen that her tall and slender figure was very graceful. Just standing there, she seemed like a branch of flowers, covered in dew.


    Ping Yifan was a lot taller than the woman, and to listen to what she was saying clearly, his body was inclined towards her slightly, and his head was bowed. His expression was very attentive and vignt, keeping an awareness for any danger lurking around the woman. Thenes in the south of the city were narrow, and there were many passersby. Periodically, there would be people carrying goods or holding onto baskets walking past, and if anyone of them happened toe a little close to the woman, Ping Yifan would immediately hold his hand out to protect her. His actions were extremely intimate.


    At that moment, Wu Xingzi did not know if he should go forward or not. Did the woman know Ping Yifan, or did she know Guan Shanjin? At this timing, should he present himself as a friend, or as a lover? Were there enough ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitors¡± to be shared among three people?


    The driver had already left with the carriage. Secretly, Wu Xingzi remained by the corner of the wall, his heart filled with conflicts. Ping Yifan was still whispering with the woman, and they seemed to have no intentions of stepping into the shop. It looked like the woman should not be staying for too long, and all Wu Xingzi had to do was wait a little while longer.


    However, very quickly, the woman speaking to Ping Yifan seemed to have noticed Wu Xingzi looking at them. She turned and nced over, then tugged on Ping Yifan¡¯s sleeve.


    Now, this was awkward. Distressed, Wu Xingzi retreated into his little corner. However, no matter how thin he was, he was still a full-grown adult. How could a corner hide him in this bright daylight? Ping Yifan too noticed him, and a lost expression momentarily seemed to appear on his face. Next, he strode over, and Wu Xingzi did not have any time to run away.


    ¡°Why did youe by yourself?¡± Guan Shanjin asked quietly as he surveyed the surroundings without revealing his vignce.


    ¡°I-I¡­ I came by to pass you some snacks.¡±


    Guan Shanjin stood very close, almost burying Wu Xingzi¡¯s face in his chest. That familiar scent intoxicated the older man, and he felt his body turning limp.


    ¡°Snacks?¡± Guan Shanjin saw a box of pastries in his chest. His heart melted, and his lips curved up in a smile.


    ¡°What snacks? Look at how you treasure them.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is truly a treasure! It¡¯s called ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯, and it¡¯s fragrant, sweet and tasty! Quick, try it. It¡¯s only just been made, and it¡¯s still hot.¡± As though presenting a treasure, Wu Xingzi opened the box. Picking out a piece of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, he held it to Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth. ¡°Here, try it. You¡¯ve been working hard these days, and you should eat something sweet asfort.¡±


    Guan Shanjin naturally would not reject him. Not only did he just eat the pastry right from Wu Xingzi¡¯s fingers, he even sucked on them, his tongue wrapping and twining around the fingers that held the fragrance of the pastry. Wu Xingzi¡¯s shoulders hunched up, as Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions caused a shudder to run through him.


    ¡°What sort of good thing is this?¡± A pleasant, gentle voice abruptly intruded into their moment. Wu Xingzi jerked in shock, almost falling backwards. If not for Guan Shanjin nimbly wrapping an arm around him, he was bound to have ended up t against the wall.


    The one speaking was the woman with the hat. She had drawn closer at some unknown time. Through her veil, her features and red lips that were curved in a smile could vaguely be made out, and it was a beautiful woman whose appearance did not lose out to Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s a pastry, called ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯¡­¡± Despite the indistinct features, Wu Xingzi felt that this woman looked very friendly, and so he was no longer very shy.


    ¡°Aiyah, isn¡¯t this the legendary pastry from Xianlin Restaurant? There¡¯s twenty in a box, and it costs five taels,¡± the woman eximed upon looking into the box. ¡°I remember that this pastry is called ¡®Seeking Spring¡¯, but that name¡¯s not as interesting as ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯.¡±


    ¡°One box costs five taels?¡± Whether it was called ¡°Seeking Spring¡± or ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, Wu Xingzi waspletely chilled by that cruel, heartless price. ¡°Miss, would you like to try one? Maybe it¡¯s not the same thing. This is a snack from my hometown, and two would only cost eight coins.¡±


    ¡°Miss? Aiyah! Look at how sweet your tongue is, calling me Miss.¡± The eyes of the woman curved in a bright smile as she gave Guan Shanjin a look of glee. ¡°You still said that I¡¯m past my prime. Such a poisonous mouth, I really wonder who you got that from.¡±


    With no courtesy, Guan Shanjin shot her a disdainful look, then picked up a piece of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡± and shoved it at her. ¡°Mr. Wu is being polite. He¡¯s a gentle soul, don¡¯t scare him.¡±


    ¡°How did I scare him? I didn¡¯t even reveal my face,¡± the woman with the hat mumbled. Lifting up her veil, she revealed a pair of petal-like lips. ¡°Good child,e, feed me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sozy.¡± Guan Shanjin clicked his tongue. Despite theint, his actions were very gentle as he carefully fed the pastry into her mouth. ¡°How is it?¡±


    After careful tasting, the woman replied, ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same. By the way, thest time I managed to eat ¡®Seeking Spring¡¯ was all thanks to the Grand Secretary¡¯s wife. To seek rtions with your father, they sent a box of ¡®Seeking Spring¡¯ over. There was also a box of fried ¡®Meeting Spring¡¯. The price of ¡®Meeting Spring¡¯ is a lot cheaper, one box for two taels.¡±


    A box for two taels?


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened, unable to believe what he was hearing.


    Pardon him, did that mean that he had actually finished eating five taels today?


    ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± Wu Xingzi gasped, his hands trembling as he shoved the box at Guan Shanjin. ¡°Quick, eat it, you can¡¯t let five taels turn cold.¡±


    Guan Shanjin knew not tough or cry. He had yet to ask Wu Xingzi where the pastries came from, so how could he destroy the evidence just like this?


    ¡°You want me to eat standing by the road?¡± He pinched the old fellow¡¯s cheek, then epted the box with one hand and caught Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand with the other. ¡°Let¡¯s go in first. You have to exin clearly, who gave you these pastries?¡±


    ¡°It was Zaizong-xiong.¡± Wu Xingzi had no intention of hiding it, and so he gave his admission freely.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong?¡± Before Guan Shanjin could respond, the woman in the hat who had automatically followed them eximed in shock. ¡°This name sounds so familiar, it seems to be Lord Yan, Yan Wenxin¡¯s given name¡­ Ah, you know Minister Yan?¡±


    ¡°Shh! What can¡¯t be said inside the house?¡± Although there were no spies around, Ping Yifan¡¯s status was not suitable to discuss about the top officials of the court in public.


    Realising that she had been careless, the woman hunched a little and apologised. Glumly, she followed behind the two men into the yard at the back of the shop.


    When the few of them sat down in the yard of Ping Yifan¡¯s residence, the woman took off her veiled hat, and Wu Xingzi finally saw her features clearly.


    With just one look, he was astounded. Wu Xingzi was born in a small, rural ce, and had never seen such a beauty in his life before. She had an oval face, thin and shapely brows, and her almond-shaped eyes glimmered with emotions, as though they could speak thousands and thousands of words. Currently, she was looking at him with a bright smile, and he could not help but feel shy.


    However, he kept feeling that this face had some familiarity to it¡­ Wu Xingzi turned his head away, avoiding the woman¡¯s gaze. Yet, he could not resist tilting his head secretly and studying her. identally meeting her eyes, the old fellow hunched abruptly, hurriedly lowering his head to avoid offending the beauty.


    ¡°Ah, this child is so amusing. Look at his ears turning red.¡± The woman covered herugh with her hand, reaching the other one out as she wanted to pinch Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear. Seeing this, Guan Shanjin immediately held his hand out to block her. ¡°You child, why are you always so possessive? Can¡¯t you even let your mother touch her future son-inw?¡±


    The woman¡­ was the wife of the Lord Protector, Guan Shanjin¡¯s mother. Near the age of fifty, she still looked elegant and beautiful, and the nobledy was so lively that she seemed as though she was a young maiden.


    ¡°Mother?¡± Wu Xingzi jerked his head up, staring at the Lord Protector¡¯s wife in disbelief.


    Yes! The woman¡¯s facial feature was about seventy to eighty percent simr to Guan Shanjin¡¯s. It was just that as a male, Guan Shanjin¡¯s features were a bit harsher. Perhaps because of the difference in gender, Guan Shanjin¡¯s handsome and seductive eyes, along with how the corners of his eyes quirked up, were like hooks when he looked at people, hooking into them and causing their hearts to tumble. Just like now, how Guan Shanjin looked at Wu Xingzi with a faint smile, making the old fellow¡¯s body and limbs turn limp and soft, and all he wanted to do was to lean on the younger man.


    ¡°Slow down, slow down. Although I¡¯m not the untactful sort, these five taels are about to turn cold. Are we not eating them?¡± How could the Lord Protector¡¯s wife not see that this pair of lovers were about to fall into each other¡¯s embrace? They actually managed topletely ignore a beauty like her. Just look at how the pastries in the box were about to cry!


    ¡°Yes yes yes, Haiwang, M-madam, quick, have some. It¡¯ll be such a pity for them to turn cold.¡± Wu Xingzi immediately regained his senses. With a look of disconcertion, he pulled back his hand from Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder, opening the box.


    ¡°Just call me niang. In any case, you will be bing Haiwang¡¯s partner in the future. Calling me Madam sounds so standoffish.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife waved her hand warmly. She picked up a piece of ¡°Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡±, then instructed Guan Shanjin, ¡°Son, hurry up and take your treasured tea out to soothe your mother¡¯s throat. We¡¯ve been standing outside for an hour, but you haven¡¯t even served a cup of tea.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so good at ordering people?¡± Frowning, Guan Shanjinined, but he still stood up and walked into the house to prepare the tea.


    Seeing her son leave, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife smiled even more warmly at Wu Xingzi. This made the shy adviser feelpletely at a loss, and he was almost about to fall off his chair.


    ¡°How old are you this year?¡± This first question was already a grave injury.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s face paled a little, but he still gave an honest answer, ¡°I¡¯m forty already.¡±


    ¡°Forty¡­¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife nodded, then picked up another pastry and asked, ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°I was born and raised in Qingcheng County.¡±


    ¡°Qingcheng County? Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve heard of this ce before. It was probably around forty odd years ago, there was a top schr who had yet to reach twenty years of age, and he seemed to havee from Qingcheng County. It was a pity that he had only remained in the capital for two years, as it seemed as though he would be joining the cab. The emperor did appreciate him greatly, and my father too had effusive praise for that top schr. He said that not only was he very learned, his character was of a rare excellence as well. If not for him resigning and heading back to his hometown, Yan Wenxin would probably not be able to reach his current status today.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ That top schr¡­ w-was my father¡­¡± Wu Xingzi did not expect that he would actually be able to hear about his father from others, and his eyes stung a little.


    The father in his memories was very stern, and could pretty much be described as reticent. Only when he saw Wu Xingzi¡¯s mother would he then reveal a somewhat bashful smile, and his eyes, directed at her, would shine. Wu Xingzi knew that his father loved him, and the man did his very best in teaching him how to be a good person, as well as the philosophies written down in books. However, his father never forced him to seek titles in examinations, and the college exam had been something Wu Xingzi had wanted to participate in for himself.


    The principles that his father taught him, Wu Xingzi dared not forget a single one of them. For his entire life, he had been following them carefully, and he dared not vite them. Unfortunately, his understanding of his father was not deep enough, and even his father having received top honours in the imperial exam had been something his mother had told him.


    Perhaps, to his father, the days spent hand in hand with his mother were more practical and happier than those praises and merits from others.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Jin¡¯er called you Mr. Wu just now.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife had a look of nostalgia on her face, carefully studying Wu Xingzi from head to toe. ¡°That year, I was only around five or six years old, and I was a little girl. However, I can still remember that gege¡¯s appearance. Your eyes are very much like his.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± Wu Xingzi lifted his hand to touch his eye. He did not know who he followed in appearance. His father was clearly so refined and handsome, while his mother was pretty and delicate. However, his looks were so in.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, as a mother, I have to ask. What do you like about Jin¡¯er? This son of mine, ever since he was a child, he had been heartless. He does respect his father and me, but that¡¯s only due to the required filial duty that a son has towards his parents, and nothing more than that. I spent many, many years, trying bit by bit to help him open his heart. Hai, the amount of effort I spent was more than enough to birth another Sun Wukong from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife uttered a sigh, then her face turned serious. ¡°Mr. Wu, Jin¡¯er treats you differently. I know that you drugged him before, and not only did he understand it, but he did not even get angry in the slightest. Instead, he felt that it was him who owed it to you. If you truly were in cahoots with others to harm Jin¡¯er, and even if Jin¡¯er saw that there was something not right, he would still jump into the trap with no hesitation, willingly shattering himself into bits and pieces.¡±


    Wu Xingzi trembled slightly. He understood why the Lord Protector¡¯s wife wanted to say such words to him, but he was unable to suppress the sweetness and joy welling up inside him.


    Guan Shanjin truly held such deep affections for himself? Ai, it was fortunate that he had sought the drug from Rancui. If the two of them did not bare their feelings and thoughts to each other, would they not have wasted so much time?


    ¡°Mr. Wu, what exactly do you like about Jin¡¯er?¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife no longer carried her previous warmth and friendliness. On her face was an awe-inspiring dignity that only the nobility had.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth opened in a gape. After a moment of hesitation, he finally mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s mainly his pengornis.¡±

 Chapter 93 - Your Pengornis Isn’t The Only Thing I Like

    Chapter 93 ¡ª Your Pengornis Isn¡¯t The Only Thing I Like


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Although the voices of the two people were not loud, Guan Shanjin¡¯s inner force was very strong. He was worried that his mother would say something inappropriate to Wu Xingzi, and so, despite remaining inside the room, he could still hear about 70 to 80 percent of their conversation. At that moment, he did not know if he should step outside or not.


    Putting aside the issue of his mother¡¯s solemn tone, the issue of Wu Xingzi, this old fellow, liking his pengornis much more than Guan Shanjin himself, caused a feeling of unpleasantness to rise within the younger man.


    He took out the tea leaves, then instructed the servant to prepare a heating stove and hot water before slowly returning to the yard, sitting down between his mother and Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°It¡¯s mainly my pengornis that you like, hmm?¡± Since a couple should not hold on to grudges until the next day, Guan Shanjin had to rify things then and there.


    Hearing Guan Shanjin¡¯s question, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened in startlement. ¡°Y-you heard it?¡±


    For some reason, he felt a chill run down his back, and all his hair stood up. A wave of guilty panic emerged from his heart.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Guan Shanjin tossed the tea leaves to his mother, giving a smile as he studied Wu Xingzi¡¯s expression of impending doom. ¡°Why? Did you forget what you just said? Saying that right in front of my mother, you¡¯re quite daring.¡± He pinched the old quail¡¯s cheek, leaving three red marks that took some time to subside.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly pressed a hand to his cheek. Although Guan Shanjin did not use much strength, the pinch still caused him to feel some slight, tingling pain, and Wu Xingzi knew that the man in front of him was once again jealous.


    Ai, why was his jealousy so easily ignited?


    ¡°Then what did you mean? Other than my pengornis, there¡¯s nothing else good about me that you like?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was very aggressive. He did not feel that there was anything wrong about always being jealous of himself.


    Sitting by the side,pletely ignored, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife secretly rolled her eyes upon hearing her son¡¯s hopelessly foolish question. This son of hers was born innately wise, and immensely gifted. Ever since young, he had been a somewhat overly intelligent child, and no one would ever think that he would be such an idiot with regards to the matters of love.


    ¡°No, other than your pengornis, you have many, many areas that I like.¡± Wu Xingzi tried to exin, a bright blush on his face. Guan Shanjin did not mind that his mother was listening to them, but that was not the case for him! Such intimate sweet talk between couples, how could Wu Xingzi say it aloud in front of his future mother-inw?


    ¡°What areas?¡± However, Guan Shanjin was relentless, insisting on further rification.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Uhh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi sneaked a nce at the Lord Protector¡¯s wife. Thedy had her head bowed as she ate the snacks, pretending to see nothing.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin blocked Wu Xingzi¡¯s view. Out in broad daylight, this man could still be distracted by the sight of others? Hmph!


    ¡°D-don¡¯t be like this.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears burned, as though they could burst into mes any moment. He stuttered, ¡°There are many things that I like about you, like¡­ like¡­ your face.¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife mped her hand over her mouth, managing to prevent herself from spitting out the contents inside. Her beautiful eyes could not conceal her amusement, and they were fixed on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face.


    ¡°Niang!¡± A little embarrassed, Guan Shanjin¡¯s voice was a little loud.


    ¡°I have to say, Mr. Wu truly recognises quality! Your face is really not too bad, it¡¯s like mine.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife could not help but feel pleased.


    ¡°Yes, yes, your mother and you share about 70 percent simrity.¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly nodded his head in agreement. Receiving a fierce re from Guan Shanjin, he hung his head slowly, not understanding what wrong he had done.


    ¡°So if I¡¯m ugly, you wouldn¡¯t like me then?¡±


    Huh?


    ¡°How could that be? I like Ping Yifan¡¯s face too.¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head, waving his hands, quickly dering his loyalty. Unexpectedly, Guan Shanjin¡¯s face darkened further, making Wu Xingzi feel even more at a loss. He wanted to seek help from the Lord Protector¡¯s wife, but Guan Shanjin had to be there between them, and he could not even see a hair of thedy.


    ¡°Ping Yifan?¡± Guan Shanjin sneered. The memory came to him, of how Wu Xingzi had dared to invite Ping Yifan to share his grave during their first meeting! That little crappy ce, he did not even have the rights to rest there, how could Ping Yifan evenpare to him!


    Wu Xingzi was truly crying tearlessly. Hepletely could not understand why Guan Shanjin was angry. Was Ping Yifan not Guan Shanjin as well? Was Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis not part of him too? And Guan Shanjin¡¯s face was really, really good looking!


    ¡°Ai, d-don¡¯t be angry anymore. Has Zaizong-xiong been making your life difficult these days?¡± Wu Xingzi drew closer to Guan Shanjin, shyly patting his hand in constion. ¡°Have something sweet to soothe yourself, alright? S-shall I stay back and apany you tonight?¡±


    Hearing that, the sour jealousy in Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart immediately faded by a lot. The old fellow was so obedient, so how could he reject him?


    ¡°You¡¯ve learnt to coax people,¡± Guan Shanjin snorted lightly. Right then, the servant brought over the heating stove along with the instruments to make tea. In a good mood, the Lord Protector¡¯s son started preparing tea.


    ¡°My words aren¡¯t flippant.¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his nose, finally heaving a breath of relief. He still remembered that New Year when Guan Shanjin had torn his pengornis drawings! ¡°You wanted me to burn Ping Yifan¡¯s pengornis drawing, and I did.¡±


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Guan Shanjin could not be any more pleased. Intimately, he stroked Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose, reaching out and tugging the other man into his arms. ¡°Pick up another piece of ¡®Spring¡¯s Frequent Visitor¡¯ and let me try it. Yan Wenxin actually dared to use something so trifling to bait you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is really delicious! Twenty years ago, it was the most famous snack in Goose City. Later on, the shop owner packed up and moved up north to his rtives, and I had never eaten it again.¡± As Wu Xingzi spoke, he carefully picked up another piece and fed it to Guan Shanjin.


    The man¡¯s soft tongue flicked past his fingers. Wu Xingzi¡¯s body tingled as his fingers were sucked on. With a bright red face, he hunched into himself. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, the Lord Protector¡¯s furen1 is here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, just do as you wish. I¡¯m just having some snacks and drinking some tea. When I see that Jin¡¯er is living well, I¡¯m happy.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife waved her hand generously. This was the first time she had seen her son holding so much affection towards another person. In the past, when Guan Shanjin had shown great importance to Lu Zezhi, things had never been like this. It was truly a greatfort to her.


    Since his mother had already said so, Guan Shanjin naturally did not stand on further courtesy. He openly cuddled and flirted with Wu Xingzi, causing the old man to be in aplete fluster. Wu Xingzi wanted to refuse him, but at the same time, he also wanted to draw closer. In the end, he just pretended that the Lord Protector¡¯s wife was not present, burying his face in the crook of Guan Shanjin¡¯s neck, his entire body flushing red as he pretended to be dead.


    The Lord Protector¡¯s wife who finally managed to get her hands on some tea looked on in disdain. How could she not know that her son was doing this deliberately? Other than getting jealous of himself, he was even getting filled with jealousy of his own mother. All she did was ask her son-inw what he liked, and identally discovered a pengornis in the process.


    How did she end up giving birth to someone so foolish in the matters of love? However, when she thought about her own husband¡­ Fine, this was something inherited from the Guan ancestors, and it could not be avoided.


    Seeing how her son had started to nibble on her son-inw¡¯s lips, no matter how forgiving the Lord Protector¡¯s wife was, she could no longer stay there. Rubbing her nose, she made her farewells.


    Finally, Guan Shanjin remembered that he was her son. Instructing Wu Xingzi to remain waiting in the yard, he sent his mother off.


    The Lord Protector¡¯s wife did not take a carriage, but had made her way here on foot. Guan Shanjin had wanted to prepare a carriage for his mother, but she stopped him.


    ¡°Just walk a portion of the way with me. I¡¯m about to be stifled to death, staying at home the whole time. It sounds glorious to be the Lord Protector¡¯s wife, but it¡¯s not a status that allows one to rx easily.¡± Although the Lord Protector¡¯s wife came from an aristocratic family, her character had always been the lively sort. When she was young, she liked to dress up as a boy, exploring the world outside. Her family had tried various times to stop her from doing so, but after failing, they just allowed her to do as she liked.


    Her parents had thought that their daughter would only be able to marry below their family in the future, but who would have thought that at a border town, she would meet the then-Lord Protector¡¯s son. The two fell in love at first sight, and they quickly settled down, startling her entire family.


    Having carried the status of the Lord Protector¡¯s wife for so many years, she had to be dignified and stately, demure and refined to the point where she almost suffocated on it. Now that there was an opportunity for her to rx outside, shepletely did not want to go back so quickly.


    ¡°D¡¯ie2 must be waiting anxiously.¡± Guan Shanjin gave his excuses, but as his mother, how could she not see through him? He clearly was thinking about his own wife in his house, and all he wanted to do was to go back and be intimate with him.


    She snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t give me such a superficial answer. Since your father has allowed me toe out alone, he naturally understands that I will not be home so soon. There are some things that, as a mother and child, we have to discuss. Don¡¯t pretend to be ignorant and try to hide.¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife caught her son¡¯s hand, looking as though she was about to share some private words.


    Guan Shanjin was resigned. No matter what, his mother would always hold a special ce in his heart, and so he could not just free his hand and leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen obediently then.¡±


    ¡°Have you mentioned to Mr. Wu that you¡¯ve invited Bai Shaochang to live in the residence?¡± The news of this matter had spread quickly through the capital. Who did not know that the Bai family was highly favoured, and how they were special in the eyes of the emperor? Despite being just normal civilians, their thoughts and opinions did hold a certain weight.


    A while ago, Guan Shanjin had been discarded to the side by the emperor. Not only was hismand over the army taken back, he was removed from his position as well. If not for the Lord Protector having just this one child, he might even have lost his position as heir. Everyone was specting that to regain his status, Guan Shanjin had struck a rtionship with Young Master Bai, forming an official rtionship of life partners with him.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s forehead wrinkled, and he spoke, displeased, ¡°No, and there¡¯s no need to either. This matter will be over very quickly. Bai Shaochang has someone in his heart, and he would not actually fall for me. I¡¯m only taking advantage of this opportunity, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Son, I truly don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re clearly very intelligent, but why, with regards to the matter of love and rtionships, you¡¯re this foolish? Your Guan family, other than excelling in that matter, you really have no ability in seeking partners for yourselves. No wonder Mr. Wu only likes your pengornis.¡± When it came to dissing her son, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife had never stood on courtesy. With a few sentences from her, her son¡¯s expression, which was already ugly, darkened further.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t only like my pengornis,¡± Guan Shanjin objected darkly.


    ¡°Oh, yes, and your face. I didn¡¯t forget that.¡± Through her veiled hat, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife smiled at her son.


    ¡°What exactly do you want to say?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s tone was a lot less polite, feeling gloomy from his mother¡¯s provocations.


    ¡°As your mother, I just want to tell you, although you have your own ns with regards to Bai Shaochang, you should still inform Mr. Wu. This would prevent him from any upset.¡± Furthermore, since Yan Wenxin had looked for Wu Xingzi and even gave him the boxes of pastries, perhaps he had already revealed some things to Wu Xingzi to try and seek a reaction.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi is not the petty and small-minded sort.¡± Guan Shanjin disapproved of his mother¡¯s words. He had always held control over everything by himself. He did not wish for his partner to be entangled in such matters in the slightest, as it would make it seem as though he was incapable.


    ¡°Whether he¡¯s small-minded or not, I don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife sighed, speaking meaningfully, ¡°With the lesson learnt from Lu Zezhi, you have to consider things carefully.¡±


    Her words could be considered very frank. After all, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife had known Lu Zezhi before he was even twenty. Seeing how a young man, who once had some sort of integrity to him, had been rendered useless by her son¡¯s doting, she did not wish for things to be repeated again.


    Guan Shanjin remained silent. He knew that Wu Xingzi and Lu Zezhi were different. However, when he recalled what Wu Xingzi had said a few days ago under the influence of the truth-telling drug, he felt an inexplicable pain in his heart.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll consider sharing some details with him.¡± Guan Shanjin finally relented a little. By then, the two had reached the edge of the city¡¯s south. ¡°Don¡¯t spend too much time walking about. If d¡¯ie doesn¡¯t see you in four hours, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯d go crazy. Go back as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hai, isn¡¯t there four hours still?¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife waved him off casually. ¡°Alright, you should go back. Since you¡¯ve already decided to spend the rest of your life with someone, don¡¯t start treating them like an adored pet and trap them in a cage. Mr. Wu isn¡¯t a simple man, don¡¯t underestimate him.¡±


    She was uncertain exactly how much of her words her son had taken in.


    Guan Shanjin gave a casual nod of his head. He did not underestimate Wu Xingzi, but only wanted to shield him from any and all troubles.

 Chapter 94 - Ai, There’s Something I Want to Say (NSFW)

    Chapter 94 ¡ª Ai, There¡¯s Something I Want to Say (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After sending his mother off, Guan Shanjin returned to the shop, only to be held back by the manager to be given various reports. It took him nearly two hours before he was able to return to the yard.


    From afar, he could see Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin body sitting in solitary in that pavilion. On the wooden table were a few types of snacks and a pot of tea. The pot should have just been recently refilled, as steam could be seen wafting from it.


    Usually, as long as there was food in front of Wu Xingzi, ignoring whether the timing was appropriate or not, he would want to at least have a few bites of it, afraid that the food would go to waste.


    People from small towns were never willing to waste food.


    However, right now, the old fellow was only holding on to his cup. It was unknown whether the tea within had already cooled, or the cup was empty. He was just sitting there fiddling with the cup, and nothing was spilled from within.


    Guan Shanjin was a little curious. As such, he did not hurry forward, but stood at a distance and studied Wu Xingzi secretly.


    Although the yard was furnished ording to Ping Yifan¡¯s style, the person using it was still Guan Shanjin. The items that seemed extremely in and simple exuded an air of undeniable exquisiteness. Because of this habit, it had resulted in Yan Wenxin and Huaixiu confirming their spection about Ping Yifan¡¯s identity.


    Wu Xingzi sat there for a while, then he suddenly stood up, putting the cup down.


    He nced over to the direction where Guan Shanjin was hiding, and naturally saw no one there. This was a stony path that led outside, and it was paved with high quality Yuhua stones. They were sturdy, yet smooth andfortable, causing no sound when one walked on them. However, when the rain fell upon the stones, there would be a soft, gentle tinklinging from them, creating an interesting atmosphere.


    Probably feeling uneasy due to the long wait, Wu Xingzi walked a couple of rounds around the pavilion. Turning himself around, he walked another two more rounds, finally stopping by the Yuhua stone path. His brows were slightly creased as he seemed deep in thought. After muttering shortly to himself, he cautiously stepped upon the path, before quickly retracting his foot, and took another round around the pavilion again.


    In the past, Guan Shanjin might not have been able to understand what Wu Xingzi was thinking. However, things were different now, and every single one of Wu Xingzi¡¯s actions was extremely adorable in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes.


    Wu Xingzi was mainly worried that Guan Shanjin had met with trouble outside, and he wanted to go out and take a look. However, he was also worried that he could have guessed wrongly and he would end up spoiling Guan Shanjin¡¯s business. What would he do then? As such, he hurriedly returned to his pavilion. Just look at the snacks on the table, they had not been touched at all. Probably, in that old quail¡¯s heart, there were some vaguely terrifying possibilities.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart meltedpletely.


    He was too powerful a person, and he was used to taking care of people. Although his parents, his elders, his friends and family would also show him concern, no one thought that Guan Shanjin was someone who needed to be doted on, to be pampered. At first, when Lu Zezhi had yet to understand him, he had once treated him like an ordinary child, doting on him like how he would dote on other children. Unfortunately, once he discovered that Guan Shanjin was actually even more capable of taking care of others, of doting on others, their rtionship had reversedpletely. Lu Zezhi felt no sense of unease at epting Guan Shanjin¡¯s doting, and he clung onto Guan Shanjin like a vine wrapping itself around a tree.


    However, Wu Xingzi was different. This old fellow knew that Guan Shanjin was powerful, with great capabilities and strength to him. He knew that when Guan Shanjin treated someone well, he would insist on spoiling and pampering that person to no end. Wu Xingzi would not refuse Guan Shanjin¡¯s pampering, he would just try his very best to stretch his own thin arms out, to embrace him back and hold him to himself. Guan Shanjin was unable to put into words how he felt, only that he knew he could never let go of Wu Xingzi in his lifetime. If he were to end up letting go of this timid-looking quail, where was he going to find someone else who would dote on him?


    Straightening his robe, Guan Shanjin again confirmed that there was no one else in the yard other than his own bodyguards, before removing the Ping Yifan mask from his face. As he slowly stepped out from his hiding spot, Wu Xingzi happened to be looking in this direction. His face immediately brightened, and the old fellow somewhat boorishly wiped his palms on his clothes then made his way towards the younger man a little urgently. ¡°Why did you only return now? Did something happen outside?¡±


    ¡°I spoke with my mother for a little while, then the manager held me back to give me some reports, and so I was dyed.¡± Guan Shanjin had already made his way to Wu Xingzi, reaching out with a long arm and pulling the older man into his embrace. ¡°Did the wait make you anxious?¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi leaned into his chest obediently, nodding his head frankly. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to speak to you about, but you still didn¡¯te back, so I was worried that Yan Wenxin¡­¡± He shuddered. Wu Xingzi had just had a confrontation with Yan Wenxin, and he could not help but still feel a little fearful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yan Wenxin has no doubts about Ping Yifan¡¯s identity.¡± Guan Shanjin massaged Wu Xingzi¡¯s frown, teasing him, ¡°Hai, just look. You¡¯re no longer young already, and yet you like to frown so much. Are you deliberately reminding me to be respectful to my elders, and to not be too hard on my flirtations with you?¡±


    Wu Xingzi hurriedly reached out and rubbed his own face, his expression a mix of anxiousness and bashfulness. ¡°Ai, it¡¯s only because I¡¯m worried. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be frowning like this either.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if your face turns all wrinkly like pickled vegetables, I¡¯ll still like it.¡± Guan Shanjin bowed his head, kissing Wu Xingzi on the face. The old fellow jerked slightly, a blush instantly spreading through him. Guan Shanjin¡¯s heartpletely melted with the image of the older man, and he tightened his arms around the person, kissing him and only stopping when Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes turned red and he gasped for air.


    ¡°Ai, why did you just suddenly¡­¡± Wu Xingzi did not mind engaging in such acts of intimacy in the day, and he actually even weed it. However, this yard was really too exposed, and there were bodyguards around, watching the ce. The previous time, Guan Shanjin had already told him that this ce was really unsuitable for any outdoor sexual activities.


    ¡°I want to see what a pickled vegetable tastes like.¡± Although Guan Shanjin¡¯s beauty was ethereal and unworldly, all soldiers had rascally and questionable mannerisms. When he wanted to act like a hooligan, there was nothing that he would not say.


    Wu Xingzi became embarrassed. Gently, he mumbled a couple of times, hanging his head down and ying dead.


    Looking at the old fellow turning shy, Guan Shanjin no longer continued to tease him. Lifting him up in his arms, he brought him into the room, squeezing both of them into a chair and their bodies twining with each other.


    ¡°What did you want to talk to me about?¡± Guan Shanjin fiddled with Wu Xingzi¡¯s thin, calloused fingers. These days, he must have been farming a lot. His calluses from writing had faded, while the calluses from farming had thickened.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Wu Xingzi patted the back of Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand lightly. It seemed that he wanted to free his fingers. However, Guan Shanjin refused to let go, even smiling and pulling his hand to his lips, smacking kisses onto it.


    That meaning was very obvious: You either just go ahead and say it, or I will not just be letting you off with a couple of these kisses.


    His fingers having turned red from the kisses, Wu Xingzi hunched into himself and trembled, a look of helplessness in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, just now, you sent¡­ you sent the Lord Protector¡¯s furen¡­¡±


    ¡°Say niang,¡± Guan Shanjin interrupted him.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Xingzi blinked, seemingly stunned. ¡°You want me to call you niang?¡±


    When the words left his lips, he seemed to realise what he had just said. In distress, he stared at Guan Shanjin.


    Guan Shanjin could neitherugh nor cry. Clearing his throat, he answered with feigned seriousness, ¡°If you insist on calling me that, I can only ept it. However, I would much prefer that you call my mother niang.¡±


    ¡°Ai, that will be so embarrassing¡­¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife was only a few years older than him. It was much more likely for her to be his older sister, than bing his mother.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t call her that now, you¡¯ll still have to call her that in the future. Why? You said with such confidence that in this life, you would never part with my pengornis and my face in front of my mother, but now that she¡¯s left, you¡¯re regretting it?¡±


    ¡°But your pengornis is really well developed¡­¡± Wu Xingzi quickly mped his mouth with his hands. Unfortunately, he was toote. With a faint smile, Guan Shanjin studied him. Aiming at Wu Xingzi¡¯s rounded buttocks, his hand smacked down on them. Although he did not use much strength, and through the clothes, there was only a muffled sound, the old fellow was still extremely embarrassed. Wu Xingzi waved his hands, speaking promptly, ¡°Slow down! Just slow down! There¡¯s something I have to say!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll slow down.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s face was suffused with tenderness. His hands were kneading Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy buttocks, and he did slow his actions down. Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth fell half open, and his entire body felt as though it was on fire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this¡­¡± Wu Xingzi wanted to reach out to stop Guan Shanjin¡¯s roguish actions, but he could not help but admit that the caressing and kneading was veryfortable. The man¡¯s palms were broad and warm, his palm big enough to cover nearly one-half of his buttocks. He would squeeze them together now, then spread them apartter, the strength used neither strong nor weak, the speed neither slow nor fast, and Wu Xingzi was about to melt from it.


    The old fellow had always been very open in bed, and towards his own desire, he never had much self-control over it. Softly, he moaned a few times, almost forgetting clean what he had wanted to say. He only felt his hole starting to twitch, and all he wanted now was for Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis toe out and soothe him.


    ¡°So what exactly do you want to tell me, hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin pushed the other man down onto his lower half. His slowly rising cock was grinding against Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft inner thigh, and this action also allowed Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis to grind against his firm, muscr abdomen.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi panted a few times. His eyes were dazed, and he leaned his head on Guan Shanjin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°More¡­ harder¡­¡±


    ¡°Lewd darling.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes curved with a smile. In no time, he deftly removed Wu Xingzi¡¯s trousers off him, revealing a pair of fair, slender legs. At the same time, he took out his half-hard cock, rubbing against Wu Xingzi¡¯s sensitive perineum a couple of times. The old fellow mewled, his trembling moan muffled and intoxicated. Heated air brushed against Guan Shanjin¡¯s ear, and it could not be any lewder.


    ¡°This little thing of yours is actually rather adorable.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s fair skin was now too tinged with a hint of red. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on his temples, and skilfully, he fiddled with Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis that was pressed against his abdomen.


    Although Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock could not be described as big, and it was a little more delicate-looking whenpared to the average man, it was clean and good-looking, pink and cute. The hole at the tip of his cock was closed tightly, looking just as shy as its owner.


    But that was only its appearance.


    Upon touching it, it quickly lost all restraint. Guan Shanjin liked to y with this little pengornis ¡ª at times he would stroke its tender head with his calloused fingers, causing the tip to gape open slightly, leaking drops of pre; other times, he would use his broad, warm palm and smooth up and down the shaft. He had all sorts of tricks up his sleeve, and along with his wickedness, he was always able to massage the scrotum at the perfect timing, after which he squeezed hard at the root of the cock.


    His actions made the old fellow tremble and howl, as Wu Xingzi¡¯s orgasm that was about to arrive was thus forcefully held back, with the hole at the tip of his cock twitching a couple of times.


    ¡°You¡¯re still unable to handle such y?¡± Guan Shanjin teased, bringing his hand that was wet with pre to Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips. In a low voice, he coaxed, ¡°Come, lick it, and tell me how does it taste?¡±


    But that was his own pre! Wu Xingzi still had a token grasp on his rationality. With a bright blush, he nced at Guan Shanjin, before ncing back at that beautiful hand.


    His face was flushed red, and hesitantly, he stuck his tongue out. Right before he was about to lick Guan Shanjin¡¯s finger, he quickly retracted it, grabbing his own clothes and wiping away the juices on that hand. Guan Shanjin did not stop him, only smiling as he watched Wu Xingzi, who was feeling embarrassed and ashamed, wiping his own hand. Wu Xingzi was still licking his lips with the tip of his tongue, and the image he portrayed could not be lewder.


    ¡°Say, what does this taste like?¡± Wrapping an arm around Wu Xingzi¡¯s slender waist, he tugged him closer to his chest. Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis again left a wet smear against Guan Shanjin¡¯s firm stomach. Guan Shanjin turned his head, putting his mouth on one corner of the clothes Wu Xingzi was gripping, and he deliberately made loud, sucking noises.


    ¡°Ai¡­ Don¡¯t be like this¡­ Don¡¯t do this, it¡¯s dirty¡­¡± Wu Xingzi seemed to redden further. With a pair of teary eyes, he was both anxious and horny. He tugged at his clothes with some strength, wanting to take it back. However, Guan Shanjin was biting onto it so tightly that he could not free the material, and in his anxiety, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes too reddened.


    ¡°It¡¯s the taste of lewdness.¡± Only after leaving a wet patch of saliva did Guan Shanjin finally release his teeth. Immersed in the situation, he licked his lips. ¡°There¡¯s also a hint of sweetness to it.¡±


    Wu Xingzi froze hearing that, the tip of his tongue again sliding across his lips, as though he was tasting something. With just a nce, Guan Shanjin could see that this lewd darling was currently wondering exactly how it tasted like.


    Very quickly, the eyes of the old fellow widened. It seemed that he had been frightened by his own thoughts. Hanging his head, he wanted to slip out from Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. However, naturally, Guan Shanjin had a firm grip on his waist, holding him there tightly. Now, Wu Xingzi¡¯s little pengornis could once again grind firmly against Guan Shanjin¡¯s powerful muscles, and he ended up making himself turn limp from the pleasure. Sprawled in the younger man¡¯s embrace, he jerked and shuddered, and some of his pre again escaped from the tip.


    Every breath he took was filled with the scent of Guan Shanjin. There was the familiar smell of orange blossom and white sandalwood, as well as something that belonged only to men. Like a drug, it emptied his mind, and Wu Xingzi now only wanted to cling and rub himself against the younger man¡¯s body, and his little hole below him itched and hungered even more.


    Today, Guan Shanjin seemed to be in an excellent mood, and there was no urgency and boorishness like previous times. Although his breathing was heavy, his face red, he was still calm andposed as he teased the person in his arms. Right now, he was jerking Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock, and Wu Xingzi tilted his head back in pleasure, moaning and exposing his slender, white throat. Wu Xingzi had never fucked into anyone with his cock before, whether male or female, but Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand was big and broad, its temperature so high that it almost felt scalding, and unconsciously, Wu Xingzi started thrusting his hips, fucking into the younger man¡¯s grip.


    Seeing Wu Xingzi twisting and jerking, grinding against him helplessly, Guan Shanjin chuckled quietly. He increased his efforts, and quickly, he managed to extract the older man¡¯se.


    With a shriek, Wu Xingzi copsed into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, panting and trembling. Before he could recover, he was suddenly flipped around. From the younger man¡¯s embrace, he was now moved onto the chair, his two legs straddling the armrests on each side, revealing his hole. In fright, he quivered, and the hole too contracted along with his actions, causing a wave of desire to wash through the viewer.


    ¡°H-Haiwang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi wanted to pull his legs back. He did not mind exposing his private parts in bed, but he did not have the courage for such an exhibition!


    However, Guan Shanjin had a firm hand on Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly, such that Wu Xingzi was unable to move. Struggling a few times, Wu Xingzi was exhausted and gasping for air. Furthermore, he had just reached his release, and his limbs were now still weak and soft. His mind was still dazed, and he could not even put his thoughts to words properly, and so he could only look at Guan Shanjin pitifully.


    ¡°Be good¡­¡± Guan Shanjin smiled flirtatiously. He then crouched down, and other than the top of his head, Wu Xingzi could see nothing else. This made him panic a little, and just as he was about to call out to Guan Shanjin, his little pengornis, that had just reached its peak in pleasure, was suddenly enclosed in a warm, wet, soft cavern.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi quaked. Blushing a bright red, he squealed loudly. His legs that hung over the armrests of the chair tensed up, and the pleasure rushed straight to his head.


    His cock was enveloped in Guan Shanjin¡¯s mouth, and the warm, wet cavity tightened as Guan Shanjin sucked voraciously. Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue pushed Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock to the roof of his mouth, allowing him to suck even harder on it, and Wu Xingzi¡¯s soul was almost sucked out at the same time. Mewling and whimpering, Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock jerked and twitched continuously. Wu Xingzi tried his best to reach out and push against the head at his crotch, but with the position Guan Shanjin had left him in, there was no way his hands could reach that wicked head.


    After a few sucks, Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue became even naughtier. Agilely, it twined about the little cock, stroking the shaft along with each sucking motion, and finally, the tip of Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue dug into the hole at the top of Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock. Wu Xingzi twisted his hips, squealing, and he felt as though he was about to be sucked to death. Guan Shanjin¡¯s tongue was able to reach a little into the hole, and some of his saliva even slid down further. This left tingles shooting through Wu Xingzi, and he did not know what to do. His calves were tensed tightly, and his toes all curled up.


    ¡°Haiwang, Haiwang¡­ Quick, stop, hurry up and stop¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi cried and begged, but the younger man seemed to hear nothing. Instead, he even gently scraped his teeth against the sensitive head of the cock. This sensation caused Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes to roll to the back of his head, and his tears and sweat were all smeared across his face. His tongue hanging out, all he could do was whimper.


    Guan Shanjin truly adored that little thing in his mouth.


    It was steel encased in velvet, an intery of soft and hard. The head of the cock happened to reach a perfect spot right before his throat, and it was not too ufortable for him to swallow the entire cock down. Sucking loudly on it, he employed various methods to y with the pengornis in his mouth. The old quail was left twitching, with his head falling backwards and unable to make another sound. Spurts ofe were released from the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock, only for them to be swallowed into Guan Shanjin¡¯s belly, and the man even refused to let go, reaching out and teasing the two little balls.


    ¡°Mm¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s moan stuck in his throat. He could barely catch his breath. He had just orgasmed, and it was impossible for him to immediatelye again. As such, the hole at the tip of his cock twitched a few times, and there was only a clear, sticky fluid seeping out from it. Wu Xingzi felt that he was like a little boat in the storm, rising and falling in the swells. The pleasure was like a huge wave, lifting him up. He had thought that he had already reached his peak, only for another evenrger wave toe upon him.


    Drooling, his tense body cramped. An ache suddenly engulfed the lower part of his body, and his urethra gaped open yet nothing came out. Guan Shanjin took this opportunity to dig his tongue in further. Wu Xingzi¡¯s grip on the armrests was so tight that it felt like he could crumble them, and his mind nked out. Next, a howl erupted from him, and he convulsed so hard that Guan Shanjin could barely hold him down. He had been forced to reach his peak again.

 Chapter 95 - A Bolt From The Blue (NSFW)

    Chapter 95 ¡ª A Bolt From The Blue (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Guan Shanjin loved seeing how Wu Xingzi became all slick and dazed from his actions, his mouth open and his tongue hanging out. The younger man¡¯s cock was even more excited, and not only was the crotch of his trousers extremely tight, a wet patch could also be seen where the head of the cock was pressing into.


    Thinking that Wu Xingzi was no longer that young, Guan Shanjin did not know how his body would be affected after easily bringing him to climax three times.


    Guan Shanjin stood up, lifting the old fellow up in his arms. Turning around, he sat himself down in the chair, cing Wu Xingzi on his ownp. Having yet to recover from his orgasm, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body was trembling slightly. Like a soft kitten, he nestled into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, his breath filled with a delicious cool fragrance along with the smell of sex.


    After patting Wu Xingzi¡¯spletely limp hips, Guan Shanjin undid his own trousers. The moment his big pengornis was freed, it immediately pped against Wu Xingzi¡¯s round, fleshy buttocks. The p caused the hole there to twitch, and Wu Xingzi himself too shuddered violently.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s mind was still muddled, and he had yet to notice exactly what Guan Shanjin wanted to do. Huddling into the man¡¯s chest, he was still panting slightly, and when his buttocks were parted, he was still dazed. Right after that, a thick, hard, and hot pengornis pushed its way into his warm and wet hole.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Wu Xingzi squealed. Instinctively, he pushed at Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest. Despite how wet and eager his hole was, to suddenly have such a huge, thick cock thrusting inside, he still could not bear with it entirely. His pleasure, which had yet to dissipate, was now again pushed upwards, and Wu Xingzi felt that even every single strand of his hair had be extremely sensitive.


    Holding onto the curves of Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, Guan Shanjin pushed him further down onto his cock. The section of his cock that was originally exposed to the air was now entirely inside. The moans of the old fellow were trembling and lewd, so sweet and lush that it seemed as though they carried little ws in them, pitifully scratching lightly against Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart.


    Wu Xingzi was thin and scrawny. Living in the capital all this time, he had been sleeping and eating well, thus he finally grew a bit of meat on his bones. When Guan Shanjin held him in his arms, he no longer felt as bony. However, his waist was still very slender, as though it could break easily with a bit of bending. With just a reach of Guan Shanjin¡¯s arm, he was able to encircle more than half his waist. Truthfully speaking, regarding this old quail, other than his backside being perky and fleshy enough, there was nothing else on him that was attractive at all. Still, it was this exact character that could always whip Guan Shanjin¡¯s desire into a frenzy, and he wanted nothing more but to bundle him up and swallow him into his belly, never letting anyone else see him.


    ¡°My lewd darling, you¡¯re not going to try moving by yourself?¡± Guan Shanjin thrust his hips upwards, sucking Wu Xingzi¡¯s earlobe as he chuckled.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi supported himself on the younger man¡¯s shoulders. His thighs were so weak that they felt noodly, and he could not even kneel as his muscles quivered non-stop. He had no energy at all to make himself move. However, he was afraid that Guan Shanjin would not be able to wait and would start frantically fucking him. His own little cock was still unable to get hard, and if he was to be fucked forcefully, it was hard to tell if he would be fucked into pissing himself again. To do something like this when the sky was still bright, it would be too embarrassing. He still wanted his dignity!


    He had no choice, and with trembling legs, he could only shakily push himself up. After letting Guan Shanjin¡¯s cock slide out a little, he sucked in a breath and sat back down. That stiff head of the cock unerringly found the sensitive spot inside him which provided the utmost pleasure. Mewling aloud, Wu Xingzi gasped for air. With a shift, he lost all his strength, and fell right into Guan Shanjin¡¯sp. The younger man¡¯s full balls smacked directly against his fleshy buttocks, and the cock thrust itself even further in.


    ¡°Ahh¡ª It, it¡¯s so hot¡­¡± Whimpering, Wu Xingzi hugged his belly. Under his palm was a bulge forced out by the man¡¯s cock. Guan Shanjin too was groaning in pleasure, and gripping onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist, he started fucking into him roughly.


    ¡°Slower¡­ Slow down a little¡­¡± The intense fucking caused Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes to roll to the back of his head, and his cries left him breathless.


    However, the man had not the slightest bit of intention in letting him off. Having finally entered such afortable ce, Guan Shanjin was like a beast that had lost all his rationality. With his thick, hard cock wrapped in such a warm, wet and tight sheath, and how the muscles there wrung and convulsed against him, it was a matchless pleasure, and he could only instinctively seek to push himself in even deeper and harder.


    The thrusts jolted Wu Xingzi continuously. Wailing, he sprawled across Guan Shanjin¡¯s broad chest. His face was smeared with both his saliva and tears, and each time Guan Shanjin lifted his hips up during the savage fucking, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body would twitch and jerk along. His tongue hung loose from his lips, and he seemed as though he was fucked stupid.


    The man¡¯s cock was truly worthy of being the Lanling Prince of pengornises. It was savage, vigorous and persistent, and it felt as though it was about to fuck right through him. Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly would periodically bulge out, showing where the cock was thrusting, and he felt as though his hole was about to turn swollen from the use.


    ¡°Lewd darling.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes had turned bloodshot from pleasure. He was like an unsatisfied beast, yet his action of lifting Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin up was very gentle, as though he was holding onto the world¡¯s most precious treasure. His heart overflowed with love for the older man, so much so that he did not know what to do.


    ¡°You baddie¡­¡± Experiencing the fierce, savage thrusts of the cock that found its entire way in each time, with teary eyes, Wu Xingzi gave Guan Shanjin a look of grievance.


    This expression was indescribably seductive. Guan Shanjin lowered his head, sucking the older man¡¯s tongue and giving a firm and satisfying kiss. Their lips melded together, their tongues danced together, and Guan Shanjin¡¯s kiss was just as brutal as his fucking. He swept his tongue across the soft cavern of Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth, then curled his own tongue against Wu Xingzi¡¯s, sucking and nibbling on it. Next, he slid his tongue further inside him, as though trying to reach down his throat. The kiss left Wu Xingzi whimpering and wailing, and only when the older man nearly could no longer breathe was Guan Shanjin then willing to pull back a little, nibbling on his kiss-swollen lips.


    Wu Xingzi was about to ck out from the ongoings. As for Guan Shanjin, one kiss was not enough. Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s chin, he did not wait for Wu Xingzi to catch his breath before pressing another deep kiss onto him. His cock did not rest either, each thrust going even harder than the previous one. Wu Xingzi¡¯s hole had already turned looser, and slick dripped continuously from it.


    Suddenly, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body tensed up. After a moment of stiffness, he iled and jerked wildly, almost falling from Guan Shanjin¡¯sp. The younger man¡¯s muscr arms tightened, keeping Wu Xingzi firmly against his chest. Very quickly, where the two people were joined together, a warm wetness could be felt. Looking down, Guan Shanjin discovered that as expected, Wu Xingzi had been fucked into squirting again. That little cock, unable to harden anymore, now contracted into itself, but fluid still continued to flow out.


    The old fellow remained spasming for quite some time. His eyes werepletely unfocused, while Guan Shanjin still continued fucking hard into him.


    Seeing Wu Xingzi¡¯s condition, Guan Shanjin did not dare to go too overboard. As such, he did not deliberately drag his pleasure on, and taking advantage of Wu Xingzi having yet to return to his senses, their flesh pped together a few hundred times more. This caused the old quail to start whimpering again, and only then did Guan Shanjin finally thrust all the way in for thest time, his cock hardening even more and spurting out what felt like scaldinge into Wu Xingzi¡­


    This time, Guan Shanjin was a little too excessive. After Wu Xingzi lost consciousness, he only woke up at 9am the next morning. Upon waking up, he was still very bleary. Foolishly, he sat there quietly on the bed, only returning to his senses after Guan Shanjin had hugged him and had carefully fed him most of the bowl of porridge.


    ¡°Is the porridge tasty?¡± Guan Shanjin had made sliced fish porridge. Each piece of fish was so delicate that it melted in the mouth, its vour fresh and sweet. Mixed into the porridge were also finely chopped cabbage leaves, its colour a bright, fresh green, and easy to eat. Naturally, it tasted excellent. After all, it was personally cooked by Guan Shanjin.


    Guan Shanjin was naturally deeply aware of Wu Xingzi¡¯s appetite. Just a single bowl could never even relieve a little of the old fellow¡¯s hunger.


    Seeing Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks regaining their rosiness, Guan Shanjin pinched his fleshy nose. ¡°I¡¯m going to get another bowl of porridge for you. We¡¯ll have other dishes when your belly¡¯s warmed up, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Ai.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded his head obediently. From Guan Shanjin, he scented a fragrance that whetted one¡¯s appetite, and he could not help but feel a sweetness welling up within him. From that smell, he understood that the man next to him had most definitely woken up early in the morning to prepare food for him.


    As expected, after Guan Shanjin brought Wu Xingzi a bowl of porridge, he asked him to have it by himself first, then headed back to the kitchen. After a moment of busyness, he brought out all the dishes that he had prepared. There were ten dishes in all, and it included everything from chicken, duck, fish, meat and vegetables, all of them Wu Xingzi¡¯s favourite ones.


    Guan Shanjin then embraced him from behind, and the two engaged in more daylight lewdness. If not for the two bowls of porridge, Wu Xingzi¡¯s belly would have ached from hunger.


    Guan Shanjin saw how Wu Xingzi licked his lips greedily, and could not help butugh. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s been a long while since I¡¯ve cooked for you. Quick, try some, and see if it¡¯s just as good as before.¡±


    Wu Xingzi nodded continuously. stered to Guan Shanjin, he sat down, picked up his bowl and started his attempt of sweeping the table clean.


    Although the table wasden with food, in the eyes of Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi, it was nothing. In less than the amount of time for a joss stick to burn away, even the gravy from the dishes had been emptied into Wu Xingzi¡¯s bowl to apany his rice. The old quail rubbed his belly in satisfaction, picking up his cup of freshly made tea and sipping on it.


    The dessert after the meal was almond jelly that Guan Shanjin had specially bought from a well-known, very established shop in the capital. It was simple and in, with no frills added to it. It was the colour of snow, looking very adorable as its delicious scent spread throughout the room.


    Only after finishing two cups of tea, did Wu Xingzi then pick up the bowl of almond jelly, and started eating. The almond vour was strong, his mouth filling with its fragrance the moment it hit his tongue. His eyes became half-lidded, as he sighed in pleasure.


    Guan Shanjin did not have as good an appetite as him, and so he pushed the bowl of almond jelly in front of him over to Wu Xingzi as well.


    Satiated, Wu Xingzi burped. A little embarrassed, he covered his mouth and sneaked a look at Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Apany me on a stroll around the yard, alright?¡± Guan Shanjin naturally would notugh at him. He had always been the biased sort, and when he doted on someone, every single one of their ws would still be very adorable in his eyes.


    Wu Xingzi nodded. Guan Shanjin held his hand out to Wu Xingzi, and Wu Xingzi ced his hand in his, their fingers interlocking tightly together.


    The afternoon¡¯s sun was not too hot. The Double Ninth Festival, happening in the month of September, wasing up, and the weather too was turning cooler.


    The two took a walk around the yard. Although neither of them spoke a single word, warmth and sweetness filled their hearts, and their hands, sped together, tightened a little more.


    ¡°What did you want to tell me yesterday?¡± Guan Shanjin asked abruptly.


    Wu Xingzi nked out for a moment, his face turning pink. ¡°Ai¡­ Wasn¡¯t it¡­ yesterday, in front of your mother, that I said that I liked your pengornis and face¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re regretting it now?¡± Amused, Guan Shanjin looked down at the older man, teasing him. He had long known that the thing Wu Xingzi had liked from the very beginning was his pengornis. If not for this treasure, passed down the Guan family line, being worthy enough, right now, he would still be unable to catch this lewd darling.


    Unexpectedly, Wu Xingzi actually nodded! This caused the smile on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face to crumble in an instant. The first thing that came to his mind was to set the Peng Society on fire, then dig out all the pengornises that had been seducing Wu Xingzi and deal with them!


    Completely unaware of the bloodthirst and savagery raging inside the man next to him, Wu Xingzi¡¯s feet came to a pause. In all earnestness, he held onto both of Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands. There was a shy expression on his face, yet his words were frank, ¡°Actually, the one I like is you, as a whole. Whether you¡¯re good or bad, I like everything about you. It has nothing to do with your pengornis.¡±


    Despite such a sudden, clumsy confession of feelings, Guan Shanjin still felt as though he had taken in a mouthful of honey, and even his heart was sweet.


    He was dazed for a moment, then, unable to control himself, he revealed a foolish grin. If the Lord Protector¡¯s wife were to see her son¡¯s current expression, she might have thought that her son¡¯s brain was damaged.


    Looking at Guan Shanjin¡¯s silly appearance, Wu Xingzi pressed his lips together in a smile. The two people looked at each other, neither of them willing to drag their eyes away.


    ¡°When this matter is over, I¡¯ll take you back to Bastion City. If you don¡¯t wish to remain in the General¡¯s estate the entire time, you can also go to the magistrate¡¯s office to look for a job. Bastion City is also in need of an adviser. What do you think about this?¡± Guan Shanjin could not help but pull Wu Xingzi into his arms. He yearned desperately to absorb him into his blood and bones, yet his actions were still very careful, his heart unable to bear giving the older man any pain.


    ¡°Mn.¡± Wu Xingzi returned the hug, pressing his face into Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest and nuzzling into it.


    The two of them were surrounded in a warm, intimate atmosphere. How good would it be if this moment couldst forever? Unfortunately, Guan Shanjin was not the sort to sink himself into his personal feelings. After a short while, he settled his own emotions, releasing Wu Xingzi and taking half a step back.


    Uprehending, Wu Xingzi looked up at him. Seeing the man¡¯s apologetic expression, he knew that there was proper business to be discussed.


    ¡°A few dayster, Guan Shanjin will be taken to jail.¡±


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes widened. He gripped tightly onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s clothes, momentarily feeling at a loss for what to do.

 Chapter 96 - Anxious and Uneasy

    Chapter 96 ¡ª Anxious and Uneasy


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    His heart aching, Guan Shanjin stroked Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Going to jail is something that has been discussed with the Emperor. Don¡¯t have such an expression, hmm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been discussed with the Emperor?¡± Wu Xingzi felt as though he had woken up from a dream. His face was ashen, and his grip on Guan Shanjin¡¯s clothes tightened. ¡°You decided to go to jail yourself?¡±


    Guan Shanjin did not expect that Wu Xingzi would hit the nail on the head. His brow furrowed slightly, and at that moment, he was unable to respond.


    How could Wu Xingzi not understand now? Guan Shanjin¡¯s current state was evident that his guess was correct! To not make a mistake at the critical moment, Guan Shanjin definitely had to decide to go to jail. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart pulsed with pain, and after a moment of hesitation, he stammered, ¡°C-can¡­ Can¡­¡± you let someone else go instead?


    But in the end, Wu Xingzi did not finish his question.


    He was well aware that as themanding general, when needed, he would have to personally take such risks. How else would he be able to let his soldiers submit to him? How else would he lead his army? With the Emperor on the outside, with Man Yue watching over everything, what reason did Guan Shanjin have to not enter the jail himself? Furthermore, if Yan Wenxin had arranged some sort of investigating method in jail, only Guan Shanjin would be able to break through it.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart brimmed with anxiety, and he was unable to give any words offort. Unknowingly, his eyes reddened slightly.


    Looking at him, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart hurt, and he hurriedly pulled the older man into his arms and patted him infort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve fought my way out of battles and wars, what sort of injuries and hardship have I not suffered before? Yan Wenxin¡¯s ws aren¡¯t that deeply dug in jail, and even if there were to be some questioning going on, it¡¯s no big deal. Don¡¯t worry about it, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    The hand patting his back was so very gentle, and warm like a spring breeze. Wu Xingzi hunched into himself, nodding glumly. However, he was unable to put away his worries, and he could not help but ask, ¡°Do you have any of your men situated in jail? Will there be any changes urring?¡±


    Guan Shanjinughed lightly, bowing his head and tapping on Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose, making a promise. ¡°There¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s men in jail, and they¡¯re also people I¡¯m familiar with. Naturally, there wouldn¡¯t be any big changes. You must believe me. If I can¡¯t evene out of jail, how could I have the dignity to defend the southern borders?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t say things like that¡­¡± Wu Xingzi frowned, clicking his tongue. These two things had nothing to do with each other, and listed in history books were many fellow generals who guarded the borders that died in jail. However, he did not say this out loud, as it was truly too inauspicious. ¡°Right, then what would happen to Ping Yifan?¡±


    ¡°Someone else will temporarily be disguised as Ping Yifan. When Guan Shanjin goes to jail, it would just be about time for him to leave the capital as well, and make a trip down south.¡± Guan Shanjin was still hugging Wu Xingzi, patting him. Still, the information he provided sent a chill down the older fellow¡¯s spine.


    ¡°You mean¡­ Ping Yifan is actually involved with the southern barbarians?¡±


    Guan Shanjin pondered for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself involved in this matter; the lesser you know, the better. Once Ping Yifan leaves, Yan Wenxin will definitely assign someone to watch you. For now, just remain in Rancui¡¯s ce, and do some farming and reading. I¡¯ll get someone to bring you that qin I gave you. Once I¡¯m out of jail, y a few pieces for me, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Thousands of words were contained within Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart, but he also understood that Guan Shanjin would not listen. Sighing, he feigned casualness and changed the topic. ¡°It was so unfortunate that Bai-gongzi abruptly stopped ying that day. Would I be able to have the chance to listen to him y again?¡±


    The hand on Wu Xingzi¡¯s waist tightened, but quickly let go. Guan Shanjinughed lowly and said, ¡°If you want to listen to the qin, I¡¯ll just y it for you. Forget all about what Bai-gongzi, Hei-gongzi and Huang-gongzi1! Other than your pengornis ranking list, if you were to have a qin musician ranking list, I¡¯m going to get jealous.¡±


    ¡°Ai, what are you getting jealous about¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear turned red from the heated breath brushing against it. He nced at him, answering obediently, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to y the qin. You must be careful in jail¡­¡±


    He paused, then continued, mumbling, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what happens to the others, I just wish that you¡¯re safe and sound.¡± This might be a little selfish, but it was his undeniable wish.


    A jolt shot through Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart. A momentter, he hoarsely made a promise. ¡°I will, there¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡±


    The two clung to each other for some time, then Guan Shanjin instructed Wu Xingzi to note looking for Ping Yifan in the next few days. If anything happened, Hei¡¯er would make sure of Wu Xingzi¡¯s safety, and bring him away.


    Back in Rancui¡¯s ce, Wu Xingzi was a little distracted. In his room was a qin, and it clearly was the one Guan Shanjin had gifted him in Bastion City.


    The in and smooth surface of the qin was warm to touch. His hand lingered among the strings, before finally clenching into a fist, as though he dared not touch it.


    When Guan Shanjin decided to do something, he would carry it out all the way until the end. Wu Xingzi understood that he would not be able to reverse anything, and so he could only carry on with his days as agreed, quietly waiting for the incident to ur.


    As expected, a few dayster, a huge wave rippled through the capital. The son of the Lord Protector, the previous Great Southern Garrison General, Guan Shanjin, due to colluding with the southern barbarians, had been taken to jail.


    When news of this spread through the capital, Wu Xingzi and the two girls were squatting in the garden and harvesting eggnts, nning to make fried eggnt slices in the afternoon.


    The two girls were like sparrows, their mouths chattering away about the news in the capital. In one morning, they managed to discuss all of yesterday¡¯s ongoings.


    Wu Xingzi was used to listening to the two girls chattering away with a smile. Sinceing back from Ping Yifan¡¯s ce, a few days had already passed. There seemed to be nothing mentioned on the streets with regards to the matters of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate. At the very most, people were only talking about how Young Master Bai, after entering the residence, seemed to be very well liked by the Lord Protector¡¯s wife, and they were now discussing a marriage with the Bai family. As for Guan Shanjin, who was usually a topic of conversation, nothing was heard about him, and it seemed as though he hadpletely vanished from the capital.


    Seeing that the basket was about to barely be able to hold any more eggnts in it, Wu Xingzi lifted the basket and stood up. ¡°Alright, just look at the two of you. Aren¡¯t you thirsty?¡± He scolded themughingly.


    Mint and Osmanthus simultaneously stuck their tongues out at him. One had a basket of beans in her hands, and the other had a basket of cucumbers. Standing up, they patted the dirt and dust off their skirts.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because Mr. Wu doesn¡¯t like to leave the house.¡± The two girls could have been said to have spared no effort, as they were worried that Wu Xingzi was not happy in the capital.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t your little tongues clever.¡± Wu Xingzi reached out, helping Osmanthus wipe a bit of mud off her face, a calmness in his heart. ¡°Take the vegetables and wash them, and we¡¯ll stew the beans and fry the eggnts at noon. I¡¯ll go ask Manager Rancui if he would like to join us for a meal.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Osmanthus immediately emptied the basket of beans into her sister¡¯s basket of cucumbers. She then took away the basket of eggnts from Wu Xingzi, and the two girls swiftly ran off to the kitchen.


    Wu Xingzi used what was left of the water to wash his hands and face. Turning around, just as he was about to head to Rancui¡¯s yard, unexpectedly, he came across Rancui walking over with Hei¡¯er.


    His heart inexplicably jumped. Thinking about what Guan Shanjin had told him a few days ago, he could not help but grip the cuffs of his sleeves, his face paling gradually.


    Seeing him like this, Rancui too had a rough idea. It was likely that a few days ago, Guan Shanjin had already spoken to Wu Xingzi about today¡¯s matter, and thus, he could save some of his efforts.


    ¡°Rancui.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice was very careful, afraid that if he was too loud, he would scare himself.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± Rancui still had carried an unparalleled smile, waving the basket in his hand. ¡°Here¡¯s some osmanthus cake.¡±


    Very quickly, Hei¡¯er took the basket, bowing towards Wu Xingzi respectfully. ¡°Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°Hei¡¯er.¡± Wu Xingzi revealed a nervous smile, tugging hard at his sleeves. ¡°I was just telling the girls, we¡¯ve harvested a lot of beans, eggnts and cucumbers, and lunch is going to be very satisfying, so I wanted to invite the two of you toe share it. Do Rancui and Hei¡¯er like stewed beans and fried eggnts?¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I¡¯m not picky about food, and I¡¯ll thank Mr. Wu first then.¡± Rancui pped his hands. His facial features were filled with charm, and with his gentle tone, one¡¯s heart was soothed.


    Hei¡¯er did not speak, but ced the osmanthus cake directly on a nearby bamboo table. This was where Wu Xingzi liked to rx. With a table and a few chairs, the area was simple yetfortable.


    Warmly, Rancui grabbed Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand and walked over to the table, sitting down. He wanted to start the conversation with some inconsequential matters, only for Wu Xingzi to speak up first. ¡°What happened to Haiwang?¡±


    Alright, Mr. Wu had always been very forting. Rancui¡¯s mouth fell half-open, finally picking up a piece of osmanthus cake, shoving it into his mouth and chewing on it.


    ¡°It has only just happened, and it¡¯ll probably spread through the entire capital in the afternoon, and throughout the entire Great Xia in a couple of days.¡± Rancui made a gesture at Hei¡¯er. Hei¡¯er did not look happy, but after seeing how tensed Wu Xingzi was, he still sighed quietly and left for the moment.


    When Hei¡¯er walked away, Rancui patted Wu Xingzi¡¯s hand that was almost about to dig through the table. ¡°Didn¡¯t Guan Shanjin mention it to you? About an hour ago, the Emperor had dered that he had colluded with the country¡¯s enemy, and was taken away to be tossed into jail. The trial will be held tomorrow. Due to the severity of the matter, the Emperor has assigned a few experienced and loyal ministers to be in charge of this matter.¡±


    ¡°Is Yan Wenxin one of them?¡± Wu Xingzi only realised that his voice was trembling after asking that question.


    ¡°No, Yan Wenxin is the Minister of State Affairs, and this is not under his responsibility.¡± Rancui again picked up another piece of osmanthus cake. Seeing Wu Xingzi rx slightly, he continued, a little wickedly, ¡°However, the Assistant Minister of War, the Assistant Minister of Punishments, and the Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review are all in cahoots with Yan Wenxin. Yan Wenxin has long had arge portion of control over the departments that will be in charge of this matter of Guan Shanjin.¡±


    Wu Xingzi shuddered violently. He stood up from his seat, wanting to rush out immediately, but was deftly held back by Rancui. ¡°Mr. Wu, don¡¯t be anxious!¡±


    ¡°W-what are we going to do? Haiwang told me that everything was under control.¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes were slightly red, and he was about to cry from anxiety. He had worked his entire life in the magistrate¡¯s office, and he knew quite a bit aboutwsuits and litigation. The Great Xia attached great importance to justice. Every trial had to adhere to procedures rigorously, and everyw in Great Xia could be said to be strict. But no matter how strict thews were, there were still many loopholes one could exploit. As long as Yan Wenxin had the intention to kill Guan Shanjin, the situation would only be even more tumultuous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. At most, Guan Shanjin would just have to endure some superficial injuries. As long as the Emperor doesn¡¯t approve, doesn¡¯t allow it, his life would most definitely still be his.¡± Rancui was very calm, and he pushed Wu Xingzi back to his chair. Pursing his lips, he said, ¡°Although generations of the Lord Protector¡¯s family have always been officials, and they never had formed an alliance with any other officials, they have always been the Emperor¡¯s right-hand men. The Emperor¡¯s men are all their men, and no matter how capable Yan Wenxin is, he would never be able to win the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°This is not a matter of winning or losing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi kept pinching his palm. For the past few days, he had deliberately refused to recall the things Guan Shanjin had told him that day, pretending that Guan Shanjin was fine. As long as there was no news, that was the best news there could be. However, how could this incident allow him to hide inside his shell?


    That day, Guan Shanjin had clearly made light of the dangers of the matter, afraid that he would worry.


    Still, now that things were like this, other than quietly waiting, there was nothing else he could do.


    At noon, Rancui and Hei¡¯er remained for lunch. However, Wu Xingzi was clearly distracted, and he did not touch much of the food. With his head bowed, he furiously shovelled rice into his mouth, and only stopped after finishing five big bowls.


    Rancui could not bear to watch him like this. Drinking a mouthful of wine, he sighed, ¡°Mr. Wu, for now, why don¡¯t you learn to y the qin from me? When the Generales out from jail, you can then y the qin for him and soothe his heart?¡±


    Wu Xingzi brightened. He recalled the promise he had shared with Guan Shanjin, and immediately nodded continuously, agreeing to Rancui. The anxiety in his heart too finally abated a little.


    Days went on like this. In the morning, Wu Xingzi would tend to his darling garden. After lunch, he would take a nap, then go to Rancui¡¯s yard and learn to y the qin for two hours. When that was all done, he would return to his own yard and practice ying, only stopping when it was dinnertime.


    The situation of the Lord Protector¡¯s son, changing overnight, had be the talk of the town. The once highly regarded hero now, in everyone¡¯s eyes, had turned into a treacherous and evil traitor. For his own benefits, he took advantage of the loophole of being situated far from the Emperor¡¯s eyes, selling his own country to the enemies. He had to be punished, his crime was unforgivable!


    At first, the two girls would still go about the streets and get more information. After a few days, they too were unwilling to go out anymore. How could they not know what the General had done to safeguard Bastion City? These people in the capital were only making irresponsible remarks, ndering the General, insulting him with everything they had, but did anyone of them actually ask the citizens of Bastion City anything? They suppressed the rage in their hearts, wishing that they could just grab those people vilifying the General and p them hard!


    Somehow or another, Guan Shanjin had already spent half a month in jail. Wu Xingzi¡¯s fingers too had been slightly injured from ying the qin. Rancui could not bear to see this, and so he confiscated his qin, only returning it when his injuries had healed.


    With no other choice, Wu Xingzi spent the entire day in his yard in a daze.


    ¡°Master, someone would like to see you.¡± One day, Mint rushed towards him with her skirts raised slightly. Her little face was bright red, and she was clearly nervous.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Mint bit her lip, speaking quietly, ¡°It¡¯s Vice General Man.¡±

 Chapter 97 - What Was Man Yue Doing Here?!

    Chapter 97 ¡ª What Was Man Yue Doing Here?!


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Man Yue? Wu Xingzi leapt up from his chair, bewildered. He understood it was impossible for Man Yue to deliberately visit him when so many people were watching, and thus knew that Guan Shanjin must have met with a huge problem.


    ¡°Quick, quickly let Vice General Man in.¡± Wu Xingzi did not know where the spies were. Despite feeling so anxious that all he wanted to do was run out to meet Man Yue, he had to try his best to calm himself down by controlling his breathing.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Mint nodded her head continuously, bounding out of the yard like a little rabbit.


    Wu Xingzi paced around his room, regretting that at that time, he did not spend more time persuading Guan Shanjin to be more careful. Yan Wenxin was a vicious man, and he held great power in court. Even if Guan Shanjin had the Emperor behind his back, protecting him, but to lure the wolf, he was only a receable pawn.


    In jail, Guan Shanjin was alone and without aid. With Yan Wenxin watching him closely, with his ws unsheathed, could it be, could it be¡­ Wu Xingzi was frightened by the wild spection running through his head. His legs buckling under him, he fell back into his seat.


    Man Yue happened to enter right then.


    ¡°Vice General Man?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s voice was trembling. He was like a quail huddling into itself in the rain, pale and haggard-looking.


    Man Yue was dressed in a simple shuhe, his usual smile still present on his round face.


    ¡°Mr. Wu.¡± Cupping his hands towards Wu Xingzi, he noticed that Wu Xingzi was suffering quite a fright, and quickly poured out a cup of tea and handed it to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, calm down. If the General were to know that I¡¯ve scared you, he¡¯d definitely y me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Trembling, Wu Xingzi epted the cup of tea, taking a few sips. It was only then did his heart manage to settle down. The smile on Man Yue¡¯s face too had allowed him to feel more at ease.


    Only after Man Yue saw that Wu Xingzi had calmed down, his face regaining a bit of colour, did he then sit down next to him. Not standing on courtesy, he poured himself a cup of tea.


    ¡°Vice General Man¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to remain on courtesy, Mr. Wu, you can just call me Man Yue.¡± After all, in the future, Wu Xingzi would be the spouse of his boss. If Wu Xingzi were to keep calling him Vice General Man, Man Yue somewhat could not bear that honour.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was not in the mood to hold on to courtesies with Man Yue. He only wanted to know if Guan Shanjin was facing any trouble. ¡°Man Yue, today, you came¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Man Yue looked at Wu Xingzi with a smile, quickly emptying the cup in his hand. After wiping away the sweat on his forehead, he finally said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big issue. It¡¯s just that the General is worried that you¡¯re very anxious over the matter, and so asked me toe over and inform you that he¡¯s well. He says that everything is fine, and the jail can even be considered quitefortable.¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine?¡± Upon hearing that, Wu Xingzi frowned. If everything was truly fine, why was there a need for Man Yue toe here to tell him that, taking the risk of being discovered by Yan Wenxin? For the past few days, Wu Xingzi had been carefully thinking about this matter over and over again. Ping Yifan had something to do with the southern barbarians, while Yan Wenxin had framed Guan Shanjin and caused him tond in jail. The most possible exnation was that Yan Wenxin and Ping Yifan were working together, having illicit dealings with the southern barbarians, and Yan Wenxin would beying the me for this at Guan Shanjin¡¯s feet. The Emperor and Guan Shanjin were thus turning his scheme against him, taking this opportunity to dig out evidence of Yan Wenxin¡¯s schemes.


    As for Wu Xingzi, being the lover of Ping Yifan, to prevent Ping Yifan from betraying him, Yan Wenxin would definitely want to keep an eye on him. At this moment, who knew how many people were watching him?


    Man Yue was such a capable and intelligent person, to the extent that Guan Shanjin could feel at ease having Man Yue watching his back. Hence, it was definitely not possible for Guan Shanjin to want Man Yue to take the risk toe see him. If this was to be discovered by Yan Wenxin¡¯s people, their n might just fall apart, and Guan Shanjin would never be able to wash away the me that was forced on him.


    Gaining a clearer understanding, Wu Xingzi became even more anxious. Staring at Man Yue, his eyes burned, yet he was unable to say anything severe. He could only ask softly, ¡°Is Haiwang truly fine?¡±


    ¡°At the very least, he won¡¯t die.¡± Man Yue smiled again.


    This was not an answer that would give one relief. Wu Xingzi¡¯s expression crumbled.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, don¡¯t worry. Since Man Yue hase to look for you, it means that we¡¯re not at the end of our rope yet.¡± Man Yue saw the dried fruit and snacks on the table, and asked Wu Xingzi if he could eat them. After getting permission, he happily started eating, not standing on courtesy.


    ¡°Although you¡¯re not at the end of your rope, there are still many obstacles in your way, right?¡± Wu Xingzi forced himself to calm down, picking up a piece of pine nut candy and eating it.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Man Yue openly admitted to it. His round chin wobbled a little as he sighed. ¡°On a serious note, we can actually force our way through this current situation, but the Emperor wishes for us to provide some leeway. It¡¯s hard to defy the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Provide some leeway?¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but feel angry, his hand on his knee clenching into a fist. Just like this, Guan Shanjin had to follow orders and go to jail. Now, in the capital and most of Great Xia, who would not spit and curse upon hearing about the Lord Protector¡¯s son? In the future, even if the Emperor pulled him out of jail, issuing an edict that proimed Guan Shanjin¡¯s innocence, his ruined reputation would not be able to return to its original state! Why did the Emperor not provide Guan Shanjin any leeway instead?!


    Man Yue nced at Wu Xingzi. Seeing through to the grievance in his heart, the smile on Man Yue¡¯s face became more sincere.


    ¡°Does Mr. Wu know of Bai Shaochang-gongzi?¡± Man Yue straightened up, focusing his attention on Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°I do. Hasn¡¯t he been moved into the Lord Protector¡¯s estate?¡± Guan Shanjin refused to tell him why he would deliberately entangle himself with Young Master Bai, and Wu Xingzi himself was unable toe up with a guess either.


    ¡°So Mr. Wu knows about this.¡± Man Yue frowned a little, studying Wu Xingzi without revealing his thoughts. Still, he did not see anything other than worry on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face, and only then did he cautiously ask, ¡°I had thought that the General did not share the matter of Bai-gongzi with Mr. Wu.¡±


    ¡°Haiwang did not mention it, it was Yan Wenxin who told me about it.¡± Wu Xingzi was his usual frank self.


    ¡°Yan Wenxin?¡± Man Yue sneered when he heard that. ¡°This person¡¯s hand can really stretch very far.¡±


    He then pursed his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, Mr. Wu. The General and Bai-gongzi share no personal rtions.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded seriously. He would never doubt Guan Shanjin¡¯s promises and feelings for him. He was not a fool, so how could he not be able to see Guan Shanjin¡¯s sincerity for himself? ¡°What happened to Bai-gongzi?¡±


    ¡°Bai-gongzi¡­¡± Man Yue sighed deeply, his round and plump body looking a little deted. ¡°Has Mr. Wu ever heard about the gossip between Bai-gongzi and the son of the Defender Duke?¡±


    ¡°Mint and Osmanthus have mentioned it to me before. So, there¡¯s really something going on between Bai-gongzi and the Defender Duke¡¯s son?¡± Wu Xingzi was astonished. In the rumours, it was always imed that nothing had happened between Young Master Bai and the Defender Duke¡¯s son. Due to this matter, the Defender Duke¡¯s son had even been reproached by the Emperor.


    ¡°Not entirely.¡± Man Yue rubbed his chin, his tone a little annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not false that the Defender Duke¡¯s son, Du Fei, likes Bai Shaochang, but Bai Shaochang dislikes Du Fei very much, and naturally would not put on a friendly front for him. The incident of snatching him off the streets did happen, but Du Fei actually did not seed. Midway, someone had interrupted his n, and his admiration too turned rancid. It could be considered that he had lost both the battle and the war, and it totally fits Du Fei¡¯s character.¡±


    ¡°So, who was the one who saved Bai-gongzi?¡± Wu Xingzi had an idea, but he hoped that he was only overthinking things.


    Shooting him a look, Man Yue had a smile curling around his lips. ¡°Mr. Wu has guessed it for himself, hasn¡¯t he? It was Yan Wenxin.¡±


    Wu Xingzi pressed lightly against his own chest, only managing to take a breath after some time.


    It really was Yan Wenxin!


    ¡°So, Haiwang knew very well that the person in Bai Shaochang¡¯s heart was Yan Wenxin, but he still moved him into the Lord Protector¡¯s residence on purpose?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s soft voice quaked, and a swath of fire raged up within him. ¡°The evidence showing that Haiwang was coborating with the enemies was secretly nted by Bai-gongzi?¡±


    Man Yue gave Wu Xingzi a look of startlement, not expecting that he would be able to get a hold of the situation so quickly. ¡°Yes, the General feigned closeness with Bai Shaochang, leaving a hole in his defense for Bai Shaochang to enter. All those letters and messages with the southern barbarians had been secretly nted in the secret chamber of the General¡¯s study by Bai Shaochang. When that was done, we then let Yan Wenxin disclose the matter to the Emperor, and our trap wasid.¡±


    Half-copsed on his chair, Wu Xingzi gasped for air. He was angry, and yet his heart still ached. He desperately wanted to go forward to Guan Shanjin right now and scold him, how could he haveid such a trap that would implicate him like that? If only one mistake were to ur in the entire process, Yan Wenxin would have a way to kill him off in jail.


    ¡°Bai Shaochang refuses to admit that he was the one who did it?¡± Now that the conversation had turned to this point, what else would Wu Xingzi not understand? From the start, Guan Shanjin¡¯s n was to firsty a trap for Bai Shaochang, then force him to admit who was the one instructing him to do so, and take the opportunity to gather oral evidence for Yan Wenxin¡¯s crimes.


    After all, it was not false that Ping Yifan had dealings with the southern barbarians. However, Yan Wenxin was very careful, never stepping forward in the dealings personally, and never giving himself away. The messages and letters ofmunication found in the Yue family¡¯s manor previously could not even be linked to Huaixiu.


    If there was no genuine evidence that could point to Yan Wenxin being the mastermind, at the very most, Huaixiu would be the only one who would be caught and dealt with. However, how could Yan Wenxin just have Huaixiu alone helping him?


    ¡°There is evidence of Bai Shaochang sneaking into the secret chamber of the study room and falsifying the letters and messages, but he refused to admit that there was someone behind him instructing him. Instead, he insisted that everything was just him being overwhelmed and making a mistake. He¡¯s unwilling to be life partners with the General, but his father is forcing him to ept it. So, he thought that if he were to create a storm and let the General be captured, he would thus be able to go home.¡± Man Yue sneered, hatred visible in his eyes. ¡°Baioye has long shared a personal rtionship with the Emperor, and the title of the No. 1 Qin yer was also gifted to him by the Emperor. Who in Great Xia does not know that to the Emperor, Baioye is unlike the rest? The Emperor too could be considered to have watched Bai-gongzi grow up, and towards the younger generation, the Emperor would always be softhearted.¡±


    Man Yue¡¯s words were filled with a sort of sourness, and Wu Xingzi too felt sour along with him.


    The Emperor had also watched Guan Shanjin grow up, but Bai Shaochang could grow up in the sheltered environment of the capital, while Guan Shanjin had been fighting and killing his way through the battlefield at the age of twelve. In the end, for the peace of Great Xia, he even willingly became the Emperor¡¯s pawn. No matter how difficult the journey, how arduous the task, he never once frowned. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart truly ached, and it ached so much that he nearly teared up.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± Half a month had already passed, and it was no wonder that Guan Shanjin wanted Man Yue to report to Wu Xingzi that he was fine. It was clear that the younger man had wanted tofort him.


    ¡°The General wishes for you to not worry, and the identity of Ping Yifan is still useful. Although Yan Wenxin is very cautious, he has his fingers in too many pies. There will be an instance where he will end up exposing himself, but until then, it¡¯s feared that the General will have to continue remaining in jail. He¡¯s living quite well, and Mr. Wu does not have to worry.¡±


    How could he not worry? Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart was filled with anxiety. If Man Yue were to just go back like this, and he were to just continue hiding in Rancui¡¯s residence, in less than two days, his anxiety was bound to cause sores to grow on his mouth.


    Wu Xingzi saw that Man Yue intended to leave, so he hurriedly reached out and stopped him. ¡°Hold on, hold on, can you let me meet Bai Shaochang secretly? Perhaps I may be of use.¡± Knowing that Bai Shaochang and Yan Wenxin shared a love affair, Wu Xingzi had a spection. He only needed to meet Bai Shaochang to prove it.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ The General does not wish to involve Mr. Wu in this matter. If something were to happen to you, I¡¯m afraid that the General would end up destroying half of Great Xia.¡± Man Yue stammered a refusal, conflict evident upon his honest-looking face, which distracted one from seeing the darkness in his eyes.


    ¡°It will be fine. If you¡¯re able to secretlye see me, then it means that you definitely have a way to let me secretly meet Bai Shaochang. Vice General Man, I¡¯m not an insensible youth, and I definitely won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± Wu Xingzi clung onto Man Yue, refusing to let go. He knew that Guan Shanjin wanted to keep him safe, but when he was suffering, how could Wu Xingzi sit by and watch? He too did not wish to be pulled along by the nose.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Letting you meet Bai Shaochang secretly can be done, but what do you n to do? His affection for Yan Wenxin is very deep, and he would rather die than give up his lover.¡± Man Yue pursed his lips, clearly disapproving of Bai Shaochang¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen many people deeply in love.¡± Seeing that Man Yue had given in, a tiny, wry smile appeared on Wu Xingzi¡¯s face. ¡°I met them all at the magistrate¡¯s office.¡±

 Chapter 98 - Adviser Wu’s Short Story

    Chapter 98 ¡ª Adviser Wu¡¯s Short Story


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Meeting Bai Shaochang again after a span of a few months, Wu Xingzi inexplicably felt that life was truly variable.


    The ce where Bai Shaochang was confined was right within the Lord Protector¡¯s estate. The interrogation was being held secretly, and the ministers presiding over Guan Shanjin¡¯s case did not know about this interrogation at all. It was the Emperor, Guan Shanjin, and the Emperor¡¯s other subjects who were working together toy a trap for Yan Wenxin, attempting to see if they were able to get any useful evidence from Bai Shaochang¡¯s lips.


    As Guan Shanjin¡¯s right-hand man, this important responsibility naturally fell upon Man Yue¡¯s shoulders. His aplishment was fairly decent as well, as he had at least managed to force Bai Shaochang to admit that the evidence he had nted was all fabricated. Unfortunately, although Bai Shaochang was of a refined, elegant nature, he was very stubborn. His face had been frightened pale a number of times during the interrogation, but still, despite trembling in fear, he still insisted on his previous testimony, refusing to change it.


    Man Yue truly had no more tricks up his sleeve, and that was why he had turned his eyes towards Wu Xingzi. Unlike his big boss, he did not see the need to shelter and protect Mr. Wu like how Guan Shanjin did. In his eyes, for Wu Xingzi to be able to survive twenty years in the magistrate¡¯s office, he definitely had an extraordinary finesse and temperament.


    With a path avable and yet not choosing to take it, one would bebelled as a fool. Man Yue was unwilling to waste too much time, just in case more difficulties were to crop upter. If everything were to fail at the veryst minute, what were they going to do? With his current method, at the most, when Guan Shanjin was out of jail, Man Yue would immediately return to Bastion City and hide.


    The two people entered the Lord Protector¡¯s estate through a secret passageway. The people Yan Wenxin had assigned to watch over Wu Xingzi did not notice that anything was wrong at all, and they thought that just like usual, Wu Xingzi was quietly hiding in Rancui¡¯s ce and spending his days there.


    Bai Shaochang was staying in Changyou Yard, located in the west part of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate. After the incident had urred, he remained living there. Although his movements were watched, and he was not allowed to leave the estate, everything else still seemed the same.


    It seemed like Yan Wenxin had no worries about Bai Shaochang. Man Yue and Guan Shanjin¡¯s personal guards had secretly examined all the people living in thepound a number of times, but they had never found any of Yan Wenxin¡¯s spies. The secret guards too had reported that there were no spies from the Yan family estate.


    How carefree. He was basically looking down on Guan Shanjin. Man Yue was angered into sneering.


    He understood, this meant that Yan Wenxin had a firm grip on Bai Shaochang and he pretty much was not afraid that things would go beyond his expectations here. However, it was also Yan Wenxin¡¯s negligence that allowed Man Yue to find out the weakest link.


    ¡°It¡¯s safe in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate. You can just hide outside the window and sneak a few looks. Once you¡¯ve noticed that something is wrong, just go ahead and let me know.¡± Man Yue led Wu Xingzi outside of the bedroom where Bai Shaochang was confined. At this timing, Young Master Bai was usually seated in front of the qin in a daze. It had been many days since he had yed the qin.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded vigorously. He wiped his palm, covered in sweat from his nervousness, on his leg. After touching a fingertip to his tongue, he carefully tore a hole in the paper window, peeping inside.


    Just as Man Yue had expected, Bai Shaochang was seated in front of a qin. He was staring at his beloved qin in a daze, and hisplexion was very poor, even a little ashen.


    He still looked as ethereal as before. Due to his thin figure, he looked even more delicate in his loose robes. Looking at him, Wu Xingzi could not help but be curious about whether he had some sort of fixation about the colour white. Why else would he never have any other colour on him at all?


    At the edges of his sleeves were embroideries done with white thread, and they would not be noticeable without paying close attention. His hairpin was made entirely of snow-white jade, and the thin belt around his waist also as white as snow. Rather than saying that the young man was as fair as jade, one could also say that the man was terrifyingly pale.


    What could be seen of Bai Shaochang¡¯s skin seemed to hold no colour at all either. His lips were pressed tightly together, and some colour was finally found there.


    It seemed as though only his eyes and hair were ck. A bright, shiny ck; so ck that it was enchanting.


    Wu Xingzi liked to look at beautiful men. His worry over Guan Shanjin was not false, but somehow or another, he was still attracted to Bai Shaochang¡¯s ethereal, unworldly appearance.


    ¡°Mr. Wu?¡± Man Yue could not help but ask after getting no reaction from Wu Xingzi at all.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Wu Xingzi was jerked back to reality. Quickly, he turned to nce at Man Yue, shame and self-reproach on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I, I¡­¡±


    He rubbed his nose, reminding himself to buck up.


    Again, he peeped through the hole in the window. This time, Wu Xingzi had finally discovered that Bai Shaochang seemed to be tightly holding on to something in his hand. It turned out that he was not staring at his qin in a daze, but was gazing at the item in his hand, the expression on his face containing both sadness and joy.


    Unfortunately, the item was not big, and it fit perfectly within Bai Shaochang¡¯s hand. From such a distance, it could not be seen clearly, and it could only be vaguely made out what colour the item was. It was not something very brightly coloured, and it seemed to be a little old.


    Wu Xingzi frowned, pondering over it for a moment. He then stepped away from the window, signalling at Man Yue to retreat a distance before he finally spoke. ¡°Man Yue, I have a presumptuous request, I need to trouble you to find someone to take a trip.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead, Mr. Wu. Even if the Lord Protector¡¯s estate were to be inck of anything, it would neverck manpower.¡± Hearing Wu Xingzi¡¯s words, Man Yue¡¯s spirits lifted a little.


    It seemed like there was a n!


    ¡°25 kilometres north of Goose City, there¡¯s a little county called Tongkou County. In the south of the county, there¡¯s a merchant selling sundries, called Xia Dageng. Please, may you send someone to bring him and his wife here, as well as all the perfume sachets that he has in stock. Just tell him that Adviser Wu of Qingcheng County would like to seek his help, and he would definitelye along with you.¡± Wu Xingzi gave careful instructions.


    Hearing that, slight confusion appeared on Man Yue¡¯s face.


    However, Man Yue did not probe any further. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a footboy and gave him some instructions. The footboy then cupped his hands towards Wu Xingzi with a look of gratefulness, before sprinting off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The shortest amount of time it¡¯ll take is six or seven days, and the longest eight to nine days. We¡¯ll definitely be able to bring them here.¡± Man Yue¡¯s guarantee did not put Wu Xingzi at ease. Thinking about Guan Shanjin still having to stay so many days in jail, his heart could not help but feel troubled.


    Probably because he saw Wu Xingzi¡¯s anxiety, Man Yue brought him to his own room, pouring out a cup of tea and passing it to him. ¡°Have something to drink, and put yourself at ease.¡±


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Distractedly, Wu Xingzi started sipping at the cup. He then gave a gusty sigh, as though he was attempting to exhale his lungs through his mouth.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, may I ask a question?¡±


    ¡°Ah, go ahead, go ahead.¡± Wu Xingzi adjusted his seat, a blush apparent on his face.


    ¡°What sort of rtionship does Mr. Wu have with this Xia Dageng?¡± Just by hearing this name, one could not help but think of certain scious things1. This was especially so when knowing that the person in front of him liked to collect drawings of pengornises. Since his boss was currently not in any sort of danger in jail, Man Yue now had the time for a leisurely chat.


    ¡°He owes me a favour.¡± Wu Xingzi pressed his lips together, smiling, but his face was a little embarrassed.


    ¡°A favour?¡± Now, Man Yue was even more curious. He leant forward slightly, his eyes shining so bright that Wu Xingzi averted his gaze unconsciously.


    ¡°Ai, it¡¯s only a small matter, nothing worth mentioning. It can be considered, considered that I did something a little underhanded and helped him entrap another person.¡± Wu Xingzi could not help but redden when talking about this. It was not because he felt that he did something bad then, but just that it was a little shameful to mention such little scheming tricks in front of Man Yue, as those tricks would only work on uncultured vigers who knew nothing of the world.


    However, unable to bear Man Yue¡¯s encouragement, along with the freshly steamed osmanthus cake that had just been served, Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth was finally pried open.


    It was only a small conflict amongst vigers.


    Blushing, Wu Xingzi bit into a piece of the osmanthus cake, before he started narrating.


    It turned out that about nearly twenty years ago, even a little ce like Qingcheng County had met with some fortune, though people could not decide if it was good or bad. There was a rich man from Sun City, one of the most prosperous cities in the south of Great Xia, who liked a piece ofnd in the east of Qingcheng County, near the water. The rich man, bringing along seven or eight fengshui masters with him, had walked along entire rivers of the south before finding thisnd of excellent fengshui.


    As for Wu Xingzi, whether that piece ofnd had good fengshui or not, mostymen like him would not know. However, it was close enough to the river, and when the rains were a little heavy, the ce would even be flooded.


    Due to his innate kindness, Wu Xingzi tried to persuade the magistrate to not sell that piece ofnd to outsiders who did not understand they of thend. However, the magistrate himself was an outsider, and hepletely did not know how serious the flooding could be. As such, he still sold thend.


    It could just about be considered a thing to celebrate about. The county received some money, while the rich man received a piece ofnd he thought was perfect for him. Very quickly, the rich man started construction on thend, building a fairnd with pavilions and whimsicality.


    Perhaps the heavens pitied Qingcheng County for having endured so many years of hardship, and so during the seven months of construction, as well as the two years the rich man had spent living there with his beautiful concubines, not a single flood had urred.


    It was just that while living in Qingcheng County, not only did the rich man not bring any benefits to the county, he even stirred up quite a bit of trouble. Putting aside other daily necessities, most people in the county had originally thought, considering the distance of Qingcheng County from everywhere else, despite how poor thend was, the vegetables they grew were not too bad! Selling them in Goose City, the farmers were able to get quite a good price for them. The only issue was that the volume they could produce was too little, and it was utterly inadequate.


    Now, things were looking up. With a rich man moving here, there would at least be about seven to eight people living in that household, and they had got to eat, right?! Perhaps, they might even be able to raise the prices of their produce? However, dreams were only dreams. The rich manpletely had no intentions of eating such cheap, local vegetables. From far away ces, he would transport carts and carts of goods. There were cabbages that cost five silver taels each, beans that cost seven silver taels per handful, a chicken with colourful feathers that cost five gold taels each and many more ingredients that the vigers had never seen before. Everyday, the unfinished food would be poured into the river, and it was heard that even their rice was a sort that cost one gold tael per six kilograms.


    Although this river was not the main one that residents of Qingcheng County used for their daily needs, there were still families who relied on this river to survive. To see food waste and grease floating past them every day, they did not know how they could be able to continue using this river anymore, and thus suffered even greater hardship.


    Other than the river, another thing that made the residents of Qingcheng County even more furious was the servants that the rich man had brought along. Despite being servants, they all behaved as though they were above the rest. During their asional outings to the county market, they would always create all sorts of trouble. Today, a stall in the east would be destroyed by them; tomorrow, they would harass a girl from a family in the west; the day after that, they would push a granny from a family in the south and her grandson would be so angry that he would fight them, only for them to beat him back. The entire county was thrown into chaos.


    However, the magistrate had mped his ears shut, pretending that none of this was going on. He had only just reached twenty years of age, with an ordinary education and an ordinary family. After being assigned to such a remote, far away ce, all he wanted to do was quickly muddle through these six years and leave, as being assigned anywhere else would still be better than Qingcheng County.


    Xia Dageng, a merchant, woulde to Qingcheng County annually and stay there for a month to sell his goods. It just so happened that he came across the rich man strolling about with his neen concubines, and his stall was destroyed and he was beaten up.


    This Xia Dageng could be considered to have quite a backbone. Despite being beaten up, with injuries all over, he did not make a sound at all. This angered the rich man greatly, as he felt as though he was unable to disy his might and was being belittled by this little merchant. Rage rushed to his head and he immediately decided that he would report this to the magistrate¡¯s office, stamping out this tiny little ant, and show off his might.


    ¡°So, he sought you out to write an indictment for him?¡± Man Yue was listening with great pleasure, and he even forgot to eat the osmanthus cake.


    Wu Xingzi nodded, replying softly, ¡°The rich man looked for me, only because there were not many people in Qingcheng County who could read or write. He himself actually did not know how to read and write as well. It waster on I learnt that he came to Qingcheng County not because of the fengshui, but because he was no longer able to remain in Sun City any longer.¡±


    ¡°He was a nouveau riche and exuded a strong air of crudeness and unculturedness. After bing rich, very quickly, he had lost his sensibilities. Not only did he terrorise others, he had quite a number ofwsuits as well. However, his wife was a very impressive woman and helped him brush everything off. In the end, she even made her husband into a proper head of the household, and so this was actually his first timeing to the local authorities.¡±


    Man Yue pped his hands,ughing. ¡°What an excellent person! So how did you deal with him?¡±


    In response, Wu Xingzi scratched his nose, replying embarrassedly with his head bowed, ¡°I told him that I had many duties to attend to, and I was afraid that I would not be able to immediately help him take on the matter. If the tasks that the magistrate had assigned were notpleted, everyone would be punished. Feeling anxious and choking on his anger from the incident, he insisted that I help him find a capable person to rece me. I tried to put him off a few times, but in the end failed to do so; so I told him that there were not many people in Qingcheng County who could read and write. ording to what I had heard, apparently, Auntie Li¡¯s second son was quite well educated.¡±


    Auntie Li¡¯s second son? Man Yue searched his memories, and his eyes could not help but widen as he looked at Wu Xingzi in disbelief.


    That Auntie Li was Qingcheng County¡¯s most gossipy woman, and she often targeted her vicious tongue at Wu Xingzi, even daring to say all sorts of disgusting things. Auntie Liu could never get along with her, and they were like fire and water. She did have a son who had gone to school, and she always wanted to let her own son rece Wu Xingzi as the county adviser, to bring honour to her family. Unfortunately, the second Li son did know how to read, but he never studied well. Even when he was thirty years of age, he did not even pass the most basic examinations, let alone being a schr.


    Wu Xingzi hadid a trap for the rich man!


    Things went on as expected. The rich man was not a fool, and he naturally went around asking about the second Li son¡¯s education. The number of people who could read and write in Qingcheng County added up to less than the fingers on two hands, and to the residents of Qingcheng County, being able to read was already very impressive. Along with how Auntie Li had been both overtly and subtly dissing Wu Xingzi and praising her son, there were really quite a number of people who thought that the second Li son was quite well educated, and was being suppressed by Adviser Wu.


    Delighted, the rich man took his money to the Li family, asking the second Li son to write an indictment for him.


    As for Wu Xingzi, after sending the rich man away, he turned and went to seek out Xia Dageng instead. He exined that he would write an indictment for him, seeking awsuit against the rich man, and he would definitely help him fight back and get some money to see to his injuries.


    Although Xia Dageng was a little doubtful, Wu Xingzi looked too earnest. Caught up in the moment, he agreed.


    The next day, the rich man happily took the indictment written by the second Li son, dragging along his newly hiredwyer ¡ª who was also the second Li son ¡ª to the magistrate¡¯s office. Heined that Xia Dageng was cheating money by selling shoddy items, and after being exposed, he even beat people up. The rich man thought that with the capable second Li son, who was second to none in Qingcheng County and whom even Adviser Wu was jealous about, as his backing, together with his own money and power, he would definitely be able to make things so difficult for Xia Dageng that death would be preferable to living.


    Who would have thought that after seeing the indictment, the magistrate would look hesitant and instinctively direct his eyes towards Wu Xingzi. As the adviser, Wu Xingzi immediately leant over, exchanging some words with the magistrate. Next, the rich man and the second Li son were both given ten smacks on their buttocks each. Wailing and crying like pigs being killed, their mouths were stuffed shut by the magistrate and they were chased out of the magistrate¡¯s office.


    ¡°Thews of Great Xia state that official documents, indictments, progress reports and other court papers have to meet certain specifications, and there are no mistakes allowed. If there are any mistakes, a light punishment would be ten hits of the rod, and a harsher punishment would be the imprisonment of all three generations of their family.¡± Wu Xingzi picked up another piece of osmanthus cake, nibbling away at it with his two front teeth. Feeling extremely embarrassed, he mumbled, ¡°My actions went a little overboard.¡±

 Chapter 99 - Someone Is Vomiting Blood

    Chapter 99 ¡ª Someone Is Vomiting Blood


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Later on, as for what happened between the rich man and the second Li son, Wu Xingzi did not concern himself with it. He handed the written indictment over to Xia Dageng, then introduced him to a very capable retiredwyer in Goose City. They won their case against the rich man, getting dozens of taels aspensation. Wu Xingzi then found a way to pass this matter to the rich man¡¯s wife. Very quickly, the rich man soon packed up and left Qingcheng County, and it was not known how his wife dealt with him.


    With a fortune falling out from the sky, as well as being able to vent his grievance, Xia Dageng was naturally very thankful to Wu Xingzi. He pounded his chest, dering that he would be willing to do anything for him. As long as Wu Xingzi made a request, he would never refuse it.


    Smiling, Wu Xingzi epted the gratitude, but he had never thought about wanting to get anything out of Xia Dageng. He believed that as the adviser of Qingcheng County, it was expected that having spent his days relying on the kindness of the people, he would of course settle any troubles for them. Xia Dageng was very grateful, but he had also made use of Xia Dageng as well, so he felt that Xia Dageng need not be so thankful towards him.


    However, unexpectedly, after twenty years, he would still need to seek a favour from him.


    Man Yue consoled him. Since Xia Dageng did not forget his kindness from twenty years ago, it could be said that this was an opportunity for him to pay back the favour owed.


    With the tea done and the story over, the te of osmanthus cake was also emptied.


    Man Yue again secretly sent Wu Xingzi back to Rancui¡¯s residence, telling him that when Xia Dageng arrived, they would again return to the Lord Protector¡¯s estate and settle the issue of this troublesome Bai Shaochang.


    As it had to do with the safety of their master, the people of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate dared not bex about it at all. It was expected that Xia Dageng would need at least four or five days before he could reach the capital, but who would have thought that early in the morning of the fourth day, before Wu Xingzi had even woken up, Man Yue hade knocking on his door.


    When Wu Xingzi was called awake, he received such a fright that he nearly rolled off his bed. Dazedly, he stared at the gleaming white teeth and bright eyes of Man Yue, the only things that could be seen in the dark.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, Xia Dageng has already arrived. Shall I take you to the Lord Protector¡¯s estate?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here already?¡± Wu Xingzi rubbed his eyes. A burden weighing on his heart finally settled, and he hurriedly grabbed the robe next to his bed, pulling it on. Without washing his face, he urged Man Yue, ¡°Quick, quickly bring me there. Ai, who knows how much hardship Haiwang has experienced over the past few days. We need to hurry up and get him out of there.¡±


    Man Yue fully agreed. However, it was not that he was worried about Guan Shanjin experiencing hardships, but that he did not want to continue to see Yan Wenxin living a carefree life.


    Leaving a note, asking the two girls not to worry, Wu Xingzi followed Man Yue and sneaked out of Rancui¡¯s residence.


    In the past, when Xia Dageng and his wife went to Qingcheng County to sell their goods, they would always drop by and visit Wu Xingzi. They were quite familiar with each other, and so they also knew about Adviser Wu being taken away by the god-like man. Xia Dageng was not the talkative sort, and he also did not want to listen to the rumours Auntie Li had been spreading. He thought, Adviser Wu was such a good person, and for him to be able to have such good fortune, it was the heavens¡¯ blessing.


    Two days ago, in the middle of the night, there had been a fierce pounding on the door of his house, and even his neighbours had been woken up by themotion. Only after opening the door did he know that it turned out to be Adviser Wu needing his help. There was no reason to refuse. That year, if not for Adviser Wu giving him a hand, he would not be enjoying his days like now, with a wife, children, and a warm bed. Straight away, he packed up all the perfume sachets he had on hand, dragged his wife up, handed his children over to his mother to be taken care of and followed the people knocking on his door.


    The journey had been hurried and both meals and sleep were taken care of in a rush. In the blink of an eye, they arrived in the capital, and Xia Dageng and his wife were brought into a luxurious manor that they had never seen or dreamt of in their lives before. It was only when they saw Adviser Wu did they then exhale in relief.


    When they were done asking after each other, Adviser Wu could not stop thanking them when epting the perfume sachets. Xia Dageng was at a loss for what to do with his thanks. He did not feel that he was worth such gratefulness from Adviser Wu, as he was only paying back his kindness.


    To Wu Xingzi, no matter what Xia Dageng thought, this favour was much greater in importance than the previous kindness owed. He requested Man Yue to help the couple settle down, as they must have been exhausted hurrying here. Once they were well-rested and well-fed, if they liked, they could stay a few more days in the capital before returning.


    Man Yue instructed the housekeeper of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate to handle the matter, then turned and brought Wu Xingzi to Changyou Yard.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, you really want to confront Bai Shaochang directly?¡± Man Yue seemed a little worried. He was not afraid that Wu Xingzi would make a mistake, but rather, how quick would he need to be to flee the capital so as to not let Guan Shanjin chop him up and bury him somewhere.


    ¡°Yes. If you¡¯re worried, you can just watch from the sidelines.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. He had interrogated quite a number of criminals before. Although Qingcheng County was a small ce and no big crimes had ever beenmitted, there were still the asional fights and conflicts that needed to be tried.


    Man Yue thought about it. He was quite assured about Wu Xingzi, and he was only curious how this gentle and kindly old adviser would instigate Bai Shaochang, who was wholly devoted to Yan Wenxin, to defect.


    ¡°If Mr. Wu doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll just watch from the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°Ai, what¡¯s there to mind?¡± Wu Xingzi smiled. Seeing that Man Yue was about to push open the doors to Bai Shaochang¡¯s room, he could not help but clench his fists and take in a deep breath. Only then did his rapidly beating heart calm down a little, and he nodded forcefully at Man Yue.


    Inside the room, Bai Shaochang had already been woken up by the people Man Yue had sent over. Perhaps he might not have been able to sleep well over the past few days, as he looked even more haggard than before. Under his soft and gentle eyes were dark eye circles, and they were even more stark upon his ashen face. Hearing peopleing in, he did not express any panic or uneasiness, but quietly looked up and nced at Man Yue and Wu Xingzi, seeming to be a little puzzled.


    It was clear that he had already forgotten that he had met Wu Xingzi before. After a casual nce, he lowered his head again.


    When Wu Xingzi saw that he did not remember him, he was very relieved. Pulling out a chair, he sat down across Bai Shaochang. Man Yue remained standing at a distance, his arms folded as he gave Bai Shaochang a mocking and disgusted re. Seemingly feeling the unconcealed loathing, Bai Shaochang hunched his shoulders slightly, his brows creasing a little. That unyielding yet fragile image he portrayed could really make one¡¯s heart ache.


    Although Wu Xingzi liked beautiful men, his heart was aching even more for his own Haiwang, and so he did not take Bai Shaochang¡¯s posture to heart.


    Wu Xingzi was an amiable and cordial person, and he had a cid temperament, never the sort to be in a rush. At this time, he was in no hurry to speak with Bai Shaochang, but instead poured out two cups of tea, handing one to Bai Shaochang first before picking the other one up and sipping from it.


    After so many days, Bai Shaochang had already gotten used to being interrogated. Even though the stranger in front of him looked honest and sincere, without the slightest bit of authoritativeness to him, Bai Shaochang still remained on guard. Who would have thought that after waiting for some period of time, this middle-aged man would still be drinking tea and eating the snacks on the table. Like a mouse, he was holding onto a piece of walnut pastry, nibbling away at it with his front teeth. The way he looked, so cautious and seemingly in a difficult state, quickly made Bai Shaochang let down his defenses and even caused him to feel a bit of scorn towards this man.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s so early and I hadn¡¯t had breakfast. I can¡¯t really endure my hunger so¡­¡± After a look from Bai Shaochang, Wu Xingzi¡¯s face reddened with a bright blush. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Bai Shaochang shook his head in refusal. Sternly, his brows knitted as he stared at the middle-aged man who was eating non-stop. ¡°Who are you? Are you here to question me?¡±


    It seemed like the Lord Protector¡¯s estate was at the end of their rope, to have actually found someone like this to interrogate him? As Bai Shaochang exhaled in relief, he also felt that he had been underestimated.


    ¡°Question you?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly brushed away the crumbs of the walnut pastry from his mouth. He first shook his head, then nodded his head forcefully. ¡°I¡¯m Wu Xingzi, and I was fortunate enough to listen to you y the qin before.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± There was no change in Bai Shaochang¡¯s expression. Indifferently, he lowered his lids, staring at his empty palms. He was not curious where Wu Xingzi had heard him y, as he had often yed in teahouses and restaurants, and even porters and small-time tradesmen could be said to be his audience.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi is very skilled at the qin, and your music lingers even after the song. After hearing it once, I¡¯ve never forgotten it.¡± With wide, earnest eyes, Wu Xingzi looked at Bai Shaochang. Not a trace of falseness could be detected in those eyes that were overflowing with admiration and like.


    Bai Shaochang could not help but give a small smile. After all, who could remain aloof in front of a person who admired their talents?


    ¡°You¡¯re too ttering. I stillck in some areas, but many thanks for your recognition.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only amoner, and I can¡¯t speak well, nor do I have the intelligence of Bai-gongzi. Please Bai-gongzi, I hope you¡¯re not offended.¡± Wu Xingzi had finally finished the te of walnut pastries. A little nervous, he dusted the crumbs off his hands, then drank a mouthful of tea to wet his throat.


    Bai Shaochang gave a self-mocking smile. ¡°To be able to meet me here, one can¡¯t be considered amoner anymore.¡± Where was this ce? This was the Lord Protector¡¯s estate!


    Hearing that, ill at ease, Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek in embarrassment as he lowered his head. Both the back of his neck and the tips of his ears were red, and it seemed like he had noticed the discrepancies in his words as well.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, a straightforward person does not beat around the bush. I know that it is probably very difficult for me to leave the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, but I still hope that you¡¯ll be quick. If there¡¯s something you¡¯d like to say to me, just go ahead.¡± Bai Shaochang¡¯s back was very straight, his posture like a proud bamboo, standing up tall. He could not say that he was not the least bit frightened, but he was willing to give his all for that person in his heart.


    Wu Xingzi looked at the young man in front of him, sighing internally. However, there was still an expression of a loss ofposure on his face. He opened his mouth, as though he wanted to say something, only to quickly close it again. After he repeated that a few times, he finally clenched his jaw and took out a little thing from his chest, embarrassedly pushing it towards Bai Shaochang.


    ¡°T-this perfume sachet¡­ I-it¡¯s a little gift from me! I hope that Bai-gongzi will not disdain it!¡±


    A perfume sachet? Man Yue, who at first waszily leaning against the wall, looking as though he was resting, finally opened his eyes and nced at the small item on the table.


    It was a perfume sachet. This was really too interesting.


    It had to be known that gifting a perfume sachet, something that was so personal, had the intentions of dering one¡¯s affections. It was mostly given as a token to pledge their love. Was Wu Xingzi seeking a new lover right under his nose? Aiyah, his poor General. He had yet to leave the jail, and he was about to be cuckolded already.


    Bai Shaochang too was stunned, never expecting that he would be hearing something like this. However, he quickly frowned. Just as he opened his mouth, wanting to give a stern refusal, his eyes fell on the perfume sachet and his voice was stuck in his throat.


    That perfume sachet was not made of a high quality material and it looked somewhat old. On it was embroidered a in image of flowers and birds, and the embroidery was not exquisite. Some of the threads and holes were not well done, and rather than saying that it was in and simple, calling it a crude attempt might be more apt. However, the shape of it was rather unique, as most perfume sachets tended to be made in circles, squares or the shape of a gourd. Yet, this perfume sachet was in the shape of a plum blossom, round and plump, very endearing to the eye.


    ¡°This perfume sachet¡­¡± Bai Shaochang¡¯s voice was hoarse. His fingers trembled, as though he wanted to touch the item on the table. However, he pulled his hand back, as though he was burnt, and his eyes, burning with rage, were fixed on that perfume sachet.


    ¡°This perfume sachet?¡± Wu Xingzi no longer had that cautiousness from before. Instead, he cidly repeated Bai Shaochang¡¯s words.


    ¡°W-why do you have this perfume sachet?¡± In a panic, Bai Shaochang reached into his sleeve. After feeling that familiar item within, he trembled, his teeth chattering. His face alternated between white and red, looking as though he was about to faint.


    ¡°This was something I bought from a travelling merchant.¡± Wu Xingzi looked at Bai Shaochang with sympathy in his eyes, but he continued saying what had to be said. ¡°May I ask, Bai-gongzi, do you have the exact same perfume sachet with you?¡±


    Bai Shaochang jerked violently, nearly falling right off his seat. Faltering, he took out the object within his sleeve, clenching his fist tightly around it. With bloodshot eyes, he stared at Wu Xingzi, his mouth opening and closing yet not saying a word.


    ¡°Did he once say that this was left to him by his mother before she died? The plum blossom represents a schrly integrity and that bird is a mother¡¯s love, and even if his mother was not around, she would always be by his side? This was the only keepsake his mother had left behind¡­¡±


    As Wu Xingzi sighed, Bai Shaochang shuddered, nearly fainting.


    Every word, every sentence was ever so familiar. The pleasant sounding words were like a thousand knives. Bai Shaochang¡¯s mind nked out, his throat gurgled, and blood dripped down from the corner of his lips.

 Chapter 100 - Time to Get Yan Wenxin to Fall Into The Trap!

    Chapter 100 ¡ª Time to Get Yan Wenxin to Fall Into The Trap!


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Not expecting Bai Shaochang¡¯s reaction to be so intense, after a moment of astonishment, Wu Xingzi leapt up in shock. Just as he wanted to walk over to see how he was, Man Yue moved even faster. A ck shadow shed past, appearing right next to Bai Shaochang. He took out a pill and shoved it into his mouth, before pouring a cup of tea into his mouth to help him swallow it down.


    Although the medicine was given in time, and quite a bit of blood returned to Bai Shaochang¡¯s ashen face very quickly, Man Yue¡¯s action had been very rough. Having just recovered a little, Young Master Bai nearly lost his breath due to choking on the tea, and finally settled down after a long coughing fit.


    Wu Xingzi patted his chest. He knew that it would definitely be difficult for Bai Shaochang to ept the information he gave him, but he did not expect that he would vomit blood. Was he not a little too physically weak? Later on, he should remind Man Yue to take care of him a little more, by preparing a tonic soup or something to let Young Master Bai improve his body condition.


    As the old fellow was daydreaming, Bai Shaochang had already recovered. He gritted his teeth, the taste of blood still lingering in his mouth, along with the bitterness of the pill as well as the sweetness of the tea. It was truly a dissonance of vours. However, his mood had inexplicably calmed down, and opening his mouth, he started to question Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°How did you know what he said?¡±


    There was no need to mention who that ¡°he¡± was.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong hails from the same hometown as me.¡± Wu Xingzi sighed, unconsciously digging his fingers into his palms.


    ¡°The same hometown?¡± Bai Shaochang was astonished, and he studied this ordinary middle-aged man in front of him with even more doubt. ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years since he came to the capital, and he had never mentioned his hometown, as well as any close friends.¡±


    Hearing that, Wu Xingzi smiled wryly. ¡°If it¡¯s me, I wouldn¡¯t mention it either.¡± He again sighed, picking up his cup and gulping down a few mouthfuls of tea. Wu Xingzi seemed to be very shaken, and Bai Shaochang was even more anxious and doubtful.


    ¡°You mean, the two of you once had¡­¡± An affair? Even though Bai Shaochang had grown up in a sheltered environment, he still lived in the capital, amongst the aristocrats. He had heard about quite a number of scandals and secrets and schemes, and considering that he was not stupid, he quickly caught on to what Wu Xingzi had implied.


    Bai Shaochang was not judging people by their appearances, but it had to be said that Yan Wenxin was very handsome, and the people close to him were also very good looking. He thought that back in his hometown, that would be the same case as well, and Yan Wenxin could have his pick of the lot. Why would he have an affair with such an ordinary, easily-forgettable face?


    Wu Xingzi was at a loss by the questioning eyes directed at him. Hanging his head down, he scratched his cheek. Hepletely lost the sharpness he had just now that forced Bai Shaochang to be shaken so badly that he vomited blood, instead returning to his original bashfulness and mortification.


    ¡°If the two of you really had an affair, why did he not return to see you?¡± This question pierced his heart.


    This question basically meant that Bai Shaochang suspected that Wu Xingzi was just ttering himself over the rtionship between him and Yan Wenxin. Yan Wenxin most likely had not had any excessive actions towards him, and the two of them at most were just well acquainted. However, Wu Xingzi had fallen for Yan Wenxin, and perhaps, he had continuously badgered him, refusing to listen to his advice to stop. As such, Yan Wenxin ended up not returning to his hometown after bing the top schr, all because he wanted to hide from a friend¡¯s ¡°warmth¡±.


    And somehow, the people from the Lord Protector¡¯s estate had discovered this matter. They thus found Wu Xingzi, deliberately framing Yan Wenxin, and tried to trick him into spilling something.


    The more Bai Shaochang thought about it, the more he believed that that was the case, and he started feeling a sense of contempt.


    With just one nce, Man Yue saw right through him, and he could not resist bursting out with augh.


    Wu Xingzi naturally understood what Bai Shaochang was implying, but he still gave him a nce, his expression just like normal. Gently, he answered, ¡°If there was no such affair between us, how would I know about the perfume sachet, as well as those words of affection? My tongue is stupid, and I¡¯m not very well educated. How can Ipare to Yan-daren¡¯s talent and wits?¡±


    Man Yueughed again.


    Looking at how Wu Xingzi was normally so overly bashful, so cautious and reserved, and always behaving like a quail in front of Guan Shanjin, it was really a surprise that his tongue could be so sharp!


    Bai Shaochang too was astonished. He had never met anyone like Wu Xingzi before, how he seemed so difited and cautious on the surface, but his words were agreeable yet as sharp as des. Resenting it, Bai Shaochang was speechless. He could not say a word, and his face alternated between green and red.


    Unknowingly, he too discovered that his convictions had been shaken. Even if Yan Wenxin truly held affections towards him, there stilly a number of motives within, and that affection was not as intense as Bai Shaochang himself had thought it was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that this perfume sachet is fake.¡± Bai Shaochang tightened his grip on the perfume sachet in his hand, forcing himself to speak. Heid extra emphasis on ¡°fake¡±, and it was unclear if he was convincing himself or others.


    ¡°You can look at it more closely, or¡­¡± Wu Xingzi again nudged the perfume sachet on the table forward, a mediatory gentleness on his face. ¡°I have someone who can embroider one right in front of you, is that alright?¡±


    Bai Shaochang jerked violently, only realising that he had already stepped into a trap of his own making, no longer able to avoid it. During Man Yue¡¯s interrogation a few days ago, he could still stand his ground, and he never had a shred of doubt towards Yan Wenxin. However, he waspletely no match against Wu Xingzi¡¯s silent and cid gentleness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe¡­¡± He could still remember Yan Wenxin¡¯s gentleness and charm towards him, as well as that day, how he had saved him from Du Fei. All these memories were still fresh in his mind! ¡°H-he said that, in this life, he would definitely not let me down¡­¡±


    Wu Xingzi did not have the heart to do so, but after a pause, he still said, ¡°He has already let you down.¡±


    Bai Shaochang nkly looked at the man in front of him, who had a look of sympathy on his face. Self-mockingly, he gave a bitterugh. Laughing andughing, tears dripped down his face, sshing onto the table, sshing into his cup, sshing onto the identical perfume sachet in his hand, and there was nothing he could say.


    Only then did Wu Xingzi look at Man Yue. Man Yue gave him a nod of gratitude, aware that this obstruction of Bai Shaochang had now been torn down. Affection was like a double-edged sword, enough to make one unafraid of anything, but also enough to make one feel as though their souls had been battered. Bai Shaochang¡¯s previous resolution was all because of his love towards Yan Wenxin. Now, his tears could be considered a form of homage.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, think about Bai-daye, your father. Please don¡¯t shroud yourself in regret and hate for the rest of your life, things are still not toote.¡± Seeing how pitifully Bai Shaochang was crying, Wu Xingzi could not help but console him.


    ¡°What¡­ what were you cheated out of by him?¡± The tip of Bai Shaochang¡¯s nose and his eyes had turned red from crying, but he had already wiped his tears away, and he tried his best to maintain his original elegance.


    Being asked like this, Wu Xingzi looked a little flustered. He looked down, falling into silence for a while. Just as Man Yue nned to help him answer, Wu Xingzi hoarsely spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years already. He was a poor schr, nning on going to the capital to take the imperial exams. However, he did not have enough money, so I gave him everything I had, as well as borrowing around a dozen silver taels for him.¡±


    The grievances had been glossed over in a few simple sentences. With a freedom he had never once felt, he looked up at the young, good-looking man in front of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t me him for his change of heart. At the end of the day, our feelings were mutual, and neither was forced into it. There is nothing wrong with one wishing to reach further and higher. However, Bai-gongzi, think about the citizens living at the southern borders. This time, Yan Wenxin is not asking you for twenty-three silver taels, but the peace and lives of Great Xia¡¯s citizens. Will you be able to settle this bad, rotten debt of his?¡±


    With one blow, this question had destroyed Bai Shaochang¡¯s infatuation, along with his satisfaction of having sacrificed for Yan Wenxin. It was as though the fog in his head had been dispersed, and he woke up. Now, his fear was causing chills to run down his back.


    That was right. A few days ago, Man Yue had already said it while interrogating him. Those letters ofmunication Bai Shaochang imed to have fabricated himself, original copies definitely existed, and most of them were integral events that had already urred. Living in the capital, and without any government position, how did he know about such confidential intelligence? Furthermore, even if somehow, he really knew about certain military secrets, how did he manage to falsify the stamp of the southern barbarian king to the point where there was no difference from the real one?


    Previously, Bai Shaochang was unwilling to think too much about it. The correspondence had been prepared for him by Yan Wenxin, and he thought that being the Minister of State Affairs, as well as with his good rtionship with the others in court, it was natural for Yan Wenxin to know these secrets. As for the stamp, it was definitely also a forgery, and it was Man Yue who could not see the scheme for itself only.


    Thinking about it, if he had insisted on his original testimony, refusing to change it, then the only exnation would be that the oldest son of the Bai family, himself, was inextricably linked to the southern barbarians. However, with how simple his life was, how could it be possible for him toe in contact with them? At the end of the day, Guan Shanjin would still be undeniably med for the correspondence, and now, he had instead lied on Guan Shanjin¡¯s behalf in order to save him. In that case, he would never be able to absolve himself from this matter. Even if his father could help him out, it would be impossible between Yan Wenxin and him¡­ It seemed like right from the start, Yan Wenxin had already had this nned.


    By the way, how was Yan Wenxin able to fabricate the original correspondence mentioned by Man Yue?


    ¡°Zaizong, he¡­¡± Bai Shaochang turned pale in fright because of this spection. He looked towards Man Yue in disbelief.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, I have always reminded you that Lord Yan¡¯s intentions are sinister.¡± Man Yue gave a broad and honest smile.


    Sinister intentions? In a daze, Bai Shaochang looked at Man Yue, smiling bitterly as he felt at a loss for what to do.


    He believed that he was not a fool, and he had always held himself to moral integrity. Never had he ever thought that he would have fallen to such a state because of love.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll tell you everything¡­¡± Bai Shaochang¡¯s usual straight back hunched over, and his easy grace hadpletely vanished. His life, right until this very moment, had always been very smooth-sailing. Even the harassment from the Defender Duke¡¯s son was because he liked him, and he usually was very careful in trying to please him due to his fear of the Emperor. Thest time when he had suddenly acted so rudely to him on the streets, it was probably only a moment of frustration and overwhelming emotions. Although Bai Shaochang had been shocked, he had never felt humiliated, only a sense of disgust and irritation.


    Right at that moment, when Yan Wenxin appeared in front of him, he was so charming. How he held himself like an immortal being and the beauty of the scene could not be put to words. Bai Shaochang willingly offered up his sincere heart, despite knowing that it would be difficult for him to gain an official status with the man. Perhaps, once the matter was exposed, he might even be subjected to curses and names, but he would take the hardship with a smile.


    However, it turned out that everything was only a mistake, that he had believed in the wrong man, and loved a wrong man. Behind his back, how exactly was Yan Wenxin mocking him?


    Bai Shaochang looked very lost, as though he would faint at any moment. Still, with a trembling voice, he answered all of Man Yue¡¯s questions, finally putting his signature and thumbprint onto a copy of his testimony.


    Yan Wenxin truly lived up to his reputation of being an old fox. After starting a love affair with Bai Shaochang, he seemed to have casually mentioned the situation at the southern borders. At the southern borders, Guan Shanjin was a god of war respected by all, and the citizens revered his decisiveness, his blood-thirstiness on the battlefield. Despite there existing some terrifying rumours, they sincerely idolised and loved this general who protected the peace of the southern borders. However, things were different in the capital. The capital was far from the northwest borders, and even further from the southern borders. The young Guan Shanjin was talented, wilful and arrogant, and such an outstanding person would always have many trying to tear them down. However, his foundations were strong, and there was no way that others could seed. Instead, their attempts were all thrown back in their faces, and they were the ones who ended up suffering the loss. On the surface, the officials in the capital all ttered and praised each other, while underneath, they never let a chance to insult the other slip away from their hands.


    Furthermore, Bai Shaochang had heard Guan Shanjin y the qin before. The rumour of him covering his ears and running away from fear because of the blood-thirstiness within was not false. Right from the start, feeling both fear and disgust towards Guan Shanjin, he was easily led astray by Yan Wenxin to believe that Guan Shanjin had traitorous thoughts towards Yan Wenxin, and towards Great Xia. Bai Shaochang¡¯s heart ached for Yan Wenxin, and naturally, he was willing to follow thetter¡¯s instructions.


    Yan Wenxin had said that his heart ached for him, and originally did not wish for his beloved to take the risk. However, the more he insisted, the more Bai Shaochang was reluctant for him to face Guan Shanjin alone. Insistent, he convinced Yan Wenxin, then found an opportunity toe close to Guan Shanjin, and did everything ording to Yan Wenxin¡¯s instructions.


    Foolishly, on his own initiative, he walked into the trap.


    ¡°Many thanks to Bai-gongzi for your righteousness. Please, continue remaining as a guest in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate for a few more days with no worries. Once our young master is home, he will escort you home. If you do have any needs, please feel free to inform the staff. Don¡¯t feel too upset over people like Yan Wenxin, our young master will definitely seek justice for you.¡± Man Yue kept the testimony, the smile on his round face bing a little more sincere. Turning around, just as he wanted to lead Wu Xingzi away, he was called to a stop by Bai Shaochang.


    ¡°H-how are you all nning to deal with him?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Man Yue smiled apologetically. ¡°The nation has itsws, like how a family has its rules. If it is confirmed that Lord Yan has interactions with the southern barbarians, endangering our Great Xia, the Emperor will make the final decision. May I ask that Bai-gongzi not worry too much over it.¡±


    Man Yue looked very genial, but his words were warning Bai Shaochang to not even think of pleading mercy for Yan Wenxin, and that it was also pointless to do so. It was true that that man was innately selfish. If this was only a simple fight for power in the courts, it could not be said that Yan Wenxin was unforgivable. However, to offer up the lives of Great Xia¡¯s citizens for his own benefits, even a saint would not be able to make any allowance for it!


    Bai Shaochang shuddered, his face again paling a little more. His lips moved, but in the end, he did not say anything more, only bowing his head in hopelessness.


    Man Yue led Wu Xingzi away. After instructing the servant standing guard outside the door to take good care of Bai Shaochang, it was only when they were in the parlour that he bowed deeply towards Wu Xingzi. ¡°Mr. Wu, the Lord Protector¡¯s estate and the Guan family army owes you a great debt. In the future, if there¡¯s anything that we can do for you, please let us provide the effort.¡±


    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no need for that. I did this also because of Haiwang.¡± Shocked, Wu Xingzi hurriedly denied it. Panic turned his face red, and his palms were all sweaty.


    ¡°The General is definitely grateful towards you too.¡± This time, Man Yue truly was relieved. He did not expect that Wu Xingzi would be able to do so much, that for Guan Shanjin, he could even make use of his own past. He really was a person who could bear to inflict such pain on himself.


    Wu Xingzi again shook his head, wanting to speak but faltering as he looked at Man Yue.


    ¡°Is Mr. Wu hoping to visit the General in jail?¡± Man Yue could see his unspoken request and he was not surprised.


    ¡°Ai, I was only just wondering, how is Haiwang surviving there, and I keep thinking about him¡­ However, it is the jail, and Yan Wenxin will definitely have eyes on it. I¡¯m only making things difficult for you.¡± Wu Xingzi truly missed Guan Shanjin too much. Along with being afraid that he was suffering in jail, Wu Xingzi had not been able to enjoy his food at all these days.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible to see him just once.¡± Man Yue considered it for a moment, then made his decision. ¡°In any case, you¡¯re already in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate and Yan Wenxin has not discovered it yet. Why not take advantage of this opportunity and let¡¯s take you to the jail? Those spies will definitely not be able to guess that you¡¯re actually so daring!¡±


    ¡°We can do that? Aiyah, I¡¯m really very grateful to you, Vice General Man!¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s face shone and he gave Man Yue a bow right there and then.


    Man Yue turned his body, avoiding the bow. Taking arge stride forward, he held Wu Xingzi¡¯s arm, speaking as he stroked his chin, ¡°In an hour¡¯s time, there will be a change of guards at the jail. They happen to be our men, so why don¡¯t we take advantage of that timing and sneak inside? It¡¯s just that your face¡­ It¡¯s better if we disguise it a little.¡±


    He did not say much more. Man Yue opened the door, summoning a secret guard. After the two conversed for a moment, he then revealed an ingratiating smile towards Wu Xingzi.


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    It was dark and damp in the jail, but it was still considered clean, and there were not many prisoners in custody. They were all locked up a distance away from each other. Together with gusts of winds that blew from somewhere unknown, there were asional wails and moans. Along the long and winding corridor were dim oilmps, flickering in the dark, and chills ran down one¡¯s back as they shuddered.


    It was time for the change of guards, and it was a little more noisy than usual. The head jailor thus went out and asked a few questions, then not too longter, he returned with two people, one fat and one thin, with a look of impatience.


    The fat one was Man Yue of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate and the head jailor knew him. As for the thin one, he should be ackey. On his face was an ugly, ck birthmark, the sight making one lose their appetite. Even so, they could not help but look again. The man had his head lowered, looking very subservient.


    ¡°Vice General Man, I¡¯m paid by the government. This time, I¡¯ve made things easy for you and I hope that you can excuse me in the future.¡± With a superficial smile, the head jailor cupped his hands towards the plump Man Yue. Man Yue hurriedly returned the gesture, offering up a basket of wine and food.


    ¡°Many thanks, Wang-daren! I will definitely not make things difficult for you!¡±


    Having gained something out of it, the expression of the head jailor too became less harsh. He jerked his chin up. ¡°There, you can go ahead by yourself. You¡¯ll have to leave in an hour¡¯s time, understood?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Thank you, Wang-daren.¡± After giving his thanks again, Man Yue then led the thin and uglyckey further into the jail.


    Guan Shanjin was locked up in the deepest part of the jail. Due to his high martial prowess, as well as his insolence, he had a chain around his neck, the other end attached to the wall. The chain was not long, just enough for him to walk to the gate and speak to a person standing there. However, it was impossible for him to reach out between the bars to do anything.


    ¡°Haiwang!!¡± Wu Xingzi, disguised as a servant, could not help but lunge over upon seeing Guan Shanjin. He tried his best to reach through the bars, wanting to touch his beloved whom he had not seen in a long time.


    ¡°Wu Xingzi!¡± Guan Shanjin was astonished. Although Wu Xingzi¡¯s face had been disguised to look ugly and strange, he could still recognise him at one nce.


    With no time to care about the piercing screech of the chain around his neck, as well as the pain caused by the choking of the chain, with a sh of his body, he appeared by the gate, holding tightly onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands that were reaching towards him.

 Chapter 101 - Prison Play (NSFW)

    Chapter 101 ¡ª Prison y (NSFW)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Despite this being a trap, to deceive Yan Wenxin and those in cahoots with him, the show had to be done well.


    After being thrown into jail, Guan Shanjin had suffered quite a few hardships. Every few days, he would be dragged out for an interrogation, and if not for the Emperor having hinted that his life was to be spared, as well as that he was not to be excessively tortured, what Wu Xingzi was seeing today might not have been a Guan Shanjin that was as whole andplete as he was now.


    In the cell, the lights were dim, and the bloodstains on Guan Shanjin¡¯s prison uniform were even more ghastly-looking. Blood stained his clothes in sshes of dark colour, and there were a few ces where his clothes were even stuck to his wounds.


    Wu Xingzi clenched his jaw, holding his pain in, not daring to cry aloud.


    He had long guessed that Guan Shanjin had previously made light of the risk he would be taking. If it was not as dangerous as he said it was, why did he have toe in himself to suffer this torture? The Emperor was really too harsh towards the Lord Protector¡¯s estate.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± After a moment of excitement, Guan Shanjin frowned. He directed a fierce re towards Man Yue who was shrinking behind Wu Xingzi.


    Man Yue shuddered. He decided to pretend that he did not notice how Guan Shanjin looked as though he could y him alive, and quietly asked Wu Xingzi, ¡°Mr. Wu, would you like me to let you into the cell so that you can talk to the General?¡±


    ¡°Can that be done?¡± Wu Xingzi was still holding onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands, unwilling to let go. Upon hearing this good news, his face brightened.


    ¡°Stop fooling around. What sort of ce is this? It¡¯s so dirty inside here, why do you want toe in?¡± Guan Shanjin rebuked him harshly. Just as he wanted to pull his hands back, Wu Xingzi grasped them even more tightly, as though in a plea. Afraid of hurting Wu Xingzi, Guan Shanjin could only stop what he was doing, ring at Man Yue with a dark face.


    ¡°General, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re Great Xia¡¯s number one criminal, and there are no other prisoners detained nearby. Right now, the ones standing guard are our own men, and there¡¯ll be no hindrance for you to have a short heart-to-heart with furen1.¡± Man Yue was now hoping that Wu Xingzi would be able to calm his boss down, so that he would have time to run away once Guan Shanjin was out of jail.


    Since there was Man Yue¡¯s guarantee, Wu Xingzi could no longer endure the wait. He again sped onto Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands, immediately shifting away, giving up the space in front of the door for Man Yue. Man Yue¡¯s plump fingers were deft, picking the lock in no time. The lock remained undamaged, and when they were to ce it backter, there would be no trace of it having been picked at all.


    ¡°General, I¡¯ll be waiting just round that corner there. Whatever you n on doing with furen, I won¡¯t be able to hear.¡± Man Yue gave a shameless smile towards the chained up Guan Shanjin, who waspletely incapable of doing anything but shooting daggers at him with his eyes. In a sh, his plump body was concealed.


    Wu Xingzi turned to look at the corner Man Yue was referring to. Noticing that it was about six cells away, he was no longer as bashful. He hurried into the cell, looking at Guan Shanjin for quite a while before asking falteringly, ¡°C-can I hug you?¡± He wished for nothing but to throw himself into the man¡¯s broad and warm embrace, but the blood on that prison garb made him too afraid to make any rash moves. Wu Xingzi¡¯s heart ached so much that both his eyes and nose reddened.


    Guan Shanjin looked back at Wu Xingzi for a moment, finally sighing and opening up his arms. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Wu Xingzi immediately went forward, carefully tucking himself into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms. Upon feeling a pair of solid and firm arms encircling him, feeling satisfied, he released a relieved breath.


    In his breaths, Guan Shanjin¡¯s usual delicate fragrance was so faint that it could barely be detected, and what reced it was the scent of fresh blood and sweat, mixed with dirt as well as a trace of something having been scorched. It was definitely nothing pleasant to smell, but Wu Xingzi still took in a few deep breaths. His heart still hurt, but his anxiety had calmed down quite a bit.


    The cell was actually not very dirty, and the dried strawid on the ground, forming a mattress, could be considered clean. In an embrace, the two people leaned on the pile of straw, so as to prevent Guan Shanjin from feeling too ufortable with the chain around his neck.


    ¡°Why did youe, hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin looked down at the person in his arms. The old fellow¡¯s face had been disguised to look very ugly, and he poked at those marks with his fingers. Discovering that it was a mask, he just took it off, caressing the face underneath that belonged to Wu Xingzi with an aching heart.


    ¡°I missed you¡­¡± Wu Xingzi murmured, cing his hand on top of the hand on his cheek, nuzzling into that hand with great affection. ¡°How did you be so badly injured?¡±


    Through the thin prison garb, Wu Xingzi could vaguely feel a few criss-crossing wounds from whipping. Worried that leaning against Guan Shanjin like this would hurt him, Wu Xingzi wanted to shift away a little. However, the arms around him only tightened further, as though afraid that he would disappear in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, they¡¯re only superficial injuries.¡± Guan Shanjin kissed Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose in constion. This was not bravado. Although he did have quite a number of wounds caused by the whipping on both his chest and back,pared to the injuries he had suffered on the battlefield in the past, these wounds were not very different from scratching an itch. ¡°The ones who did the punishment were all the Emperor¡¯s men. On the surface, it looks like there was a lot of bleeding, and the wounds look savage, but the whips did not injure my muscles and tendons at all. Once medication is applied, there would barely be any scars left.¡±


    Wu Xingzi harrumphed, clearly not believing him. However, he was unwilling to waste the time they had arguing over this.


    Guan Shanjin looked at the old quail in his arms, whose eyes were tear-filled, their rims still red along with the tip of his nose. His heart almostpletely melted into water.


    ¡°Did that asshole Man Yue look for your help?¡± He pinched the tip of Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose, then tugged lightly at his short eyshes, suppressing his eagerness that was appearing at a very inopportune timing.


    ¡°Ai, Man Yue¡¯s just worried about you as well.¡± Wu Xingzi allowed Guan Shanjin to carry on, his cheek resting on the man¡¯s shoulder. Quietly, he said, ¡°Bai Shaochang confessed that he had acted on Yan Wenxin¡¯s instructions, cing those items and letters in your study.¡±


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s ear burned as he felt the air from Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth brushing over it, and he nearly missed out what Wu Xingzi was saying to him. Once he understood, his sharp brows immediately creased deeply.


    ¡°Man Yue let you meet Bai Shaochang?¡± This fellow was getting more and more emboldened just because of their childhood rtionship! Before going into jail, feeling worried, he had already deliberately left Man Yue with some instructions, that he must not let Wu Xingzi be involved. But just look at that little bastard, hepletely ignored him!


    Feeling Guan Shanjin tensing up, Wu Xingzi knew that he was getting angry over Man Yue¡¯s actions. Hurriedly, he cupped the younger man¡¯s face, shyly leaning forward and kissing him in constion. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with Man Yue, I was the one who insisted on him taking me to see Bai Shaochang. You asked him to send me a message, wanting me to wait a little while more, but how could I just keep waiting? This jail is such a dangerous ce, and Yan Wenxin wishes for nothing but that you¡¯d die in here. I¡¯ve been so afraid that I haven¡¯t been able to eat or sleep well at all. Finally, I had a chance to help you, so how could I let it go?¡± Wu Xingzi gave a few uncontroble shudders, clearly recalling the anxiety and helpless fear of a few days ago.


    If Guan Shanjin had been in a rage, now all of it had dissipated. He could no longer care that the ce was unsuitable, and hugging Wu Xingzi tightly, he kissed him. It was as though a me was bursting through them, and once their lips touched, neither could part from the other. They were as close as they could possibly be, their tongues entangled as they wished that they could swallow up the other and keep them at all times, never again to part in this life.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s kisses had always been passionate and intense. Nibbling and sucking on Wu Xingzi¡¯s tender tongue, he licked at the sweet vour within his mouth, brushing through the sensitive spots within. The kiss was so demanding that it felt like it was conquering Wu Xingzi¡¯s mouth. The old fellow in his arms could barely catch his breath, yet Guan Shanjin still refused to let go.


    The sounds of lips smacking and kissing gradually echoed down the long and dim corridor, and even Man Yue, hiding a distance away, blushed upon hearing them, quietly moving further away.


    Only after seeing how the man in his arms was about to faint from the kissing, did Guan Shanjin then reluctantly pull himself away for a moment, allowing Wu Xingzi to gasp for air. Like a wolf, a pair of charming eyes stared at those lips that had turned red and swollen from his kisses. Wu Xingzi had only just caught his breath, but he was kissed once again. This cycle repeated a few times, and Guan Shanjin finally managed to just about settle his longing for the older man. He buried his face in the crook of Wu Xingzi¡¯s neck, deeply breathing in the old fellow¡¯s clean scent, as well as sucking a mark on the skin at the back of his ear.


    It was only just a few kisses, but it was enough to cause shivers to run through Wu Xingzi¡¯s body. A flush suffused his entire face, and he sprawled bonelessly in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, unable to move.


    A momentter, he finally recovered, and he could feel a hardness under his belly.


    His blush intensified. Quietly, he reached out, wanting to caress it. However, the younger man moved faster, gently yet firmly blocking his hand.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ Shall I help you with my hand?¡± Wu Xingzi tilted his head back, looking up at Guan Shanjin. This big, weighty and burning hot pengornis was pressing right against his belly. They had already been a couple for so long, what was there to feel shy over? He also could not bear for Guan Shanjin to have to endure his desire.


    ¡°You¡¯re only caring about mine? What about your little pengornis, hmm?¡± With a twist of his arm, Guan Shanjin deftly captured both of Wu Xingzi¡¯s wrists with one hand. As for his other hand, it slid into Wu Xingzi¡¯s trousers with great familiarity, holding onto the cock that had perked up from the kissing, rubbing at it.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Unable to hold himself back with how he was being touched, Wu Xingzi moaned sweetly, his eyes bing very unfocused. His red, swollen lips parted a little, as he panted lightly.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm was broad and heated, and because of his years of martial arts training, it was covered in calluses. With just a casual stroke or two, tingles shot through Wu Xingzi from head to toe, his mind whiting out in pleasure. His hips jerked along with Guan Shanjin¡¯s actions, and the sight caused desire to burst into mes within the younger man. His mouth turned dry, and the actions of his hand gradually became more insolent.


    He would rub his thumb right at the head of Wu Xingzi¡¯s cock, spreading out the fluids beading up at the tip; then, he would tighten his grip, jerking up and down the little thing that felt as though it was a hardness encased in velvet; sometimes, he would scrape lightly, right at the tender skin at the top of the cock, smearing his palm with the leaking fluid before wiping it across the shaft and stroking the cock wildly.


    In the cramped cell was a man¡¯s soft, lewd moans along with the sounds of wet squelching, together with heavy, urgent pants. Charming and sensual, how did this even sound like a cold, freezing jail that was meant to hold criminals? Instead, it sounded much more like a brothel during a warm night in spring.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ Haiwang¡­¡± Wu Xingzi waspletely not a person who could endure well. With how skilful Guan Shanjin was with his hand, it was not long before he brought Wu Xingzi to his peak. Wu Xingzi¡¯s legs jerked and kicked among the dried straw as he twisted his hips, tears welling up in his eyes as he cried out the name of the younger man softly.


    ¡°Be good.¡± Guan Shanjin endured the ming desire within him, bending his neck and pressing a kiss to Wu Xingzi¡¯s forehead, before kissing the tip of his nose, and finally capturing those lips that were calling out his name. Sliding his tongue inside, he twirled and teased, causing the old fellow to spurt violently, almost fainting away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been holding yourself back these days.¡± The fluids collected on his palm quickly lost their warmth. Guan Shanjin released his grip around Wu Xingzi¡¯s wrists, caressing the older man¡¯s red nose with a finger as he teased, ¡°Just look. See how thick it is, how much there is. Why didn¡¯t you use the Mr. D I gave you to soothe yourself, hmm?¡±


    Speaking about Mr. D, Wu Xingzi who had yet to recover from his climax became a little more shy.


    That Mr. D had originally been left behind in Bastion City, and a while ago, when the two people had properly confessed their feelings for each other, Guan Shanjin had again returned the item to Wu Xingzi. Inside the box was also a seductive, lewd poem ¡ª to both tease Wu Xingzi, as well as to grouse a little. It made Wu Xingzi both delighted and shy, not knowing what he should do with Mr. D. That thing was really good, and it looked so appealing! However, if he was to really use it, it was highly likely that Guan Shanjin would be jealous of a non-living thing, and then deal with Wu Xingzi about it.


    Seeing the vagueint in Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes, Guan Shanjin chuckled brightly. He deliberately opened up his palm, showing Wu Xingzi the white, viscous fluid within. Then, he stuck out his bright, red tongue, licking up the cooled substance bit by bit right in front of the older man.


    Guan Shanjin¡¯s appearance had always been seductively charming, and now, because of his injuries, he looked a little delicate. Together with the dim lighting of the jail, a person who looked like an ethereal being under the sun, now looked like an incubus, a demon out to suck away everyone¡¯s souls. With just a nce at him, it was enough to make one entranced, obsessed, and willing to offer up their heart to him with both hands.


    Wu Xingzi naturally could not drag his eyes away. No matter how many beauties there were in the world, none couldpare to the one in front of him.


    Because of the extreme pleasure he was feeling, Wu Xingzi¡¯s body was trembling slightly. Still, he reached out, caressing Guan Shanjin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ I really do like you¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s of course. My ancestors had umted a wealth of good karma, giving me both a fantastic face and pengornis that are just to your liking.¡± Guan Shanjinughed as he teased Wu Xingzi, his seductively red tongue licking up the rest of Wu Xingzi¡¯se from his palm, seemingly intentionally, yet also not.


    Wu Xingzi¡¯s breath caught. He finally understood what it meant in the poem ¡°Song of Evesting Regret¡± when it said, ¡°From this point on, His Majesty did not attend the morning court.¡±2 However,pared to the imperial consort, his Haiwang was definitely even better.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you release as well?¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s pengornis had been pleasured, but Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis was still throbbing there! It was only harder than before, poking rigidly at him, almost scalding the skin on his belly.


    However, before Wu Xingzi could grip it, Guan Shanjin blocked his hand again. If not for the intense desire in his eyes, Wu Xingzi would have thought that the younger man waspletely not affected at all.


    Guan Shanjin shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for too long, get Man Yue to quickly send you back to Rancui¡¯s ce as fast as possible. Wu Xingzi¡­ Xingzi, don¡¯t worry, and just wait for me. Since Bai Shaochang has already confessed, it would not take too long for us to deal with Yan Wenxin. News will being from the southern border soon as well, and you don¡¯t have to be too anxious over this matter. My heart will ache.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nced at Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch. His trousers were almost bursting at the seams, and through the cloth, it could be seen how savage the organ was.


    ¡°You lewd darling, always looking at this ce.¡± Not knowing whether tough or cry, Guan Shanjin pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose. ¡°Once I¡¯m out of here, you¡¯ll naturally be able to enjoy it to your fill. Be good.¡±


    Understanding that he would not be able to dissuade Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi could only ept the matter unwillingly.


    Guan Shanjin hugged the old quail, sharing a few more kisses before finally letting him go and leading him to the door. After a couple of smacks on the door, Man Yue¡¯s plump figure appeared in front quickly.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, I¡¯ll let you out right now.¡± Man Yue darted his eyes towards his boss. He was very obedient, not poking the tiger at all. Deftly, he unlocked the door, letting Wu Xingzi out.


    ¡°Xingzi, just wait by the side for a moment, I have some things to say to Man Yue.¡±


    ¡°Ai.¡± Wu Xingzi turned his head back, sping Guan Shanjin¡¯s hands again, before taking a few steps away reluctantly to wait obediently by the side.


    ¡°General.¡± Man Yue could not resist ncing at Guan Shanjin¡¯s crotch that was bulging very conspicuously, and he could not help saying, ¡°Have you lost interest in furen?¡±


    He had been prepared to wait for around four hours, but who would have thought that Guan Shanjin would take less than two hours? This boss of his could really endure.


    Guan Shanjin snorted. ¡°Are you nning to be skinned by me?¡± Guan Shanjin naturally was only barely suppressing his desire, and he wished for nothing but to strip Wu Xingzi clean and feast on him to his delight. However, this was the jail, and although he had been wiping himself clean, there was still quite a stink on him. How could he bear to lose his dignity and let Wu Xingzi suffer the smell? He had no other choice but to endure his desire.


    And this Man Yue still had the cheek to tease him. Did he borrow his guts from the heavens?


    Since he had already poked the tiger once, it would not matter if he poked him twice. In any case, he would have to start running once his boss was out of jail, and so Man Yue gave no worries to all the ounts Guan Shanjin would be settling with him once he was out.


    With a cheeky grin, he shrugged at Guan Shanjin. ¡°General, you¡¯re after all the son of the Lord Protector. Yan Wenxin ns to not only deal with you, but to root out the entire Lord Protector¡¯s estate. There¡¯s not much time left, and I¡¯m only cing your safety as my top priority. Furthermore, Mr. Wu is not Lu Zezhi, and he can bear quite a heavy burden on his shoulders. For you to clip his wings, it would be quite a pity.¡±


    Guan Shanjin frowned, but he did not speak. He understood that Man Yue¡¯s words, although unpleasant to the ears, were only the truth. It was just that it was difficult to calm the anger in his heart, and once he was out of this ce, he definitely had to deal with Man Yue properly.


    ¡°Just scram. In the future, if you dare to make Wu Xingzi do anything like this again without my permission, don¡¯t me me for my viciousness.¡±


    Although the words were harsh, Man Yue was relieved, and his smile became more earnest.


    ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll definitely not let you discover it!¡± Once he was done speaking, he did not dare stay there any longer. Bringing Wu Xingzi along, he ran away.

 Chapter 102 - Closing The Net

    Chapter 102 ¡ª Closing The Net


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Yan Wenxin kept feeling a sense of unease.


    During the morning court, the Emperor seemed to have been staring at him openly numerous times, yet he did not have any doubts towards his memorial presentation. Just like usual, the Emperor only asked a couple of questions, then moved on to the next official. However, a few minutester, the Emperor once again nced over at him.


    Yan Wenxin felt as though he could hear the puzzlement of the entire court. There were some who could not help but sneak looks at him, and this happened so often that Yan Wenxin felt as though he was sitting on pins and needles. On the surface, he still lookedpletely unbothered, and with his face looking down on the ground, he seemed to not have noticed anything.


    Finally, he managed to endure until the end of the session. After answering a few enquiries from some of his faction, Yan Wenxin was about to return to his residence, nning on deliberating over the Emperor¡¯s attitude. Unexpectedly, he was called to a halt by someone.


    ¡°Lord Yan, his Majesty wishes to meet you.¡± The one calling out to him was a close attendant of the Emperor. His old, wrinkled face was beaming, and despite Yan Wenxin being able to read people well, he had never been able to see through this old eunuch who had attended to two emperors.


    ¡°Eunuch Chun.¡± Yan Wenxin cupped his hands towards him. He wanted to probe the old man, but thinking about it, the Emperor¡¯s actions this morning did mean something. If he were to probe too deeply, it would make it seem as though he was feeling guilty. As such, he just quietly followed behind Eunuch Chun.


    Yan Wenxin had originally thought that the Emperor would meet him in the royal study, but surprisingly, Eunuch Chun led him to the gardens.


    In the current season, the lotuses in the pond had already wilted, and the servants had already been tasked to clean it up. As such, the pond was a little bleak looking. The curtains around the white jade pavilion in the center of the pond had been pulled down halfway, only allowing half the light to shine in. A bright yellow figure could be seen indistinctly within, leaningzily against the seat, sipping tea.


    The Emperor of Great Xia was no longer young. In another three months, it would be his Imperial Birthday. By then, the Emperor would be fifty-five years old. Despite this, his appearance did not reflect his age. His long, thin eyes were alwayszily half-hidden by his lowered lids, his nose handsome, and his brows were sharp and defined. There was not a single wrinkle on his snow-white skin, and only when he smiled, did crinkles appear on the corners of his eyes.


    From afar, the Emperor had already seen Yan Wenxin. Lifting his arm, he waved him over. Eunuch Chun immediately hastened, walking forward quickly. As a literary man, Yan Wenxin had a bit of a hard time catching up with him, and after bowing and showing his courtesies, the man could not help but pant a little.


    ¡°Beloved Minister, have a seat. Here¡¯s some tea.¡± The long seat of the Emperor was covered with a soft cushion as well as a pillow. The Emperor half-reclined on it in content, not carrying any airs on him at all.


    Having long been used to how casual the Emperor was in private, Yan Wenxin voiced his gratitude, sitting uprightly on the stool across the Emperor. Raising up the cup of tea Eunuch Chun handed to him, he took a sip, heaping praise on the tea thereafter.


    ¡°If you like it, I shall let Chun Si prepare some leaves and let you bring it back with you.¡± The Emperor carried a memorium with one hand, a smile on his face. However, Yan Wenxin felt an inexplicable clench in his heart, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up on ends.


    ¡°Thank you, your Majesty, for the gift.¡± Yan Wenxin wanted to stand up and show his thanks, but the Emperor acted first, waving at him, indicating that there was no need for the courtesy. The Emperor then instructed Eunuch Chun to serve the snacks.


    Not tasting anything, Yan Wenxin had a piece of phoenix-eye cake. He did not dare to rx at all, as he contemted what exactly did the Emperor have in mind.


    He felt that recently, he had not made any mistakes. At the very most, about half a month ago, he had schemed against Guan Shanjin. His actions in this matter could be considered wless. As long as Bai Shaochang was able to keep his mouth shut, no matter how things dragged on, the me would never fall on him. Considering how much affection Bai Shaochang held for him, and how deep his love was, it was likely that even if Bai Shaochang¡¯s life was on the line, he would still not betray him.


    It was difficult to ascertain the Emperor¡¯s attitude, and Yan Wenxin could only temporarily hold back for now.


    Just like this, the Emperor and his minister ate and drank, chatting about certain romantic affairs that had be fairly well known in the capital. Unknowingly, they started talking about trivial matters of home. Having been an official for decades, Yan Wenxin naturally knew how to hold a delicate bnce about his personal affairs in front of the Emperor. This was to both express his loyalty, as well as to protect himself.


    As Yan Wenxin spoke about nning to let his foster son, Huaixiu, marry his youngest daughter, the Emperor did not respond. His brows knitting slightly, the Emperor fell silent for a moment. Yan Wenxin¡¯s heart jolted, a spection arising within him then.


    ¡°Does your Majesty think that it¡¯s unsuitable?¡± Yan Wenxin probed.


    ¡°Zaizong, you¡¯ve helped share my burdens for about twenty years already, haven¡¯t you?¡± The Emperor signalled at Eunuch Chun to help him up. Looking at Yan Wenxin, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted you deeply, and you¡¯ve also helped me settle quite a number of issues. All these things, I¡¯ve always remembered them well. I know very well what sort of person you are.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty is overly praising me.¡± Yan Wenxin drew his brows together, bowing his head. Overwhelmed with fear, he fell to his knees. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to share your Majesty¡¯s burdens and I dare not have any other thoughts than that. Please, your Majesty, you need not worry.¡±


    ¡°Stand up, stand up. I know that you care about Great Xia and you¡¯re loyal to me. Naturally, I do not worry.¡± The Emperor waved, indicating for Yan Wenxin to get up. Without waiting for him to steady himself, he sighed again. ¡°Thinking about it, you also know that I¡¯ve been troubled by that kid from the Guan family. I¡¯ve seen Haiwang grow up, and although he has always been a little arrogant, he¡¯s not a child who cannot tell right from wrong. It¡¯s even harder to imagine him colluding with the southern barbarians. Ai, because of this, I haven¡¯t even been sleeping well recently.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Lord Protector and his family had always been loyal ministers of the court. The son hasid his life for Great Xia for over a dozen years, and it is definitely impossible for him to collude with the southern barbarians, betraying the country. Perhaps, someone is framing him?¡± Right now, Yan Wenxin decided to make concessions, in order to be able to continue holding an advantage. He had always been smart, and he understood that the Emperor had definitely gotten hold of evidence that would allow Guan Shanjin to be freed from jail.


    ¡°Then, who does Zaizong think is framing Haiwang?¡± The Emperor seemed to be waiting for this very sentence from Yan Wenxin. There was no trace of his previousnguidness in his tone. Instead, the Emperor had be very aggressive.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ In my opinion, the one who had the most enmity with the Lord Protector¡¯s estate is probably myself.¡± Despite his wariness, Yan Wenxin did not expose himself at all. Right now, at this very moment, rather than stating his innocence, he would try doing the exact opposite.


    ¡°Hahaha, Zaizong is very honest! You¡¯ve only met the Guan family¡¯s kid a few times, why are the two of you as ipatible as fire and water?¡± The Emperor pped,ughing.


    Giving a couple of wryughs, Yan Wenxin gave no other response.


    Very quickly, the Emperor¡¯sugh ended and he remarked sincerely, ¡°Zaizong, you¡¯re a very sensible person. Although you have a conflict with the Lord Protector, over the years, you¡¯ve never hindered or troubled him. This, I can see. However, there are some people by your side, who have been thinking too much about this. It¡¯s hard to say if they¡¯ve done anything behind your back. That youngest daughter of yours is the apple of your eye, don¡¯t let her marry a wrong person.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty means¡­¡± Yan Wenxin revealed an rmed expression, which quickly turned into shame and anger. ¡°Your minister understands! About this matter, I¡¯ll give you an answer tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. You¡¯re my right hand man, while Haiwang is Great Xia¡¯s de. I do not wish for either of you to be injured at all. Those unnecessary people around you, it¡¯s best that you get rid of them if needed. I will not fault you for your responsibility in not watching your people closely, and I¡¯ll only withhold your sry of half a year. In the future, you must be cautious.¡± What the Emperor meant was that he wanted to minimise the impact of this incident, as well as letting it serve as a reminder to Yan Wenxin.


    On the surface, Yan Wenxin naturally was full of thanks and gratitude. He vowed solemnly that once he was home, he would tie up his foster son, the suspect, and send him to the Court of Judicial Review.


    Upon receiving this promise, the Emperor seemed very satisfied. After a few sentences offort, he then let Eunuch Chun send the man out of the pce.


    Leaving the pce, Yan Wenxin immediately rushed home. Who would have thought that just as he entered his residence, his youngest daughter would lunge over, grabbing his hand and saying, ¡°Father, something has happened! A number of people, dressed in the uniform of imperial guards, have captured Huaixiu-dage!¡±


    ¡°Imperial guards?¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s heart pounded, a deep frown appearing on his face. He patted his daughter¡¯s arm in constion. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, go back to your room and wait there. I¡¯ll deal with this matter.¡±


    ¡°But Father, why do the imperial guards want to capture Huaixiu-dage?¡± Yan Caijun was extremely anxious. She tightened her grip on her father¡¯s hand, like a drowning man clutching at straw. She was close to Huaixiu, and she did have some feelings for this foster brother of hers. Seeing how he was caught by the savage and fierce-looking imperial guards, she was naturally frightened to the point of losing her wits. Finally, her father had now returned, and her heart, originally caught at her throat, could settle back to where it was supposed to be.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about this matter. Go back to your room.¡± At this moment, Yan Wenxin was not in the mood tofort his daughter as well. Freeing himself from the young girl¡¯s grip, he let the steward lead her away, before hurrying to his study.


    The doors to his study were wide open. Outside stood two imperial guards dressed in the dark attire of officials, swords hanging by their waist. Inside, someone could be heard speaking indistinctly, and Yan Wenxin was unable to determine if that was Huaixiu.


    Seeing him walking over, the two imperial guards by the door cupped their hands together towards him, then held their hands out towards the doors, gesturing an invitation. They were expressionless, and nothing could be read from their faces. Yan Wenxin hesitated for a moment, and they did not urge him on. In fact, they did not even look at him. Yan Wenxin could not help but sneer internally at how they were basically inviting him to a trap of his own making. Straightening his robes, he entered his study, looking as unbothered as usual.


    There were a total of four people in the study. Yan Huaixiu was held down to the ground by one of them, a bleeding wound on his forehead. With how dishevelled he looked, he appeared to be in a predicament, yet he still stubbornly red at the other two people rummaging through the study.


    ¡°Lord Yan.¡± Upon seeing the entrance of Yan Wenxin, the three people cupped their hands at him.


    ¡°May I dare ask the Vice Commander, what is the meaning of this?¡± Yan Wenxin suppressed his anger. Ever since he had be an official, he had never experienced such humiliation. Even though he understood that the imperial guards were only following the order of the Emperor, he still felt as though he had received a series of tight ps, his cheeks burning in pain.


    ¡°This is the Emperor¡¯s order.¡± The leader of the imperial guards could be considered someone Yan Wenxin was long familiar with. As the vicemander of the imperial guards, he was deeply trusted by the Emperor. The guard smiled, breaking the seal of the book, investigating it page by page.


    Yan Wenxin choked. He finally lost his unconcerned expression, anger gathering upon his face. ¡°Has the Emperor suggested that the vicemander destroy every single one of my books?¡±


    ¡°Naturally not.¡± The eyes of the vicemander crinkled in a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just that every piece of paper has to be unsealed and investigated, so as to be able to return Lord Yan your innocence. After all, your foster son was captured here, and we¡¯re only afraid that he¡¯s trying to frame you as well.¡±


    ¡°I had thought that the Emperor had wanted me to settle this matter myself.¡± Yan Wenxin nced at Huaixiu, who was bowing his head. The older man had already made his decision.


    It seemed like Guan Shanjin¡¯s men had already gotten their hands on evidence that proved that Huaixiu was liaising with the southern barbarians. Fortunately, Ping Yifan had long left the capital, returning to the southern borders. Yan Wenxin did not believe that Guan Shanjin would be able to capture Ping Yifan as well. Otherwise, how could the Emperor only summon him over, telling him those things? There were countless ties between Ping Yifan and Huaixiu, and if he had been caught, there waspletely no need for them to be rummaging for evidence here.


    However, it was likely that Huaixiu would have to be sacrificed. Although this was basically cutting off his right hand, Yan Wenxin had no choice but to grit his teeth and bear through the pain.


    Huaixiu had followed Yan Wenxin for so many years, and he was his close confidant. Naturally, he understood what the subtle changes in Yan Wenxin¡¯s expressions meant. Catching sight of Yan Wenxin¡¯s dark eyes, his heart ached slightly, but Huaixiu quickly became firm again.


    His foster father was nning on sacrificing him to survive.


    Huaixiu no longer struggled. He understood that this was thest bit of use he could be to his foster father, and he could not make a single mistake.


    Huaixiu was an orphan. His earliest memories were of him roaming about the streets, homeless. Before he reached the age of five, there was an old granny beggar taking care of him. Every day, he would just about be able to receive a somewhat spoilt bun to fill his tummy. All he wanted was to hurry and grow up, so that he would be able to find things to eat himself, as well as take care of that granny instead.


    Unfortunately, he did not have a chance to fulfil this wish. When he was five, tension was tight at the borders of Great Xia. During the war between the south and the northwest, they faced countless defeats. Even an uneasy fear permeated the capital, spreading through the streets. That year, the Lord Protector¡¯s son stepped onto the battlefield, and the Emperor took the lead in economising food and clothes. As such, it was very difficult for the beggars in the capital to receive any food. Although the welfare organisations would regrly prepare porridge, offering it to them, children like Huaixiu, as well as the thin, weak old granny would not be able to receive much in the fight for the food. Winter had only just begun, and the old granny beggar froze to death. All alone, Huaixiu huddled in a corner, his little body almost concealed by the snow.


    It was right then when Yan Wenxin had walked past, incidentally picking him up and bringing him home. From then on, Huaixiu had a home that gave him shelter, he had a soft and warm jacket, and every day, he was able to fill his tummy with tasty food until it bulged out¡­ From a little beggar that was about to die, he had be Yan Wenxin¡¯s foster child.


    Yan Wenxin was very good to him. Not only did he foster him, he even taught him how to read. Lady Yan was graceful and kind-hearted, and she never doubted her husband¡¯s actions. Naturally, towards this young foster son, she also had a lot of tender affections. Even though sheter on gave birth to her own children, whether it was Yan Wenxin or Lady Yan, their warm and familial attitude never changed, and never had there ever been even a trace of annoyance.


    At that time, Huaixiu had thought, this was definitely because the old granny beggar had specially brought him to pray to Buddha before winter, asking Buddha to assure his safety, and that was why such a good thing would happen to him. Towards Yan Wenxin, he naturally held great respect and admiration, viewing the man as his everything. No matter how dirty, how awful the tasks were, Huaixiu was more than willing to do it for his foster father. All he wished for was to be the shadow next to his foster father, as well as hisst defense, and guarantee evesting peace and prosperity to the Yan family.


    And right now, it was time for him to sacrifice himself for the Yan family.


    Atst, the imperial guards had not managed to find anything unpresentable in the study. With a few words of insincere apologies, they wanted to take Huaixiu along with them.


    ¡°Wait a moment, may I speak some words to Huaixiu?¡±


    ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± The vicemander did not mind at all, generously letting his subordinates remove the ribbon of cloth wrapped around Huaixiu¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Yifu¡­¡± Having his mouth obstructed for a long period of time, Huaixiu¡¯s voice was very hoarse and unpleasant sounding. However, it carried with it a heavy sense of filial piety and respect, as well as a sentiment that was hard to define.


    ¡°Huaxiu, over the past many years, I have treated you so well, showing you even more concern than I had towards my own biological children. You should be well aware of that.¡± Yan Wenxin stooped down, brushing away the dirt on Huaixiu¡¯s face tenderly. With tears in his eyes, it seemed as though he was extremely reluctant, his heart hurting badly. It was like he could not understand why this child, on whom he had spent so much effort raising and teaching, had ended up taking this path of no return.


    ¡°Huaixiu understands¡­.¡± In a daze, Huaixiu stared at the tears in Yan Wenxin¡¯s eyes. He struggled a little, seemingly wanting to free his hands to wipe away the wetness in his foster father¡¯s eyes. What was he, to let his foster father feel such sorrow for him? ¡°Huaixiu has let Yifu down¡­¡±


    ¡°Ai, one should not continue walking down the wrong path. I hope that you can understand this.¡± Yan Wenxin sighed in disappointment. As though he could no longer bear it, he stood up, turning around. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you.¡±


    Huaixiu stared fixedly at Yan Wenxin, looking at that grieving figure of his. The older man seemed to even be wiping at his eyes. Huaixiu¡¯s heart ached horribly, and his decision was even more strengthened. No matter how cruel the interrogation or punishment he would be facing, Huaixiu would endure it all for his foster father and maintain the glory of the Yan family!


    Not too long after Yan Wenxin¡¯s foster son was hauled off to jail, news of the Lord Protector¡¯s son having been cleared of his crimes, and thus released from jail, spread like wildfire through the capital.

 Chapter 103 - Visiting A Prisoner In Jail

    Chapter 103 ¡ª Visiting A Prisoner In Jail


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    Not too long after Huaixiu was sent to jail, Yan Wenxin too offered his resignation, stating that his virtue wascking and he wanted to retire and return to his hometown. He did not miss out on anything he should say or do, and he did express a very remorseful attitude.


    The ministers of the court too made their moves. Some presented memorials to the Emperor, seeking an investigation into whether or not Yan Wenxin had been involved, while others presented memorials to offer themselves as a guarantor for Yan Wenxin. At that moment, the scent of gunpowder permeated the court, yet the Emperor never said a word. He even rejected Yan Wenxin¡¯s resignation, only putting him on house arrest for a month.


    As for Huaixiu¡¯s crime of betraying the country, the evidence was irrefutable. After being cross-examined, he was sentenced to death by dismemberment. For now, he would continue remaining in jail, waiting to be executed after the new year.


    At home, Yan Caijun would basically be washing her face with tears every day. She did not know how Huaixiu had ended up in cahoots with the southern barbarians, and he had even managed to conceal it from her father? She was even more bewildered by how her father did not give Huaixiu any aid at all.


    She wanted to visit Huaixiu in jail. However, the cells that kept prisoners waiting to be executed were not allowed visitors. Even items that were sent in would be unpacked and examined. Seeing that the weather was getting colder, Yan Caijun worried that Huaixiu would be freezing. She sent two jackets, only for them to be torn apart and examined thoroughly in front of her. This angered the young girl so greatly that she cried all the way home.


    During this period, Yan Wenxin remained quiet and bided his time. He did not use any of his power and abilities to dere his innocence, but allowed things to proceed as they were in court. At the same time, he also felt out what the Emperor was thinking.


    It had to be known that betraying the country was a great sin, and all nine generations of the criminal¡¯s family would not be able to continue living. But now, the Emperor was clearly biased. Other than Huaixiu, the Emperor had no intentions of making a move against the Yan family. The house arrest did not hurt him at all, and even when the Lord Protector had presented many memorials requesting for a strict investigation, the Emperor only gave a few words of sympathy, glossing over the matter entirely. The Lord Protector was furious to the point of calling in sick from his duties and he did not attend court for seven or eight days.


    Guan Shanjin had suffered in jail, and ording to some, it took him over a dozen days to recover. Now, he followed the footsteps of his father, calling in sick as well. It was evident that they were extremely disappointed in the Emperor.


    Yan Wenxin looked through the various information provided by spies, then looked at the porcin cups ced on the table with the fragrance of tea wafting from them. The Emperor hadmanded Eunuch Chun to deliver the tea leaves over, along with a few types of snacks. These gifts were clearly for pacifying. Yan Wenxin could not help but smile. In this crisis, it could be said that he came outpletely unscathed and was removed from the entire situation. Although he had lost Huaixiu without anyone to rece him, and he had no choice but to temporarily deal with the southern barbarians by himself, the road that had already been built was not obstructed in the least. He was still able to go his merry way.


    Using one Huaixiu to exchange for the Emperor¡¯s care as well as a path to the southern barbarians, Yan Wenxin could not be said to have lost in this game.


    Once Huaixiu was executed and the matter was blown over, Yan Wenxin would be able topletely eradicate Guan Shanjin from the southern borders and rece him with his own people. Although he had not managed to injure the backbone of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, he had still managed to deal them a severe blow.


    Thinking about this, Yan Wenxin was now able to put away the tenseness he had been feeling over the past few days. He was finally willing to see this daughter of his who had been crying herself into a dumpling.


    ¡°Father!¡± Yan Caijun was finally able to see her father. Her eyes, already swollen like walnuts, started tearing up again. With how much she was crying, she did not look as cheerful and bright as usual.


    ¡°Why did you cry yourself into such a state?¡± Yan Wenxin was after all a father, and with a gentle voice, he consoled his daughter.


    ¡°Father, please visit Huaixiu-dage, alright? The weather is getting colder, and I wanted to send him some warm clothing, but the prison guards stopped me!¡± Yan Caijun¡¯s voice was hoarse from crying and she seemed even more pitiful. Perhaps, from her crying, she was suffering from both a headache and blurry vision, and her words were incoherent. Speaking over and over again, she implored her father to visit Huaixiu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble! Huaixiu is a traitor to the country! If not for the benevolence of the Emperor, our entire family would have been in dire straits. Why are you still thinking about this traitorous, ungrateful person? Your father is still under house arrest, and if someone were to find out that I went to visit Huaixiu, do you know how much danger our Yan family will be facing?¡± It was rare that Yan Wenxin was so stern towards his daughter. He pped the table forcefully with his hand, scaring Yan Caijun into trembling. Her mouth opened, but she could not speak.


    ¡°Child, I know that you¡¯ve been close to Huaixiu ever since you were young. At first, I had wanted to betroth you to Huaixiu once you were of age, so as to bring your rtionship to fruition. Now, however, Huaixiu has brought such great danger to the family. Ignoring how your father¡¯s reputation has been destroyed by him, if we were to take a wrong step now, the ones being executed next year would be our entire family!¡± Half reproachful and half in constion, Yan Wenxin held his daughter¡¯s hand and patted it. ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of the Yan family, so think things through.¡±


    Yan Caijun looked at her father dazedly. Inexplicably, chills ran down her spine. Still, her tears dried up, and scared out of her wits, she gave a few confused nods. She understood that there was no way she would be able to save Huaixiu.


    Days passed. Yan Wenxin¡¯s house arrest was over and he returned to court. Just like the past, he still enjoyed the Emperor¡¯s trust, and if not for his spies telling him that the Lord Protector had taken a trip to the jail, he would have long forgotten about Huaixiu.


    Why did the Lord Protector go to the jail? Yan Wenxin felt a slight trace of unease. After a second of contemtion, he called his daughter over.


    ¡°The recent weather has been very cold and I¡¯ve been worried about Huaixiu too. Prepare two jackets and I¡¯ll¡­ just go visit Huaixiu.¡±


    Hearing that, Yan Caijun brightened. She knew that her father¡¯s power in the court had not been affected by Huaixiu¡¯s traitorous act at all. The Emperor even became more benevolent, and she had even been considering if she should again plead with her father to visit Huaixiu. Now, things were happening as she wished they would. Yan Caijun hurriedly packed up the two jackets she had prepared, along with a box of food three-tiers high, handing them all to her father.


    On Yan Wenxin¡¯s face was a look of resignation, but he did not dampen his daughter¡¯s excitement. There were his men positioned in the jail, and it was not a difficult thing to bring whatever he wanted in there. Yan Wenxin was only feeling conflicted about how his daughter was still concerned and worried over his foster son.


    It had been nearly two months since Huaixiu had been caught. Although the name of the capital meant the ¡°long summer¡±, winter came early. Before autumn had ended, the weather had already turned cold. With the apaniment of the autumn rain that came on and off, the days only got colder.


    After another night of rain, once Yan Wenxin confirmed that no one had been rmed by what he was doing, he went to the jail and sessfully brought the items in with him.


    The head warden leading the way was someone Yan Wenxin had ced in position. In front of Huaixiu¡¯s cell, the man withdrew respectfully.


    ¡°Huaixiu,¡± Yan Wenxin called out gently upon seeing the youth inside.


    Dressed in the thin prisoner garb and huddling in the pile of dried straw due to the cold, the youth jerked violently as he turned his head in disbelief towards Yan Wenxin.


    ¡°Y-Yifu!¡± Right after calling out to him, Huaixiu¡¯s tears fell.


    His features were handsome, yet delicate. Perhaps due to having lived on the streets, his looks had a touch of something that made people sympathise with him. Right now, with how haggard he looked, his appearance garnered even more pity. Despite how crude the cell was, and how his attire was stained, they only made him look even more delicate and fragile, and one¡¯s heart would ache looking at him.


    If not for having such a serious crime on his head that caused him to be kept in solitary incarceration, and with the many pawns of the Yan family that made up some of the prison guards taking care of him, something major might have already happened to him.


    ¡°Yes, Yifu hase to see you.¡± Yan Wenxin gave him a hint of a smile, before sighing deeply. Lowering his voice, he said, ¡°Huaixiu, I¡¯ve done you wrong.¡±


    Huaixiu could not care for the cold, stumbling to the door and shaking his head forcefully. ¡°No, Yifu, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s me who could not repay Yifu¡¯s kindness and affection, and even¡­ even caused trouble for the Yan family.¡± Huaixiu¡¯s words sounded very earnest, and no w or mistake was exposed. Yan Wenxin then understood that no matter how much the father and son of the Guan family threatened or tempted the youth in front of him, they would never be able to gain anything that was detrimental towards himself.


    ¡°Ai¡­ Don¡¯t me Yifu for not saving you. Working with the enemies against your country is a grievous crime, and Yifu has to think about the safety of the dozens of people at home.¡± As Yan Wenxin spoke, he reached into the cell, stroking the sunken cheeks of his foster son with an aching heart. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight from hunger, and seeing it hurts my heart.¡±


    The skin was cold when he touched him, but a faint wash of red followed his caress.


    ¡°Yifu¡­ Yifu¡­¡± It seemed as though Huaixiu had a thousand things to say, but what left his lips were only quiet calls of respect and longing.


    ¡°Come, have something to eat. This is prepared for you by Caijun, ande, put on these two jackets.¡± Yan Wenxin pulled his hand away, shoving the jackets into the cell as he urged Huaixiu to wear them. Smiling, he praised, ¡°It looks good.¡±


    Huaixiu¡¯s face reddened even more. Just as he wanted to take the chopsticks to have something to eat, Yan Wenxin pushed his hand away, speaking to him with an expression suffused with gentleness, ¡°Let Yifu feed you.¡±


    The youth was unable to refuse him. To him, this person was his heaven, and the one he had been admiring and respecting since young. Even at this moment, he had not forgotten him, and was still gently protecting him. It felt like the warm waters of spring was pouring over him right now, as sweet as honey.


    Yan Wenxin fed his foster son mouthful by mouthful, the speed neither fast nor slow. With a bright red face, Huaixiu enjoyed the food happily. He stared at Yan Wenxin the whole time, as though he desperately wished to carve this scene into his mind permanently. Even if he were to go through rebirth, he would never forget it.


    Seeing how the food was half-emptied, and how Huaixiu was full, Yan Wenxin put the chopsticks down and took out a container of water, feeding it to the young man. After that, he helped him wipe his mouth clean.


    ¡°When you just came to us, I fed you like this a few times as well. At that time, you were thin and small, but your eyes were so bright like the stars in the sky. Back then, I had thought, in the future, this child would definitely be able to do something great and bring honour to the Yan family.¡± Yan Wenxin sighed with great emotion, patting Huaixiu¡¯s shoulder warmly. ¡°Yifu understands, you¡¯re a child who remembers the past deeply, and you will never deliberately harm my family.¡±


    ¡°Yifu¡­¡± Huaixiu stared at Yan Wenxin, his lips still feeling the warmth of his foster father¡¯s hand. ¡°Even if Guan Shanjin were to rip my lips from my face, he would never be able to cause me to let the Yan family down.¡±


    A few days ago, Guan Shanjin¡¯s right hand man, that Man Yue, who was as round as a ball, hade to see him once. Within his words was a reminder to Huaixiu, that Yan Wenxin was a cruel, vicious and ungrateful man. Even if he did offer up his life, that Yan fellow would not feel grateful for it, and would already have forgotten about him.


    How could Huaixiu believe Man Yue? Did his foster father note to visit him right then?


    ¡°Yifu naturally believes you. But¡­¡± Yan Wenxin gave aforting pat on his foster son¡¯s hand, murmuring, ¡°This time, the Yan family haspletely stepped out of this matter, and it has made Guan Shanjin and his group of scum unhappy. I¡¯m afraid, in the future, they would not give up on any opportunity to obstruct me in court. Your two younger brothers have yet to be able to find their proper footing in court, and Guan Shanjin will definitely not let them off¡­ Ai¡­ What¡¯s the point in saying all this to you? You don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡±


    The moment Huaixiu heard this, he became anxious. Keeping his voice down, he said urgently, ¡°Yifu, don¡¯t say that. No matter what, as long as I can do something for the Yan family, I will definitely do it!¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re in jail, even if¡­¡± Yan Wenxin paused, before speaking softly, as though he could not bear to do so, ¡°you¡¯re abandoned?¡±


    Huaixiu shuddered. Unable to conceal his pain, he looked at his foster father. His eyes glimmered vaguely with tears, but they did not fall, and he gritted his teeth and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Yan Wenxin gave a long sigh. ¡°Good child.¡±


    ¡°Yifu, what do you want me to do?¡± The tears in Huaixiu¡¯s eyes still ended up falling, sttering on the back of Yan Wenxin¡¯s hand that was covering his.


    ¡°When Guan Shanjines to look for you again, you¡¯ll help me probe them, hmm?¡± Yan Wenxin looked at the drops of tears on the back of his hand, wiping it away gently. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Yifu¡¯s heart hurts.¡±


    ¡°Mn¡­¡± Huaixiu obediently suppressed his tears, even giving Yan Wenxin a smile. ¡°Yifu, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯mpletely sober. I will definitely not cause any more trouble for the Yan family.¡±


    Yan Wenxin nced at his foster son. Opening his mouth to speak, only to hesitate, he finally sighed. He patted Huaixiu¡¯s hand, standing up and leaving.


    In his cell, Huaixiu gripped the bars of the doors, watching emotionally as Yan Wenxin departed. Even when that figure had vanishedpletely, he was still lost in his thoughts¡­


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù


    Over the next few days, perhaps the Lord Protector¡¯s estate had recognised that Huaixiu would never switch sides, or perhaps they had other ns, they never sent people to the jail again.


    Yan Wenxin was not anxious as well. He originally did not think that Guan Shanjin would seek out Huaixiu again within such a short period of time. Furthermore, Huaixiu himself had already been abandoned. That day, Yan Wenxin¡¯s words were mainly to secure Huaixiu¡¯s loyalty. Whether he would be able to sniff out any information or not was only a side dish to the main event.


    The conflict between the Emperor and the Lord Protector¡¯s estate was no longer able to be resolved. After Guan Shanjin was removed from his position, he was never reinstated again. It seemed like the Emperor wished to seek out others to carry the huge responsibility of protecting the southern borders, and the only people who could rece Guan Shanjin in court were people under the Defender Duke.


    As expected, when the first snowfall officially happened in the capital, which was also the third month after Guan Shanjin left the jail, the responsibility of being the Southern Garrison General stationed in Bastion City fell upon the shoulders of the Defender Duke¡¯s previous subordinate. That general¡¯s achievements on the battlefield could notpare to Guan Shanjin, but he won in being more obedient. All this while, he had spent more time in the capital than the borders, and had been amander of military forces for around a dozen years. He could be considered a person trusted by the Emperor.


    Now, Yan Wenxin waspletely at ease.


    It was also right at this time when he received an invitation that came from Bai Shaochang.


    Nothing much was said in the invitation. In Bai Shaochang¡¯s elegant script, it was a simple invitation to listen to him y, and Bai Shaochang said that it was a repayment for thest time when the session was cut short.


    Thest time? It took a moment for Yan Wenxin to remember. That time, Guan Shanjin had brought Lu Zezhi along, while Ping Yifan had brought Wu Xingzi. Due to his deliberate incitement, the session had been stopped, and no one was concerned over that matter any longer. Now, a few months had already passed, so why did Bai Shaochang suddenly mention it again?


    Previously, rumours about Guan Shanjin and Bai Shaochang bing life partners had spread widely through the capital. After Guan Shanjin went to jail, no one mentioned anything about Bai Shaochang again, as though he had quietly vanished in the capital. A few days ago, the Emperor had summoned Yan Wenxin to have a meal with him, and casually mentioned Master Qin and his son. The Emperor could not stop sighing, feeling that he had held up the youngster¡¯s marriage. In the past, Guan Shanjin had been so high profile and attracting so much attention, but now, he was all gloomy and silent. He was definitely not a suitable spouse for Bai Shaochang.


    ¡°Zhen has let Master Qin take his child home. Once the rumours have subsided, another suitable partner will be sought for him,¡± the Emperor said, his tone filled with pity.


    It seemed like the Lord Protector¡¯s estate had given up on using the Bai family to get back into the Emperor¡¯s good graces. The neck of this Guan family was truly stiff and hard, and they would rather break than bend. Yan Wenxin wanted to see for how much longer this Lord Protector¡¯s estate could remain so stubborn.


    Putting the invitation down, Yan Wenxin decided to keep this appointment. It was time to meet Bai Shaochang.

 Chapter 104 - Xingzi: Always Misjudged

    Chapter 104 ¡ª Xingzi: Always Misjudged


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The date of the appointment with Bai Shaochang quickly arrived. There was a heavy snowfall the night before, and everything was white and silver. Even when Yan Wenxin was about to leave his house, the snow had yet to stop, and the goosefeather-like snowkes quickly gathered in thickyers on his umbre.


    Walking from the entrance of the alley to the Bai residence, Yan Wenxin¡¯s shoes got a little wet. With an unhappy expression, he stood under the eaves and closed his umbre, straightening his clothes out before knocking on the door.


    Silence reigned for a moment, and the woven bamboo door was slowly pulled open. Bai Shaochang had a cloak around him, his face pale as he stood behind the door. Only when he saw Yan Wenxin did he then reveal a small smile.


    ¡°Yan-daren.¡± Bai Shaochang took half a step back so as to let Yan Wenxin in.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi.¡± Yan Wenxin cupped his hands together. He looked into the residence, and only the footsteps of Bai Shaochang alone could be seen in the snow. ¡°I¡¯m disturbing you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no disturbance.¡± Bai Shaochang shook his head. He too looked behind Yan Wenxin. Upon noticing that he did not bring anyone along with him, he seemed a little puzzled.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m here to listen to Bai-gongzi ying the qin, there¡¯s no need for too many unnecessary people to disturb your peace,¡± Yan Wenxin exined considerately, before walking through the doorway.


    ¡°Yan-daren is very thoughtful.¡± Bai Shaochang smiled shyly. When the door closed, he turned around abruptly and threw himself into Yan Wenxin¡¯s arms, his pale face nuzzling into the older man¡¯s chest sentimentally.


    Yan Wenxin hurriedly reached out, wrapping his arms around him. With great tenderness, he patted the young man¡¯s slender back. ¡°Ai, I¡¯ve missed you too.¡±


    Bai Shaochang did not reply, only hugging Yan Wenxin tightly with his thin arms, like a fledgling swallow flying back to its nest.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who has let you down, to let you endure such hardship for so many days in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate.¡± The snow was still drifting through the air. In the blink of an eye, a thinyer of snow gathered on their shoulders. However, Yan Wenxin seemedpletely unbothered, gently coaxing the man in his arms.


    ¡°I was willing.¡± Bai Shaochang answered, muffled. All he could smell was the scent of Yan Wenxin, a light and elegant scent that had traces of paper and ink. Despite feeling a little cold from the snow, his every breath was warm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made you suffer,¡± Yan Wenxin sighed as he tightened his embrace a little. Considerately, he helped the younger man brush away the snow in his hair, so as to prevent it from melting then refreezing. ¡°The snow is too heavy, let¡¯s go in first.¡±


    ¡°Mn¡­¡± Bai Shaochang seemed a little unwilling. He could not help but nuzzle into Yan Wenxin¡¯s chest again, before pulling himself away reluctantly, taking the initiative to hold Yan Wenxin¡¯s hand in affection.


    Bai Shaochang¡¯s openness left Yan Wenxin a little startled. In the past, this youth, who was as gentle as jade, had always been very reserved. Despite the two of them having already exchanged love tokens, he had never expressed an overly passionate action. Even with the asional act of handholding, Bai Shaochang had only dared do it in his own courtyard.


    Still, in spite of his puzzlement, Yan Wenxin thought that perhaps it had been too long since he met Bai Shaochang, and the young man had been missing him too much.


    At the end of the day, no matter how reserved Bai Shaochang was, he was still a youth in his early stage of life. It was not going overboard for him to show such intimacy after not seeing each other for so many months.


    Allowing Bai Shaochang to hold his hand and walk into the residence, Yan Wenxin held up his umbre to shelter them both, not forgetting to say some honeyed words of affection tofort the younger man. Bai Shaochang would periodically look up and nce at him. His originally pale face had a slight trace of red on it, and his actions too became a little stiff. Yan Wenxin could not help butugh secretly in his heart. Bai Shaochang had always been easy to coax.


    Old Master Bai did not seem to be at home. During such a snowy day, the Emperor liked to admire the snow and the music of the qin simultaneously, and it was likely that he had long sent people over to bring Old Master Bai into the pce to y the qin. The Bai residence had few servants and their training was strict. Right now, it seemed as though they had vanished into the snow, and it felt as though there was no one around but them.


    Bai Shaochang did not lead Yan Wenxin towards the ce where he normally yed the qin, but to the little yard where he stayed. Other than his own footprints, the snowy ground waspletely unmarked. However, Yan Wenxin swiftly came to a stop. He stared at the footprints that had been covered under a thinyer of new snow, an inexplicable hesitancy rising within him.


    This hesitancy was mixed with caution and a sense of unease. The little picturesque yard somehow exuded a piercing chill.


    ¡°Zaizong-gege?¡± Seeing him stop, Bai Shaochang looked at him in iprehension. His hand, holding onto Yan Wenxin¡¯s, tightened.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Yan Wenxin managed to drag his attention back. Gently, he smiled at the youth, imperceptibly observing the expression of the person in front of him.


    Bai Shaochang¡¯s face had paled by a few more degrees. Unable to hold his eyes for too long, he shifted his gaze away. Under his cloak, his shoulders trembled, and it looked like he was chilled.


    Being so sharp, how could Yan Wenxin not see through him? Bai Shaochang was not trembling from the cold, but from fear. What was he fearful about? Yan Wenxin now understood why he was feeling so uneasy.


    That series of footsteps had clearly been made by Bai Shaochang not too long ago. Hence, that was why it was still very distinct, and yet to bepletely concealed by the big and fluffy snowkes.


    That meant that after he knocked on the door of the Bai residence, Bai Shaochang then left his room, walking out to open the door for him. Although the Bai residence was not big, it was also not small. It would be difficult for Bai Shaochang to hear the knocks from his room. If he had really instructed his servants to not open the door, but to inform him when there was a knock, there should be at least one or two more sets of footprints in the snow.


    But now, other than the lonely set of footprints in the snow, there was no trace of anything else.


    If Bai Shaochang could not wait to see him, and so was waiting near the door, this set of footprints should be barely visible.


    ¡°You have other guests?¡± Yan Wenxin lowered his eyelids, his question extremely gentle. However, Bai Shaochang shuddered, turning his head away and refusing to look at him, not giving a response.


    ¡°Is it people from the Lord Protector¡¯s estate?¡± Yan Wenxinughed.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Bai Shaochang gave him a swift nce, his eyes reddening. ¡°You¡­ you said, that perfume sachet¡­ Your mother really wouldn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m a man?¡±


    The perfume sachet? Yan Wenxin pulled his hand away, and Bai Shaochang hurriedly tried to grab it back. However, it had already cupped his cheek, caressing it gently as though it was holding on to the world¡¯s greatest treasure.


    ¡°Why would she mind? That was the only keepsake my mother left me with, and I only want to give it to you.¡± Yan Wenxin brushed away the snowkes on Bai Shaochang¡¯s eyshes. The snow melted into water, blurring the youth¡¯s vision.


    ¡°You said, the plum blossom represents a schrly integrity, and that bird is your mother¡¯s¡­¡± Bai Shaochang murmured, as though he was in a dream.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You said, your mother had used herst bits of strength and embroidered it for you before she passed away. Even if she wasn¡¯t around, she would forever be by your side¡­¡± Bai Shaochang spoke again, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes were clouded, and he was almost about to cry.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yan Wenxin was still smiling, stroking the corners of his eyes as though his heart was aching.


    ¡°I believe you, I believe you¡­¡± As Bai Shaochang blinked, tears rolled down his face. They were cold and icy, painful and itchy. However, he could not control them, and he cried, ¡°You said that once your youngest child is married, you¡¯ll be able to keep mepany for the rest of my life. You said that you hold no love for your wife, and there¡¯s only respect. You said, in the past, the Yue family had guided and supported you, and even when you¡¯re now the Minister of State Affairs, you cannot break your bonds so easily, otherwise, your reputation would be ruined¡­ I¡¯m willing to wait for you, wait for your youngest child to get married, wait for you to leave the court¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand. You¡¯re so lovely, and I truly hold affections for you¡­¡± Yan Wenxin¡¯s thumb brushed past Bai Shaochang¡¯s lips, and the youth shut his eyes in despair.


    ¡°Then, why is there a second perfume sachet?¡± Bai Shaochang had thought that he would not be able to ask this question. Never did he expect that it would slip so easily out of his mouth.


    His nose was red from crying, and the tear tracks on his face smarted from the wind and snow. Yet, he could not stop crying. Despite his heart being as resolute as Yan Wenxin, a trace of true heartache could not stop welling up within it.


    ¡°It was Wu Xingzi who told you?¡± To be able to stand at the top of the court, to be a greatly trusted adviser to the Emperor, Yan Wenxin did not rely on the power of the Yue family, but his brains. Seeing everything in front of him, what else could he not understand? Just thinking about it a little, he could pretty much understand the whole situation.


    Giving a low chuckle, a myriad of feelings rose within him.


    All this while, he had been beating up geese. Now, he had been pecked by one in the eye. Things were just like that.


    Bai Shaochang looked at him, astonished. He clearly did not expect that Yan Wenxin would make such an urate guess. At the same time, the door to the room in front of them had already been pushed open. A tall man led a thin, middle-aged man, slowly walking out. The two people had their hands sped tightly together, and the tall one was still worried, bowing his head and tugging the cor of the middle-aged man close. Only when he confirmed that thetter would not be chilled, did he then look up and gaze at Yan Wenxin coldly.


    ¡°The son of the Lord Protector, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Yan Wenxin gave Guan Shanjin an appropriate smile, as though there was no tension brewing between the two of them, and that they only happened toe across each other on the streets.


    ¡°Yan-daren.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips curved in a faint smile, not surprised by how calm the other person was. ¡°I do like talking to clever people, please! The snow is getting heavier, and the Emperor has warmed up the ce, waiting for us to go over. Don¡¯t let the elderly wait too long.¡±


    ¡°The Emperor¡­ I see.¡± Yan Wenxinughed as he shook his head, then followed it with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m truly getting old in age. Thinking carefully now, the Emperor¡¯s every action had been a warning, but I¡¯ve been careless.¡±


    Yes, the Emperor had always held great trust in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, and he had watched Guan Shanjin grow up. With the Lord Protector¡¯s absolute loyalty, the Emperor should not be that biased, to shield him so abnormally. Having raised the Yan estate so high up, the Emperor hadpletely shut off Yan Wenxin¡¯s cautiousness.


    And he himself had missed out on one person, the threat of an old friend.


    Yan Wenxin turned his eyes towards Wu Xingzi, who stood next to Guan Shanjin. He was tucked in a wrap edged with silver fox fur, and he still seemed as fragile as before. On his ordinary face were the marks of time, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were obvious. Together with his cid facial features, they looked likeugh lines. He appeared warm, gentle, and seemed to even be flinching a little. Right now, perhaps he was feeling cold, so he hid his chin in his furs, looking a littleical.


    ¡°Chang¡¯an.¡± Yan Wenxin called out to him.


    Hearing his voice, Wu Xingzi gave him a bewildered look, but he did not respond.


    ¡°I had thought that you were with Ping Yifan already.¡± Yan Wenxin mentioned this deliberately, noticing Guan Shanjin¡¯s darkening expression in satisfaction, seeing a fire banked in those dark eyes. Now that things were like this, Yan Wenxin would not be so naive as to think that the Ping Yifan working with him was on the side of the southern barbarians. He definitely was also a pawn arranged by Guan Shanjin and the Emperor. Having been tempted into this trap step by step, Yan Wenxin was no longer able to extricate himself out of it. However, he was still able to cause some difort to Guan Shanjin.


    Wu Xingzi wanted to speak, only to start sneezing from the fur around his face. Guan Shanjin quietly scolded him for being a foolish darling, taking out a handkerchief and wiping away the saliva and snot on his face. The devoted affection and tenderness on Guan Shanjin¡¯s face really nauseated others. The smile on Yan Wenxin¡¯s face faded away.


    ¡°Aiyah, I¡¯ll just do it myself.¡± With a blush, Wu Xingzi quickly reached out for the handkerchief. However, Guan Shanjin caught his wrist, holding it down, and carefully wiped his face clean for him.


    ¡°I asked you to wait inside, but you insisted oning out.¡± Guan Shanjin kept his handkerchief, putting on a fierce appearance as he pinched Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose, causing the old fellow to feel very embarrassed.


    ¡°Aiyah, isn¡¯t this¡­ isn¡¯t this¡­¡± Wu Xingzi scratched his cheek, looking just as shy as he did twenty years ago. Just like this, he looked at Yan Wenxin. ¡°Meeting an old friend?¡±


    It was as though a whole generation had passed.


    They had met once previously. At that time, Yan Wenxin stood proudly at the top, showing contempt for the ordinary man in front of him, mocking him for his doddery behaviour, and how he could not see his own status, as well as the heart of the person in his bed clearly. Even if they once shared an entanglement of affection, it was not enough for Yan Wenxin to make note of it.


    Right then and there, Yan Wenxin again stared at Wu Xingzi. This honest man, who had once looked at him foolishly,pletely unable to conceal the love in his eyes, was now standing in front of him again. However, this time, in his dark eyes were emotions that Yan Wenxin could not understand. There was pity, there was a sigh, there was a loss, there was disappointment¡­ there was everything, but anger.


    ¡°Zaizong-xiong,¡± Wu Xingzi called out to him. With his southern ent, he sounded both soft and demure, exactly the same as he did twenty years ago.


    ¡°Chang An.¡± Yan Wenxin responded, but the smile on his face hadpletely vanished. Instantly, he understood. Wu Xingzi¡¯s actions had not been directed by Guan Shanjin, but on his own volition, he had be a hard, stumbling block for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years, and there¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to say to you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Congrattions for your sess in the imperial examinations.¡± Wu Xingzi smiled, bowing properly to Yan Wenxin. ¡°You¡¯ve brought glory to your family.¡±


    Yan Wenxin looked at Wu Xingzi. For the first time in his life, he knew that he had underestimated the person in front of him.

 Chapter 105 - Wrapping Up

    Chapter 105 ¡ª Wrapping Up


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    The case of Yan Wenxin conspiring to betray the country created a storm in court. At first, there were still his allies who wanted to speak up for him, to exonerate him. However, they did not expect that the Emperor had such irrefutable proof in his hand, the evidence concrete. There were even letters Yan Wenxin personally wrote to the confidants of the southern barbarian king. In an instant, all the voices fell silent.


    Having been a court official for twenty years, Yan Wenxin¡¯s power in court was like the roots of a towering tree, deep andplicated. However, this tree still could not escape lightning, and in one breath, from crown to root, it was split in two.


    His allies cautiously shrunk into themselves. Afraid to be dragged in to face the might of the Emperor, around a dozen people called in sick at once and another dozen sent up appeals for their own retirement. Their recements this time were all people with no strong family backgrounds, and they were a bunch of young talents who were mindful about the rules and regtions.


    Amongst the people in court, which one of them was not clever? Previously, the Emperor held great trust in Yan Wenxin, favouring him in particr, and rumours had spread both in court and in the country about how the Emperor and his official shared a homosexual rtionship. After all, not too long ago, when that thing with Yan Wenxin¡¯s adopted son happened, the Yan family hadpletely escaped unscathed from it and great sympathy was even shown to Yan Wenxin.


    Now, looking back at it, the Emperor was actually leading him to destruction byuding him to the skies! There was no need to mention how his actions were so swift and resolute, the trap had definitely been in ce for a long time already. Just look at how quickly the Lord Protector had recovered from his illness, and how his son had been reinstated as the Great Southern Garrison General. The ones who should be rewarded and favoured, none of them had been missed out, and there was no need to name who were the ones who were truly trusted by the Emperor.


    As such, in less than seven days, all the voices that were ready to start trouble, nning on probing into the matter, fell silent. Yan Wenxin had been crippled, and more than half of the alliance had been eradicated without even a drop of blood being spilled. Despite the storm in the court, things werepletely unruffled, and the storm subsided silently.


    Yan Wenxin had relied on the Yue family for the foundation of his base and he did not have any other rtives. Once this matter happened, before Yan Wenxin had even been sentenced, Madam Yan had her divorce papers notarised, then brought her daughter along with her to a Guanyin Temple that was a day¡¯s journey away in a carriage from the capital to seal herself shut in meditation, removing her tiespletely from the incident. As for their sons, Madam Yan¡¯s abilities fell short of her desires, and she could only watch as her two sons had all their achievements stripped off and were locked in jail. She did not know if in the end, they would be able to even keep their lives.


    The Emperor did show the Yan family ast shred of benevolence. The lives of the two Yan sons were kept, but they were then designated as untouchables, and were sent to the northwest borders as ves, leaving once winter ended. As for what exactly would happen to Yan Wenxin, the Emperor still did not mention a word, and no one dared to ask. After some time passed, it seemed as though the entire court had forgotten that there was once the existence of a powerful minister like Yan Wenxin.


    These days, Wu Xingzi had long finished nting his vegetables. Hugging a hot water bottle, he was currently chatting away with the Lord Protector¡¯s wife over daily matters.


    Once Guan Shanjin had been released from jail, he had taken Wu Xingzi home with him, and the two enjoyed their days of honeyed sweetness. Wu Xingzi had originally been worried that the Lord Protector and his wife would be unhappy with his age. Although he had met the Lord Protector¡¯s wife before, and the other party seemed to be quite satisfied with him, there was no way that Wu Xingzi would feel at ease. When he thought about the Lord Protector, more shivers ran through him.


    However, who would have thought that Lord Protectorpletely could not be bothered with whom his son liked? In any case, that person was not his wife, so what did it have to do with him? Furthermore, Guan Shanjin was not a person he could manage anyway.


    As for the Lord Protector¡¯s wife and Wu Xingzi, they were very close. There was no disagreement between the inws at all, and when the two of them had nothing to do, they woulde together, chatting as they drank tea. From her, Wu Xingzi heard quite a number of anecdotes about his father in the capital.


    The steward came over at this moment, cupping his hands together, saying, ¡°Young furen, Bai Shaochang-gongzi has requested an audience. May I ask if you¡¯re willing to meet him?¡±


    The address ¡°young furen¡± made Wu Xingzi shrink into himself, shuddering, and a blush flourished on both his nose and cheeks.


    ¡°The child from the Bai family?¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife was startled.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why is he looking for Xingzi?¡± The Lord Protector¡¯s wife knew that there was an entanglement between Bai Shaochang and Yan Wenxin. Furthermore, the Lord Protector¡¯s estate had even made use of him, and ording to this, he should want to avoid them by being as far away from them as possible, right? Why did hee up to their door?


    ¡°Bai-gongzi did not mention anything.¡± The steward was also a little puzzled. ¡°Would Young furen like to meet him?¡±


    ¡°I will, I will.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded firmly, worried as he looked out into the snow-covered courtyard. ¡°It¡¯s so cold now, quickly let Bai-gongzi in to warm himself up.¡±


    The steward left with his instructions, while the Lord Protector¡¯s wife contemted the situation. The young master of the Bai family was prideful and sensitive, and she was not sure what he wanted to speak to Wu Xingzi about. However, with her, an outsider, around, he would definitely refuse to say anything even if he were to choke on his words. Seeing how pitiful this child was, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife bade farewell in thoughtfulness.


    Bai Shaochang was led in by Man Yue. Although he was still dressed in his usual, pure white outfit, he no longer had his previous aura of elegance and ethereality. It was as though a snowke had fallen into the dust, losing its once rity in greyness.


    Without thinking, Wu Xingzi stood up to wee him, but Bai Shaochang cupped his hands together, greeting him with due respect in aloofness.


    A little awkward, Wu Xingzi returned the greeting. Feeling ill at ease, he called him to take a seat.


    When Bai Shaochang sat down, the two people were temporarily at a loss for words. Man Yue did not leave too, insteadzily standing by the side and watching Bai Shaochang. His eyes made the young man embarrassed, his face switching between red and white.


    ¡°The reason for Bai-gongzi¡¯s visit is?¡± Wu Xingzi hurriedly spoke up to reduce his embarrassment. He knew that Man Yue disliked Bai Shaochang, and Bai Shaochang too held Man Yue in fear and disgust. It seemed as though he would rush out at any moment.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ umm¡­¡± Bai Shaochang straightened up, ill at ease. He shot a swift nce at Wu Xingzi, his white teeth nibbling on his red lip, exuding a stubborn yet fragile air.


    Wu Xingzi loved admiring beauties the most. Naturally, he was unwilling for a beauty to reveal such an expression. Feeling a little panicky, he looked towards Man Yue.


    Of course, Man Yue stood up to bat, smiling as he took a couple of steps forward.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, furen is kindhearted and cannot bear to see people cry in front of him. Why don¡¯t I take you to find somewhere else, and you can cry to your delight first before returning?¡± He seemed to have no intention of leaving Bai Shaochang with his dignity. After all, this person in front of him had fabricated a charge against his boss, and not throwing him out was only because Man Yue was giving face to the Emperor.


    Bai Shaochang choked, ring at Man Yue in embarrassed indignance. Gritting his teeth, he asked quietly, ¡°I would like to speak to Mr. Wu alone. May I ask if Vice General Man can step away for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Man Yue smiled cheekily. With his round and honest appearance, he looked like the Laughing Buddha, and only people who had once been tripped up by him knew of the malice behind his smile. ¡°I havepletely no interest in what you¡¯re about to say, but the General hasmanded me to take good care of furen and not let any random people take the opportunity to incite anything. As such, I have no other choice. If you don¡¯t wish to say it, then I¡¯ll send you out.¡±


    Now that the situation was already like this, despite Bai Shaochang¡¯s face having turned red from anger, and his lip nearly bleeding from him biting on it, there was nothing he could do about Man Yue. Wu Xingzi, in front of him, appeared to be easy to manipte, but that was only an appearance. Right now, he would definitely not send Man Yue away in consideration for his dignity. As expected, Wu Xingzi looked apologetic, but he did not say anything. With no other options, Bai Shaochang could only open his mouth. ¡°Mr. Wu, why¡­ why were you so sure that Zaizong-gege would use the perfume sachet again?¡±


    That day, after separating from Yan Wenxin, Bai Shaochang had been continuously troubled by this thought. In embarrassment, he had pleaded for an audience with the Emperor, and after finding out about that incident where Wu Xingzi had helped the merchant who sold the perfume sachets and gained a promise in return, he was extremely astonished. This middle-aged man in front of him, who looked so ordinary and shy, had actually made this move so many years ago, causing him to foolishly fall into this trap and testify against Yan Wenxin. Had he been made use of?


    He tossed and turned restlessly, unable to settle himself down. After all, having loved Yan Wenxin for so many years, he truly could not bear to see him tumble from his peak in just a day.


    Bai Shaochang could not put into words why there was so much pain and hesitance in his heart. He thought, perhaps Yan Wenxin had not lied to him at all. Instead, he was too big a fool and had turned into a tool to be made use of by others.


    All sorts of ideas appeared one after another, causing him a suffering that turned him into skin and bones. After a bout of illness, it took him about a month to recover before he regained some life in him. No longer able to just sit around, he insisted on seeking Wu Xingzi out to rify his doubts.


    Hearing this, Wu Xingzi was stunned. He was a little troubled, then came to a sudden realisation.


    ¡°Does Bai-gongzi think that I¡¯m framing Zaizong-xiong?¡±


    With such a direct counter question, Bai Shaochang flushed red, then turned green, nearly losing his breath. He had been living amongst the nobility of the capital, well sheltered since he was young. Everyone always beat around the bush, speaking cautiously and ambiguously. Even if they disliked someone, they would always leave them a path out of the situation. Who would be like Wu Xingzi?


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Bai Shaochang gritted his teeth. He paused for a moment, thinking about how miserable Yan Wenxin was right now. His heart aching, he came to a decision and nodded. ¡°Yes. After all, it¡¯s a matter of 20 years ago already. How could things be so coincidental and t-that perfume sachet could still be avable for sale?¡±


    Wu Xingzi gazed at Bai Shaochang with sympathy. Beads of sweat had gathered on the young man¡¯s forehead, his fists tightly clenched, and he was so tensed as though he was a string that could break at any moment. Wu Xingzi sighed. ¡°At first, I did hold some resentment. 20 years ago, Zaizong-xiong asked me for 23 taels as travelling expenses and that was more than my entire fortune. I even borrowed money from the magistrate¡¯s office. This was something I gave willingly, and I could not resent Zaizong-xiong for it¡­ Bai-gongzi, do you know how much 10 taels is?¡±


    The unexpected question jolted Bai Shaochang. nkly, he shook his head, while behind him, Man Yue burst into mockingughter. His cheeks rising in colour, he nodded in ashamed resentment, ¡°I know, it¡¯s not a lot.¡±


    And what did it have to do with all this?


    Wu Xingzi tightened his arms around the hot water bottle in his embrace, speaking cidly, ¡°I¡¯ve been working as an adviser my entire life in the magistrate¡¯s office of my hometown, and my monthly sry is 400 coins. I¡¯m also allocated some rice and cloth, and living alone, I can still survive. Still, I¡¯m incapable, and at this age, I¡¯ve only amassed a fortune of 10 taels.¡±


    Bai Shaochang looked at him in astoundment, not understanding why they were talking about this. Wu Xingzi clearly did not think that he would understand as well, as so, he continued with his usual imperturbable air, ¡°When I just received the news, hearing that Zaizong-xiong had gained the Top Schr position, that he would be marrying a wife and bing an official in the capital, with no intentions of returning to his hometown, I could not help but feel resentful. You¡¯re right, when I discovered the source of the perfume sachets, I was a little upset over it. However, at the end of the day, it was me who did not understand that person enough, and I had to find a way to continue living. Helping Xia Dageng fight his case, I did it without any motives, and never had I once thought that I would ever make use of this promise.¡±


    When Wu Xingzi spoke Mandarin, his ent was soft and flowing, as gentle as water that could never boil. Some of his sybles would be drawled together, further emphasising his agreeable and nonpetitive nature. However, Bai Shaochang inexplicably shrunk into himself, shivering, and his face smarted vaguely in pain.


    He finally understood. Right now, Wu Xingzi was telling him that Yan Wenxin was originally an ungrateful person. During his most impoverished time, he would still want to take everything he could from someone he was close to and never had any intentions of repaying it. However, Wu Xingzi had ended up paying with his entire fortune and half his life, just because Yan Wenxin had given him a few sweet, honeyed words. He truly had no energy to hate Yan Wenxin for it, and he could only just try to get by with his life.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Bai Shaochang still wanted to struggle on. A few days ago, after pleading with his father, he had finally managed to visit Yan Wenxin in jail. The once gentle and warm man, whose elegance made one feel admiration towards him, was like a pearl encased in dust in the dim and cramped cell. Despite the man looking so unyielding as though he would never break, the image still made Bai Shaochang¡¯s heart ache.


    Yan Wenxin did not say a word. While silently staring through the wooden tted door at Bai Shaochang, as though the young man was a world away from him, Yan Wenxin gave a faint smile. Bai Shaochang fled the jail in misery, returning to his home in a daze, and then had a crying fit in his room.


    He thought, perhaps he might be able to find something out from Wu Xingzi that could help Yan Wenxin.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, there¡¯s only one question I have for you. If you can give me a reply, I¡¯m willing to go to Haiwang and mention a couple of words to protect Zaizong-xiong.¡±


    This was equivalent to good news. Bai Shaochang gathered his spirits, staring at Wu Xingzi fixedly, silently urging him to continue.


    Wu Xingzi lowered his head slightly, gently asking, ¡°That year, the assertions that Zaizong-xiong gave me, why would he tell you the exact same thing, and not even a word was different?¡±


    Bai Shaochang¡¯s eyes widened. His pink lips parted, but he was unable to make a sound. Instead, it was Man Yue, standing behind, who burst again intoughter.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± After some time, Bai Shaochang finally managed to force a response out, and it seemed as though his soul had left him. Certainly, no matter how much he wanted to help exonerate Yan Wenxin, no matter how much he wanted to me Wu Xingzi for making use of him, he was not able to answer this question.


    That perfume sachet, had been given to him by Yan Wenxin. Those words of affection, had also been personally said by Yan Wenxin to him.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, please return.¡± Wu Xingzi sighed internally. It was not his ce to say anymore. The shoulders of the man in front of him had already sunk deeply, and his shaky and unsteady appearance was truly too pitiful.


    ¡°Then, you say it. Tell me, why would he say the exact same thing?¡± Bai Shaochang refused to leave. His eyes were reddened and bloodshot, looking a little crazed.


    Wu Xingzi shivered from his stare and shot a nce towards Man Yue, seeking aid. He was soft-hearted, and when he knew very well that the other party was already teetering on the edge, he was really unwilling to state things so clearly. Bai Shaochang was still young, and once he had a few more years, he would be able to see how treacherous Yan Wenxin was, and he would slowly recover from this pain.


    Who would have guessed that Man Yue would pretend not to see anything? He looked out of the window, paying great attention to the snowyndscape, and he was almost about to be able to see a blooming flower amongst the snow.


    With no other choice, Wu Xingzi had to send the guest off by himself. There was no way he could tell Bai Shaochang that the reason why Yan Wenxin could say the exact same thing was that in his heart, whether it was Bai Shaochang, or the young Wu Xingzi, they were the same to him. At that point, they were worth something to Yan Wenxin, and once he achieved what he needed, he could just turn away and abandon them, to leave them behind forever.


    If not for the Emperor needing Bai Shaochang to expose Yan Wenxin, if the Emperor had actually been deceived by Yan Wenxin right from the start, or if the Emperor truly favoured and trusted Yan Wenxin, then after it was discovered that Bai Shaochang had hidden the letters showing the collusion with the enemies, and with the revenge from the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, he would have faced the same fate as Yan Huaixiu, dying in vain.


    Towards a man who was going to die, how could Yan Wenxin spend the extra effort to think of any words of affection? The lines he used twenty years ago to enchant Wu Xingzi had been rather useful. As for Bai Shaochang, who waspletely not astute and had been so sheltered to the point of naivety, it was the easiest to appeal to his feelings. With only a perfume sachet as a love token, it was enough for Yan Wenxin to grasp a tight hold on Bai Shaochang¡¯s heart.


    Despite things having been concluded in this manner, did Bai Shaochang still not hold a shred of hope within him? And did he still not wish that Yan Wenxin held true affection towards him?


    ¡°Y-you really can¡¯t¡­¡± Gritting his teeth, Bai Shaochang¡¯s eyes shone with tears, throwing out ast ditch effort in vain.


    ¡°Bai-gongzi, I understand your intentions. It¡¯s only human nature for you to seek a way out for Zaizong-xiong, but¡­¡± Wu Xingzi¡¯s brows were tightly creased. ¡°Why did you not plead with the Emperor directly, bute seek help from Haiwang instead? Colluding with the enemy is a great sin, and in the whole court, neither the martial nor literary officials dare say a word for Zaizong-xiong. I¡¯m afraid the Emperor too is waiting for some stupid people to barge in, so that he can make a clean sweep of the court. What you want to do is show that Haiwang is unloyal to the country.¡±


    Bai Shaochang jerked violently. His face first turned pale, before a flush rushed up his cheeks. Opening his mouth, he stammered away, but was unable to form any words.


    ¡°You wish to protect Zaizong-xiong, while I only wish to protect Haiwang¡­ You¡­ You should head back.¡± Wu Xingzi stood up to send off his guest, his upromising attitude was one that was rarely seen in him. Even Man Yue looked startled by his behaviour.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing that¡­ Help him! He too shared a rtionship with you in the past, do you not think about old time¡¯s sake? Being an official in the capital, he needed to marry a wife and have children, so, why can¡¯t you make an allowance for him, and be considerate towards him? He didn¡¯t go back to find you, it was only because he was unwilling for you to be sad! Why do you have to hate him? And even hate him to the point where you dragged me on to harm him as well? You¡­¡± Bai Shaochang wailed as though he was crazy,pletely losing his usual elegant demeanour, looking both wretched and pitiful.


    Wu Xingzi gazed sympathetically at Bai Shaochang who had tears and snot smeared all over his face, turning a deaf ear to his wails. Instead, it was Man Yue who no longer looked on by the side, and deftly tapped at Bai Shaochang¡¯s acupoint that would render him temporarily mute. As though he was carrying a little chick, he dragged the man away, so as to prevent him from disturbing the tranquility around them.


    When Guan Shanjin returned, what he saw was Wu Xingzi sitting alone in a chair, hugging his already-cooled hot water bottle as he stared into space.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Guan Shanjin hurriedly made his way forward and took the hot water bottle away. Holding onto Wu Xingzi¡¯s frozen, reddened hands, he carefully warmed them up with his inner qi.


    ¡°Ai, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Wu Xingzi shook his head. Wrinkling his nose, he sneezed abruptly. Despite having dressed warmly, as well as having a fire burning in the furnace to heat up the room, it was too cold in the north. Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands were always so icy that he needed to keep them warm with a hot water bottle, and if he were to breathe just a little bit harder than usual, his nose would start itching. Pitifully, he sneezed continuously for a while, and it seemed as though he was wilting.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin snorted augh, tugging the older man into his arms and they both nestled into the chair as he kneaded at the fingers in his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it from Man Yue. Bai Shaochang came to look for you, wanting you to plead mercy on Yan Wenxin¡¯s behalf in front of me?¡±


    Ever since they confirmed their feelings for each other, Guan Shanjin would rarely conceal any matters from Wu Xingzi, and he no longer beat around the bush as well.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± Wu Xingzi nodded, unconsciously shrinking into Guan Shanjin¡¯s embrace. ¡°He¡¯s young, and it¡¯s inevitable that he¡¯s unable to see things clearly for now. I was only thinking about returning to Bastion City, as well as the matter of making offerings to my ancestors during the New Year¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that you wish to return. It¡¯s cold and boring in the capital, and who knows the state of that garden in your courtyard in Bastion City too. That time, when you left, you even remembered to harvest everything that you could eat. Only you, this old fellow, could think about things like this.¡± Guan Shanjin could not help but make fun of him.


    ¡°Ai, they grew so well, so it would be such a pity to not harvest them for eating. At that time, you must have been furious to know that I was gone. If you were to see that those nts were still there, would you not have stomped on them all in a fury?¡± Wu Xingzi licked his lips, grazing his fingers along Guan Shanjin¡¯s palm intimately.


    Guan Shanjin snorted, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know that.¡± It clearly had been an incident that happened only about half a year ago, but it felt as though a lifetime had passed since then. Guan Shanjin could still remember the pain and confusion he had felt when he saw the empty room after Wu Xingzi left. He was so angry that his head hurt, and he had clenched his jaw so hard that his teeth even creaked. How he had wished he could immediately catch Wu Xingzi and drag him back to him, but he was also worried that he would end up scaring him.


    The two were intertwined intimately. Guan Shanjin bowed his head, kissing Wu Xingzi. His tongue nimbly twisted and teased its way into his mouth, causing the older man to lose his breath before parting. Wu Xingzi had only sucked in some air before he was kissed again, and the continuous intimacy left him weak, his vision hazy. Guan Shanjin¡¯s hand had even slipped into his clothes, and left with the barrier of his inner clothes, he rubbed and caressed the older man to his delight. Wu Xingzipletely melted at his touch, falling limply into the younger man¡¯s arms as he gasped for air.


    ¡°Come, touch it, this huge treasure has been missing you a lot.¡± Guan Shanjin pulled the hand that had been warmed up by him towards his crotch. The tent there had been present for some time already, and when the hand came in contact, it jerked in excitement.


    Wu Xingzi cried out quietly, but could not bear to pull his hand away. Too many things had happened these few days, and he had been missing Guan Shanjin¡¯s pengornis too much. The huge object under his palm clearly missed him a lot too. Before he could even start stroking it, it had already twitched violently a few times. Its weight and girthiness knocked against his palm, leaving a trail of scorching heat.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to see it?¡± Sucking on Wu Xingzi¡¯s earlobe, Guan Shanjin chuckled. His heated breath surrounded Wu Xingzi¡¯s ear, the warmth causing a tingle to run through his entire body, and his breaths became irregr.


    ¡°I want to see it¡­¡± How could Wu Xingzi resist such an undisguised temptation? He gulped, but his throat still felt dry. With trembling hands, he undid Guan Shanjin¡¯s pants. Just as he was about to reach inside, a wave of timidness suddenly crashed over him when he was near his target. Through the pants, he carefully wrapped his hand around the big pengornis, another hand shylying around and pressing against Guan Shanjin¡¯s muscr abdomen and caressing it. His face was red, and he gazed at Guan Shanjin with teary eyes, stammering and stuttering, not daring to slide his hands into the pants.


    ¡°My lewd darling, are you feeling shy, or are you deliberately teasing your husband?¡±


    Wu Xingzi red at him tamely. He slid the hand against Guan Shanjin¡¯s abdomen down by half an inch, only to stop again, right where the root of the shaft was. Guan Shanjin could not help but pant heavily, his hungry eyes fixed on the man who seemed shy but was actually rather daring.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got guts now.¡± The ominous threat was filled with doting. At this moment, even the tips of Wu Xingzi¡¯s ears were blushing, but he still continued trailing the tips of his fingers through the patch of pubic hair, scratching lightly. With how Wu Xingzi was stoking the mes of his desire, Guan Shanjin wanted nothing more than to push the older man down and be done with the teasing.


    However, just as he was about to make his move, a knock resounded on their door. Man Yue¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°General, furen. As the saying goes, don¡¯t kill the messenger. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how to tell that I shouldn¡¯t be interrupting, but I have no choice¡­ hai, Mr. Lu wishes to see the General, and he¡¯s kicking up a fuss.¡±

 Chapter 106 - It Started With Pengornises, And It Also Ends With Pengornises (End)

    Chapter 106 ¡ª It Started With Pengornises, And It Also Ends With Pengornises (End)


    Edited by DancingDolphinsYo


    After returning to the capital, Lu Zezhi did not spend his days with much content. No matter what the rumours were saying outside, ever since he returned to the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, he almost never saw Guan Shanjin around.


    The Lord Protector¡¯s wife came from the same hometown as him, and because of the rmendation from the Lord Protector¡¯s wife in the past, he had been able to be Guan Shanjin¡¯s teacher. Still, years passed, and the two men had been apart. After they came back together, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife never again concealed her dislike towards him.


    Before Wu Xingzi appeared, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife doted on her son and so she closed an eye to his existence. Once Wu Xingzi, this old fellow, appeared, the Lord Protector¡¯s wife could no longer even be bothered to continue maintaining a perfunctory courtesy towards him.


    Although Lu Zezhi had been so sheltered by Guan Shanjin to the point where he had be useless, his brain not working very well, and his character bing like a parasite, he was still not a fool. How could he not sense the awkwardness of his own position?


    He had originally been waiting, waiting for Guan Shanjin to return to him again. Lu Zezhi did not believe that the feelings of a dozen years could notpare to the one-year affection one had for a neer.


    Guan Shanjin was attached to him, this was how Lu Zezhi always convinced himself.


    However, what was the conclusion of his wait? He was not the slightest bit concerned when Bai Shaochang moved into the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, as he understood that that was part of a scheme, and he even prodded it along.


    However, his original intention was not to harm Guan Shanjin at all. After all, the doting and pampering he would be receiving in the next half of his life had everything to do with this man. There was no way for him to return to his hometown to be a teacher there, as that was something Lu Zezhi waspletely unwilling to do.


    He had only wanted to pull Guan Shanjin back to his side. Although his means were rather underhanded, it was fine as long as he got what he wanted.


    As expected, Bai Shaochang caused Guan Shanjin to be locked up in jail, and the Lord Protector¡¯s estate was thrown into a storm. Wu Xingzi had pretty much vanished into thin air as well, and Lu Zezhi wondered if he had fled back to Qingcheng County. Finally, he had managed to clear away all the people hanging around Guan Shanjin. Haiwang was a child who had grown up under his eye, so how could Lu Zezhi not know what sort of character he had? He was cold and heartless, extremely clear about the things he loved and hated, decisive and resolute. Whoever crossed him would receive a thousand-fold revenge in return. Once he decided on hating something, never in this life would he again turn back to it.


    Having ran away once, Wu Xingzi had already aroused Guan Shanjin¡¯s hatred towards him. This time round, that older man had even chosen to cling onto someone else, and when the Lord Protector¡¯s estate was facing such danger, he did not appear and do or say anything about it. Could Guan Shanjin still love him, and still dote on him?


    As such, Lu Zezhi hid within the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, waiting, feelingpletely at ease. Man Yue did not allow him to visit Guan Shanjin in jail, saying that it was the instructions of the General, as that sort of ce was filthy and gruesome, and he did not want to contaminate Mr. Lu¡¯s eyes.


    Lu Zezhi knew, Haiwang always doted on him.


    However, he waited and waited, and months had passed. Snow was falling in the capital, Bai Shaochang had already been kicked out of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, Guan Shanjin had taken back his original titles, and news of Yan Wenxin¡¯s betrayal had spread throughout the country. Even though he was tucked away in that little yard of his, Lu Zezhi already knew of all these ongoings, and yet, no matter how long he waited, he still did not see that man he had been constantly thinking of.


    Today, when Lu Zezhi woke up, the ground was covered in white. It had snowedst night, and a thickyer of snow had gathered in his yard. The furnace was burning, causing the room to be as warm as spring in March. Pulling a robe over himself, he walked to the window, pushing it open and looking outside. The snow on the ground was untouched, looking extremely clean, and there was not a single footstep to be found at all.


    He was clearly living in the capital, living in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, the most powerful ministerial family in Great Xia. Only the Emperor stood above them, and there was pretty much no one who could match them in status. However, Lu Zezhi discovered that it was as though he had been forgotten by everyone, and he was like an ind surrounded by emptiness. There was no one concerned about him, no one asking after him¡­


    ¡°Someone,e here!¡± Lu Zezhi gripped his hands. It was clearly so warm that ayer of sweat had formed on the back of his neck, but there was a chill in his body, even right in his bones.


    After a pause, there was no response. He raised his voice, shouting again, ¡°Quick, someone get in here!¡±


    This time, there finally was someone who came running from afar.


    It was only right then that Lu Zezhi realised in rm that he no longer had any so-called personal attendants next to him!


    The personing over was a maidservant, her expression aloof as she panted slightly. It seemed like she had needed to run quite a fair distance before she could hurry over, and in the winter, her temples were beaded with sweat.


    The maidservant wiped her sweat away, bowing respectfully. ¡°Mr. Lu, do you have any instructions for me?¡±


    ¡°Ask Haiwang toe see me.¡± Lu Zezhi could no longer put on his haughty and aloof attitude. Right now, he was very panicky, so much so that he no longer spoke carefully.


    The maidservant frowned slightly, but her tone still remained aloof. ¡°Mr. Lu, it¡¯s not that this servant is not passing the message on for you, but that the General is not someone any random person can easily see.¡±


    ¡°Am I just any random person? Go, go call Haiwang here. As they say, being a teacher for a day, they¡¯ll be a father figure for life. What excuses does he have not to see me?¡± Lu Zezhi had done so much, and waited so long, so how could he tolerate Guan Shanjin distancing himself from him?


    The maidservant did not expect that Lu Zezhi would say something like this, and she raised her head in astonishment, casting him a side-eye. ¡°Alright, this servant will pass on the message to the steward on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through the steward. Is there a need for the steward to pass the message on if I want to see Haiwang? Just go and get him here!¡± Previously, when in Bastion City, any of the servants around him would be able to pass a message directly to Guan Shanjin. Who could stop them? Lu Zezhipletely did not believe that things now were different from before. Haiwang had personally taken him away from the wedding hall, so, how could he not like him?


    The maidservant did not waste any more time talking. She too was an experienced individual. There was no point talking to this sort of person who had lost favour, and still was unwilling to face reality. She would just do what she had to do. There was no need to waste any effort persuading or exining things, and this would prevent her from attracting any trouble to herself.


    Seeing the maidservant leave with his instructions, Lu Zezhi still was unable to feel at ease. He wrung his hands, vaguely understanding that the other person was not actually going to see Guan Shanjin, and she was still going to pass his message on to the steward. It was still unknown if he would be able to see Guan Shanjin today.


    However, what else could he do?


    Lu Zezhi closed the window wearily. He sat down by the table for a long time, his emotions abnormally in chaos, and he did not pay a single bit of attention to anything else. It was only when his back ached from sitting too long, did he then jerk back to reality, gazing out of the window in despair. At that moment, he gritted his teeth. Wearing the same clothes he had worn when he reunited with Guan Shanjin during thentern festival in the past, he dressed himself up appropriately. Not pulling a jacket on, just like that, he walked out in thinyers, leaving his footprints in the snow.


    The snow very quickly melted and seeped into his shoes and socks. Within a few steps, Lu Zezhi was so cold that his face was ashen, his lips slightly blue. His thin figure was like a ghost in the snow, the hazy winter sun casting gold light upon him.


    This time, no one dared to slight him. As a matter of fact, there were two guards standing right outside his yard, and upon hearing the soundsing from within, they turned to look. His appearance gave them a shock, so much so that their expressions changed, and they hurried forward, wanting to persuade Lu Zezhi to return indoors.


    ¡°I want to see Haiwang. If I don¡¯t see him, I¡¯m not going back.¡± Lu Zezhi was so cold that his limbs were stiff, but he still stubbornly stood in the snow, his words slow yet clear. He knew that he could not look back now, because if he did not see Guan Shanjin today, he would be trapped in this yard for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Mr. Lu, I¡¯ll immediately send a message to the General on your behalf. But it¡¯s really too cold outside, you should head back indoors and wait,¡± the guard persuaded gently. He turned around and gestured at his partner, and it seemed like they were going to call Haiwang over.


    Still, right now, Lu Zezhi¡¯s mind had never been this clear. He would not be so easily coaxed. The matters of the Guan family¡¯s army had always been reported first to Man Yue, and Man Yue would then decide if there was a need to report it to Guan Shanjin. As for a small matter like this, Man Yue would definitely be an obstruction to it.


    Lu Zezhi was extremely aware of how Man Yue disliked him. If he were to actually go back to his room to wait, he would no longer have a second chance again. After all, Man Yue had all sorts of methods to allow him to live infort here, but along with that, he would no longer be able to take a step out of this yard.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t see Haiwang, I¡¯m not going back.¡± Even if Lu Zezhi already found it painful to breathe, he refused to give in.


    With no choice, the guards hailed a servant to bring some hot water bottles here, as well as to convey Lu Zezhi¡¯s insistence to Man Yue.


    It seemed like for once, this Mr. Lu was standing his ground.


    When he received the message, Man Yue was very annoyed. This Mr. Lu, why was he not just living his life quietly? Periodically causing such issues, what exactly did he want? Was he not reflecting on what he had done at all? However, no matter how annoyed he was, he could not let the man be frozen. As such, Man Yue could only brace himself and go look for Guan Shanjin.


    As expected, Guan Shanjin had almostpletely forgotten that there was such a person in his residence. If not for Wu Xingzi being right next to him, having heard the message as well, then it was hard to say if Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart would have softened.


    Finally, Lu Zezhi had managed to get a long-awaited visit from Guan Shanjin. At the same time, he saw another person he had never even thought about.


    Guan Shanjin did note alone. Dressed in a dark-coloured fox fur robe, he looked even more majestic than usual, and very handsome. Although Lu Zezhi was holding onto a hot water bottle, he had long been frozen stiff. He was unable to free himself from the support of the guards to go up and wee the man, and that was also the reason why it took him some time before he noticed the man next to Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°Y-you¡­ Why are you¡­¡± Lu Zezhi¡¯s teeth chattered. From his blood exuded a chill that was even colder than snow.


    Next to Guan Shanjin, was Wu Xingzi.


    Lu Zezhi naturally had long forgotten the name of this person, but he could never forget that ordinary face, that t nose, those small eyes and thick lips, with a friendly yet cringing appearance. He was wrapped up in a robe of pure silver fox fur, looking veryically cumbersome. In the snow, he stumbled about as though he would fall at any moment. However, Guan Shanjin was very patient, gently and considerately walking with him slowly, supporting him with his arms around him. The affection and delight in Guan Shanjin¡¯s eyes could not be concealed at all, and it was as though by just looking at the person in front of him, Guan Shanjin could have the entire world in his hands.


    No matter how foolish Lu Zezhi was, he knew what was going on. The person Guan Shanjin had been apanying during this period of time was that old fellow in front of him!


    ¡°H-haiwang¡­¡± Lu Zezhi almost could not speak. He felt a wave of dizzinessing over him, and a panic that he had never once felt before.


    ¡°Laoshi, why aren¡¯t you waiting inside?¡± Only then did Guan Shanjin deign to direct a nce at Lu Zezhi, before immediately turning back to Wu Xingzi. Gently, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re getting cold, right? Shall I carry you for a part of the walk?¡±


    As Lu Zezhi¡¯s courtyard had been deliberately ignored, no one remembered to sweep away the snow in the yard. As a southerner, Wu Xingzi must have great difficulty making his way through the snow, and how could Guan Shanjin bear that?


    ¡°No no no, it¡¯s only a few more steps, I can do it.¡± With a blush, Wu Xingzi hurriedly waved his hands, refusing the offer. There were outsiders watching them, and he was not a child. How could he let people carry him?


    ¡°Your shoes and socks are all wet already, you¡¯ll be frozen sick.¡± Guan Shanjin frowned unhappily. Without another word, and amidst Wu Xingzi¡¯s cries of rm, he lifted the older man up in a bridal carry.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a few steps, and carrying you is no trouble¡­ By the way, did you lose weight again? Why do you feel lighter?¡± Guan Shanjin weighed the man in his arms.


    Wu Xingzi stiffened from embarrassment, reasoning with him softly, ¡°How could I lose weight? These days, whether it¡¯s you, or Mint and Osmanthus, you¡¯ve all been feeding me non-stop. I didn¡¯t go anywhere in these wintery days as well, and I¡¯ve even gained some flesh around my waist.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I feel that at all?¡± Guan Shanjin lowered his head, nuzzling Wu Xingzi¡¯s nose with his. In his eyes, Wu Xingzi was very thin, and no matter how he tried, he was unable to fatten him up. How could he not hurry up and nourish him in the capital? Later on, when they returned to Bastion City, he was going to be thinner again.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t felt that area yet¡­¡± Only after answering honestly did Wu Xingzi realise in rm what he had just said. He quickly covered his mouth, and in his embarrassment, he dared not look in the direction of Lu Zezhi.


    Ai! There were still outsiders around them!


    With red eyes, Lu Zezhi could only watch the two people behaving affectionately, unable to do anything about it.


    Guan Shanjin seemed to have just recalled that there was someone waiting for his attention, and he finally looked back at Lu Zezhi again. ¡°Laoshi must be very chilled. Lao Hu, why aren¡¯t you quickly helping Mr. Lu back to his room?¡±


    Having received thismand, the guard dared not move slowly at all. Half-tugging and half-carrying, he dragged Lu Zezhi back indoors. Seeing how this man was looking at the General foolishly, he could not help but sigh, and persuaded him softly, ¡°Mr. Lu, if it¡¯s not meant to be, don¡¯t force it. The General will protect your dignity.¡±


    ¡°Who allowed you to speak?!¡± Lu Zezhipletely could not ept what he was hearing at all. Feebly, he pushed the guard away.


    With Lu Zezhi¡¯s reaction, the guard could not be bothered to speak anymore. He too had seen how the General had doted on Lu Zezhi in the past, and how this Mr. Lu had put on airs. Not only did he leave the General hanging, he even tried to y up to the Yue family. Unfortunately, he was too greedy. A man like the General, how could he be yed with and left hanging like that? Lu Zezhipletely deserved to be left with nothing in the end, and it was likely that even hisst bits of dignity could no longer be protected.


    Very quickly, Guan Shanjin went indoors, carrying Wu Xingzi. He could not care at all that his shoes, socks, and even the legs of his pants were all soaking wet, and after he carefully ced Wu Xingzi on a chair, he channeled his inner qi through his palms and warmed up Wu Xingzi¡¯s slightly frozen face. Only when the old fellow¡¯s face was reddened with heat, did he then instruct the guards to get people to send over new pairs of shoes and socks, as well as clearing up the piles of snow in the yard.


    Having given his instructions, Guan Shanjin sat down next to Wu Xingzi, almost stered to him. He smiled, looking at Lu Zezhi as he asked, ¡°Laoshi, looking for your student today, do you have any instructions for me?¡±


    ¡°Haiwang¡­¡± Lu Zezhi¡¯s wet, thin clothes clung to him. With his delicate, ethereal beauty, although his lips were currently purple from cold, looking very pitiful, along with the banked grievances and anticipation in his eyes, if it was a year ago, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart would definitely ache.


    Still, the past was over, and Lu Zezhi was unable to even garner the slightest trace of sympathy.


    Guan Shanjin sighed, ¡°Laoshi, your clothes are all wet already. In such cold weather, why are you treating yourself so harshly? Why don¡¯t you change your clothes before we chat?¡±


    Hearing that, Lu Zezhi gritted his teeth. Stubbornly, he did not reply, nor did he move.


    It was very warm in the room. Wu Xingzi had already removed his fox fur robe, and saw that the snow on Lu Zezhi¡¯s hair had already melted, dripping down. The man looked both miserable and weak. Wu Xingzi opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him. However, upon thinking it was likely that Lu Zezhi did not like him, he could only close his mouth awkwardly. Instead, he tugged on Guan Shanjin¡¯s sleeve, wanting him to persuade him instead.


    Unexpectedly, Guan Shanjin actually pretended to not know anything. He had always been a heartless and cold person, and other than the few people he kept in his heart, he did not have much sincerity towards anyone else. He only felt a great sense of disgust towards this act Lu Zezhi was putting up, so how could he be in the mood to persuade him gently?


    Lu Zezhi was much clearer than Wu Xingzi about Guan Shanjin¡¯s coldness. He stared in disbelief at the man who had once doted on him, who had been infatuated with him. Desperately, in that pair of aloof, and even mocking eyes, he tried to search for a trace of that affection that had been shown to him in the past.


    Unfortunately, he was fated to fail. Guan Shanjin clearly had no patience to deal with him, and said, ¡°Ifoshi has nothing to say, then I would first make my move. As people say, a teacher for a day, a father for life. The Lord Protector¡¯s estate is still able to provide foroshi for the rest of your life. You don¡¯t have to stand on courtesy; just continue to stay here properly. Once spring begins, I will return to my duties in Bastion City. If you find it awkward to remain in the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, during these days, just choose a ce, and I¡¯ll purchase a property for you. You can be assured that you will have nock of any necessities for the rest of your life.¡±


    Hearing this, Lu Zezhi felt as though his brain had exploded, and he started trembling unconsciously.


    He had not expected that having waited for half a year, this would be the conclusion! Guan Shanjin was drawing a clear line between the two of them! How could he let this happen?!


    ¡°Haiwang! Did you forget? Who was it, who snatched me away at the Yue family¡¯s wedding hall? Who was it, who bound me to his side for so many years? Who was it, who promised to spend the rest of our lives together?¡± Shaking, Lu Zezhi stood up. With reddened eyes, he walked, step by step, towards Guan Shanjin.


    ¡°It was I who snatched you from the Yue family¡¯s wedding hall, and it was also I who bound you to my side for so many years, I was the one who did it all.¡± Guan Shanjinughed, the allure in his eyes enough to charm the soul out of people, but there was also a sharpness in them that left one terrified. ¡°So it turns out thatoshi remembers it.¡±


    How could he forget all this? Lu Zezhi understood that his capability was mediocre, and even if he tried his best, he could only be a private tutor in some county. Originally, he could have whiled his own days quietly and peacefully, as before he had experienced such a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle, he too was a man contented with his lot in life.


    However, why did life have to let him experience such sweetness? And why did Guan Shanjin have to entangle himself with his life? He was unable to leave! Whether it was Guan Shanjin¡¯s gentleness, or the riches and power the Lord Protector¡¯s estate could give him, he could not let any one of them go! If they wanted him to return to being a private tutor, they might as well¡­ might as well¡­


    ¡°Are you ming me?¡± Lu Zezhi choked out.


    ¡°What am I ming you for?¡± Guan Shanjin could no longer bother to maintain a perfunctory respect for this ex-teacher of his. He knew that Lu Zezhi could not bear to let go of the riches he once enjoyed, but he did not expect that this man could be so misguided.


    ¡°Because I refuse to give¡­¡± Lu Zezhi turned away, averting his eyes, revealing a long and slender neck. It was as though he was green bamboo that could not withstand the storm, but still continued standing up straight proudly with great effort. One could not help but want to embrace him, to help shelter him from the wind and rain.


    ¡°Oh? Is this what you think?¡± Guan Shanjin smiled. Looking at the man in front of him who was still acting, other than feeling loathing, Guan Shanjin was also disgusted.


    In the past, he did not mind favouring and doting on Lu Zezhi, despite knowing that what Lu Zezhi hankered after was the luxurious and extravagant lifestyle. Lu Zezhi could not be said to havepletely no affection for him, but at the end of the day, his feelings could not bepared to his greed. And right now, although the older man clearly knew that he had already been exposed, he still wanted to continue ying his act of unworldliness, trying in vain to regain his care. As the Great Southern Garrison General, Guan Shanjin felt that he was being treated like a fool.


    ¡°Haiwang, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not willing to ept you. It¡¯s just that a rtionship between men is still not viewed positively in society. I¡¯m the only descendant left in the Lu family, and I cannot let my bloodline die off. This would be forgetting my own origins, and a great disrespect to my ancestors!¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, I¡¯m the only descendant of the Guan family too.¡± Guan Shanjin pped his hands inughter, but no amusement was seen in his eyes, ncing at the helpless and sorrowful-looking Lu Zezhi with loathing.


    Lu Zezhi did not expect that Guan Shanjin would rebut him so impolitely. He lifted his head in a panic, looking at Guan Shanjin, and he trembled all over with the scorching gaze in those sharp, alluring eyes.


    ¡°Haiwang¡­ You truly¡­ do not miss our past affections anymore?¡± Lu Zezhi asked, feeling sad and anxious. This image did not make Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ache, but a swell of sympathy did rise up within Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Mr. Lu, Haiwang¡­¡±


    Who would have thought that when Wu Xingzi had just opened his mouth, Lu Zezhi would shoot him a harsh re. Striding forward, the man aimed a p right at his face.


    Lu Zezhi had clearly used all his strength in that one p, the power in it causing Wu Xingzi to fall from his chair. His cheek swelling, Wu Xingzi was entirely stunned. Guan Shanjin did not expect that Lu Zezhi would actually dare behave violently to someone right under his eyes, and Lu Zezhi actually seeded in doing so. He had no time to react, and he didn¡¯t even have time to reach out and steady Wu Xingzi. His face darkened instantly, his expression so savage as though he was a warrior of hell, wanting nothing more but to strip off the man of his flesh and bones. Reaching out, Guan Shanjin grabbed hold of Lu Zezhi¡¯s throat, hurling him down to the ground.


    Lu Zezhi¡¯s entire body was trembling. He had yet to regain his vigour, as that p had used up nearly all his energy, and Guan Shanjin had thrown him to the ground without holding back. His vision turned ck, and he nearly fainted. However, he grasped onto hisst shred of dignity, and managed to force himself to remain conscious. Still, he was so giddy that he could not climb back up, and he could only watch as Guan Shanjin helped up Wu Xingzi who had yet to recover from the blow. Treating him like a treasure, Guan Shanjin dared not even touch the handprint on his cheek.


    This was the first time Wu Xingzi had been beaten so seriously. He reached up, wanting to touch his face. However, the moment he touched that burning handprint, he jolted in pain. It was no wonder that there was once a magistrate who liked to punish people by pping them. Other than the embarrassment, it was also painful. It was a lot more painful than hitting any other parts of the body.


    He was a little dizzy, and there was a buzzing in his ears. Everything he could see was a little blurry, and Wu Xingzi had yet to realise that the one who hit him was Lu Zezhi.


    Guan Shanjin deftly helped him up from the ground, looking even more pained than Wu Xingzi. The younger man lightly covered the swelling with his palm, clearly at a loss for what to do.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Wu Xingzi had only opened his mouth, but he hissed in pain as his face was pulled with the action of talking. The pain spread to his shoulder, and his eyes teared up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak anymore, how could this not hurt?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart ached. At the same time, he was furious. Wrapping his arms tightly around Wu Xingzi, he carefully avoided putting any pressure on the injury. In his heart, he wanted nothing more than to make mincemeat out of Lu Zezhi, and he was even more angry with himself for being too negligent. He had forgotten that even a trapped rabbit with nowhere to go would bite. Lu Zezhi dared not behave so wantonly towards him, but he did dare to vent his anger on Wu Xingzi.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi, at first, on behalf of you having apanied me for a few years, I wanted to leave you with your dignity, and assure you with having all your needs fulfilled for the rest of your life. However, this is how you repay me, hmm?¡± Guan Shanjin carefully settled Wu Xingzi back into his chair to rest. He did not look at Lu Zezhi at all, his voice so soft and gentle as though he was speaking words of affection, but it made one quake in terror instead.


    The skin around Lu Zezhi¡¯s throat was now red and swollen, as though a rope had been tied around it. It could be seen that Guan Shanjin did have murderous intent towards him just now, and it was likely that because he was afraid of scaring Wu Xingzi, he had pulled back a little. Right now, every bone in Lu Zezhi¡¯s body ached, and his throat was so swollen that he had difficulty breathing. The croaking and wheezing of his every breath was like a pair of broken bellows. If not for supporting himself against the table, he would not be able to stand at all.


    Despite the current situation, Lu Zezhi was still unwilling to give up. He also was unwilling to believe it. With an expression full of grievance, he stared at Guan Shanjin, his tears slipping down his ashen face, pattering onto the ground.


    They had been together for over a decade! The best years of his life were spent next to Guan Shanjin. How could Guan Shanjin just decide to discard him away like this?!


    ¡°How could you be this heartless? I¡¯ve never let you down in any case, and during your hardest times, it was I who was next to you! It was I, who helped you leave behind that cannibalistic northwest region! It was I, who helped you live like a person! And this is how you repay me?!¡± Lu Zezhi ignored the pain in his throat, finally giving up on his usual act of loftiness and unworldliness. Pointing at Guan Shanjin, he howled miserably.


    How could he not cry? How he wished to give Wu Xingzi a few more ps! Just look at how the old fellow was behaving right now! Flinching and looking so pitiful, he was like a stray, unwanted chicken, hiding under the eaves from the rain. What did he have to let Guan Shanjin like him? This old fellow even hooked up with other men!


    ¡°You didn¡¯t let me down?¡± Guan Shanjin raised a brow. He burst out inughter, as though having heard the world¡¯s greatest joke. Theughter left Lu Zezhi in a panic. Biting his lip, he braced himself, but he could not conceal his shivering.


    ¡°Mr. Lu, my good teacher. Tell me again, did you really never let me down?¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯sughter came to a sudden stop, and he asked the question gently.


    Lu Zezhi hunched over unconsciously. He was feeling guilty. He knew that Guan Shanjin was extremely angry. The younger man was only waiting for him to give a wrong answer, and he would deal with him. However¡­ Lu Zezhi clenched his jaw. That matter had been done wlessly, Guan Shanjin definitely knew nothing about that.


    As such, he shook his head, choking out, ¡°The only time it could be said that I¡¯ve let you down, it was when I was going to marry the third young miss of the Yue family. However, you know as well, that the person in my heart was you, and I only wanted to marry Miss Yue to have a child. You can be wilful, and decide not to continue your family line, but I can¡¯t! Up to this day, you¡¯re still refusing to understand my troubles? Haiwang, can you me me for not being able to trust the deep affection you speak about?¡±


    This emotional, bitter and helpless narration was truly moving to the heart. However, a faint smile curled around Guan Shanjin¡¯s lips, and he still could not be bothered to even look in the direction of Lu Zezhi.


    The handprint on Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheek was severely swollen. A thinyer of ointment had just been applied on it, something that Guan Shanjin, who had spent most of his time in the army, habitually carried on him in case of external injuries. The ointment carried a refreshing scent to it, and it was perfect for soothing the swelling and pain. Wu Xingzi¡¯s mental state too recovered by a fair bit.


    Cupping the old fellow¡¯s face, Guan Shanjin examined it carefully. There was a tinyceration at the corner of his lips, and Guan Shanjin applied the ointment there as well. Thankfully, Wu Xingzi did not bite his tongue or his cheek, causing further injury. Only then did Guan Shanjin exhale in relief, pressing a few light kisses on Wu Xingzi¡¯s lips in constion. Lu Zezhi was so angry that his stomach hurt, and he wanted to rush up and tear the two people apart.


    ¡°Haiwang!¡±


    ¡°Laoshi, there¡¯s no hurry, I won¡¯t forget about you.¡± Guan Shanjin gave him an indifferent nce, before caressing Wu Xingzi all over again. Finally satisfied, he moved the older man to a chair further away from Lu Zezhi, and stood between the two men. It seemed like he nned on properly dealing with this situation right now. ¡°Lao Hu, get someone to bring in some tea and snacks.¡±


    ¡°Yes, General.¡±


    The guards could hear very clearly themotion within the building, but without the instructions of the General, they dared not take the initiative to enter, and could only stand on guard outside the doors, waiting. Lao Hu was deft, and he quickly brought in the tea and snacks. Without looking at anything, he ced the items down and ran out.


    Tsk tsk tsk, it seems like Mr. Lu would be facing great misfortune this time! The General looks furious! Should I inform Vice General Man? Before Lao Hu closed the doors, he secretly surveyed the situation indoors and came to a decision. He should quickly inform Man Yue about the situation, so as to prevent things from being hard to deal withter.


    Ignoring what Lao Hu was worried about, there was a bizarre atmosphere within the walls.


    Upon seeing the tea and snacks, Wu Xingzi¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. He had been utterly shocked just now from the p, and he did need something sweet to recover. Although his face still hurt, it could not stop him from picking up a piece of jujube cake and nibbling at it with his front teeth.


    Guan Shanjin too picked up a teacup and drank from it, wetting his throat.


    ¡°Laoshi, everything in the past had been things I was willing to do. Who is in debt to whom, let¡¯s just go along with the passage of time, and let everything be bygones. You yourself are aware, that in the affections you held for me those years, how much of it was to take advantage of me, and to y up to power. I can only me myself for being blind.¡± Guan Shanjinpletely did not n on leaving Lu Zezhi with any of his dignity. In the matters of their rtionship, their ounts were both unclear, and it was difficult to properly settle their debts.


    Lu Zezhi opened his mouth, wanting to exin. However, Guan Shanjin could not be bothered to listen, decisively raising his hand and stopping him from speaking. His phoenix eyes stared icily at the person in front of him. ¡°However, after returning to the capital, what you¡¯ve done, are you not aware of it?¡±


    Hearing that, Lu Zezhi jerked violently. His eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze that was directed at Guan Shanjin was as though he had seen a ghost. His lips trembled and he gurgled indistinctly. The injury around his throat was too severe. He had only just shouted a few sentences, but right now, he was unable to say a word.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, how was Bai Shaochang able to know the location of the secret study, as well as how to enter? He had only just moved into the estate, so how could I let him into the study? Say, during those years in Bastion City, have you entered my study before?¡± Guan Shanjin picked up his cup, skimming away the tea scum on the surface, before sipping from it self-assuredly. As for Lu Zezhi, he shuddered like a leaf in the wind, stumbling a couple of steps back. With a stagger, he nearly fell over.


    He was unable to make a sound, and he could only shake his head. At first, it was a slow shake of disbelief, then he shook his head harder and faster, so much so that his hair was in disarray, and his face so pale as though he was dead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shake anymore. Even if you were to shake your head off your neck, the things you¡¯ve done would not vanish into the air.¡± Guan Shanjin¡¯s face was full of loathing, and he tapped his long fingers against the table as he continued, ¡°I¡¯ve never let you into my study in Bastion City, so how could I have left such a big loophole in the capital, and allow you to squirrel through? Lu Zezhi, if what you want is riches and luxury, I can give it to you. On behalf of our rtionship for over a decade, the Lord Protector¡¯s estate can afford to support a useless person. But why did you have to betray me, and help Yan Wenxin secretly harm the Lord Protector¡¯s estate?¡±


    This was actually a test. Guan Shanjin wanted to know exactly how far Lu Zezhi, in his selfishness, would go, and so he deliberately worked with his mother to let Bai Shaochang agitate Lu Zezhi. What Guan Shanjin wanted was to see that when his position was threatened, would Lu Zezhi actually betray him.


    What happened next only made one terribly disappointed. Lu Zezhi actually took Yan Wenxin¡¯s bait, and revealed the location of the secret study.


    Tears rolled prettily down Lu Zezhi¡¯s face. He opened his mouth, wanting to exin, wanting to tell Guan Shanjin that he was only afraid that he would have lost to Bai Shaochang. He was afraid that Guan Shanjin would not want him anymore, and he did not have any intention of harming the Lord Protector¡¯s estate at all! He only did not want to leave Guan Shanjin!


    However, Lu Zezhi could not say anything at all. After trying very hard, he finally managed to sound out a hoarse ¡°Haiwang¡­¡±


    Looking at his pitiful appearance, Guan Shanjin¡¯s heart seemed to soften a little. He sighed, standing up to support him. Lu Zezhi was like a drowning man grabbing at a piece of floating wood, gripping his arms tightly and refusing to let go.


    ¡°Laoshi, I know that you only wanted to frame Bai Shaochang, and cause him to get kicked out of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate, so that only you will be left by my side,¡± Guan Shanjin said gently. Pityingly, he reached out and tucked Lu Zezhi¡¯s loose hair back. His actions were no different from the past, like a thick ss of honeyed water, it was able to make one willing to drown in it, unwilling to leave.


    Lu Zezhi nodded, hoarsely calling out Haiwang¡¯s name repeatedly.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi, I knew you weren¡¯t smart, but I never knew that you were so stupid.¡±


    It was clearly still a tone of affection, but the words were icy and poisonous. Lu Zezhi instantly froze.


    Guan Shanjin did not wait for him to recover, moving to shove him to the ground. Smiling, he said, ¡°You used the safety of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate to exchange for your future, but in the end wasn¡¯t it all for naught? As a weapon, not only are you useful, you¡¯re even not troublesome at all. It¡¯s no wonder Yan Wenxin was willing to use you! If the Lord Protector¡¯s estate were to have fallen, what would you use to continue your luxurious and indolent life, hmm?¡±


    Lu Zezhi¡¯s mouth fell open, but he could not make a sound. It was only right then did he finally connect the dots, and he understood what a stupid decision he had made.


    ¡°Lu Zezhi, you best look out for yourself. Man Yue will arrange a ce for you, and in the future, don¡¯t appear in front of me again.¡± Guan Shanjin took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, as though he had touched something dirty. In disgust, he threw the used handkerchief into a burner nearby, letting it burn into ashes.


    nkly, Lu Zezhi continued sitting on the ground. Lifelessly, he watched as Guan Shanjin carried Wu Xingzi, pushing the door open and leaving¡­


    ¡°Haiwang¡ª!!!¡±


    ¡ù¡ù¡ù¡ù


    Lu Zezhi left with no fanfare. He did not have another chance to see Guan Shanjin, and everything was arranged by Man Yue. Man Yue also did not treat him harshly, giving him a sum of money and buying a property and some fertilend for him back in his hometown. Even if he did not teach again, he would be able to continue living off the rent from the fertilend.


    Instead, it was Wu Xingzi who happened to see Lu Zezhi depart. That day, Guan Shanjin had been summoned to the pce by the Emperor, and Wu Xingzi wanted to sneak out to buy some freshly made plum cakes. Just like this, they bumped into each other coincidentally.


    Lu Zezhi was no longer dressed in pure white clothes that were untouched. He wore a coat that was either grey or cream in colour, his face pale, and his cheeks sunken. He did not have his previous ethereal, unworldly appearance anymore, and there were tiny wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. They were not obvious, but still visible, and he looked so haggard that it made it difficult for one to look at him directly.


    He too saw Wu Xingzi, his eyes falling straight on the ce where he had pped Wu Xingzi a few days ago. With a twisted expression, the corners of his lips curled up. There was resentment in his eyes, that also looked like jealousy, as well as a thickyer of regret and resistance to his current situation.


    Behind Lu Zezhi was a pair of servants, one male and one female. Not too far away was an ox cart, and the servants were urging him to quickly get on. Otherwise, if they were to depart toote, they would not be able to reach the vige by evening time. This winter was too torturous to be staying outte.


    Wu Xingzi opened his mouth, wanting to ask after Lu Zezhi. He was aware of how much the other party resented him, but he personally did not feel much distaste for Lu Zezhi. No matter what, in the past, it was Lu Zezhi who had helped Guan Shanjine out from the gloom left behind by the battles in the northwest region.


    However, Lu Zezhi turned away, quickly getting up the cart. After greeting Wu Xingzi, the servants hurriedly drove the cart away.


    Wu Xingzi watched the cart depart, and it was a long time before he came back to himself.


    ¡°Master?¡± Mint tugged at his sleeve, asking softly, ¡°Master, Qiao Shixuan¡¯s plum cakes are already out of the oven. If you don¡¯t go now, you won¡¯t be able to buy any. Shall we leave?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, yes, we¡¯re going. Ai¡­¡± Only then did Wu Xingzie back to himself, like waking up from a dream. He looked at Mint, smiling, ¡°Mint, say, am I too soft-hearted? I wonder what Mr. Lu¡¯s life will be like in the future.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what his life will be like in the future, as it all has nothing to do with Master anymore.¡± Mint was not as soft-hearted as Wu Xingzi. In her eyes, Lu Zezhi was only reaping what he had sown himself. In the past, the General had doted on him so much, and yet the man had squandered all the affection away, just like that. Hepletely deserved to get such an ending.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Although Wu Xingzi was soft-hearted, he was not someone who was illogical. After a few more sighs, he regained his spirits, hurrying excitedly towards Qiao Shixuan with Mint in tow, afraid that if he was just a littlete, he would not be able to get any plum cakes.


    Just like this, winter went by sweetly and peacefully. Taking advantage of his free time now, Guan Shanjin intertwined himself with Wu Xingzi the whole day. Sometimes, after waking up and having breakfast, Guan Shanjin would nestle in the warm, toasty study with Wu Xingzi in his arms. He had a book in his hand, and Wu Xingzi had one too. On the tables next to them were tea and snacks. Each one would read their own book and have their own snacks, as they passed their time idly away.


    Because of Guan Shanjin¡¯s free time, the three meals they had everyday were all prepared by him. No matter how he looked at Wu Xingzi¡¯s figure, he was unsatisfied. He worked hard, providing nourishment, supplement, and all sorts of food, fattening up the old fellow by two sizes. Wu Xingzi¡¯s cheeks finally rounded, and when tucked in Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms, he was soft and plump to touch. Only then, was Guan Shanjin satisfied.


    The Lord Protector and his wife could not be bothered about this son who was like a ve to his spouse. The genes of the Guan family were undeniable. No matter how frivolous and unrestrained they were before settling down, once they had their heart set upon one person, they wanted nothing more than to tie themselves to the other person¡¯s waist, and follow them wherever they went.


    Wu Xingzi spent his daysfortably, only one thing worrying him. There were a few times when he wanted to have a heart to heart conversation with Guan Shanjin, but whenever there was an opportunity to do so, he would flinch away. As he dragged on, the New Year came. This year, he was unable to return home to make offerings to his ancestors, but Guan Shanjin had already arranged for everything. He had sent people to Qingcheng County to make the offerings on Wu Xingzi¡¯s behalf, and once spring began, they would head south and make their offerings again properly. At the same time, they would report their intentions to be life partners with each other.


    The New Year celebrations in the capital were especially lively. On thest day of the year, nearing midnight, brilliant, colourful fireworks filled half the sky. It was a glorious disy of fireworks andnterns, and painted on thenterns were images of a hundred children in spring, spring calligraphy, auspicious greetings, a hundred butterflies amongst flowers, and many others, dazzling people¡¯s eyes. Wu Xingzi¡¯s head tilted further and further back, his mouth hanging open for a long time, unable to shut it. He even nearly stumbled and fell, but thankfully, Guan Shanjin reacted quickly, wrapping an arm around him. Fortunately, both of them were seated on the ground, half-lying with their heads tilted back, admiring the fireworks filling the sky.


    ¡°Haiwang, I¡¯ve never seen such pretty fireworks before,¡± Wu Xingzi sighed.


    The fireworks disysted for an hour, and the smell of gunpowder hung vaguely in the air. At midnight, sounds of firecrackers being lit filled the streets, deafening and yet bringing delight to everyone. Outside the doors of the Lord Protector¡¯s estate were two rows of firecrackers as well, and they too were lit up. However, Guan Shanjin and Wu Xingzi did not walk outside to take a look. Instead, the two of them hugged each other, sitting in their yard as they looked up at the sky that was now again dark. It took some time, before the stars slowly regained their light.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Guan Shanjin leaned down, pecking a kiss on the top of Wu Xingzi¡¯s head, then covered the two of them firmly with a big cloak. From afar, they looked just like one person.


    ¡°I do.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded. Reluctantly, he pulled his gaze away, shrinking into Guan Shanjin¡¯s arms and nuzzling into him. ¡°This is the second year we¡¯re together.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Guan Shanjin recalled their first New Year, and could not help but chuckle softly. At that time, Wu Xingzi and he had notid their hearts bare to each other, and he even had yet to realise that he had long developed feelings for Wu Xingzi. Why else would he be so jealous then, to tear up the pengornis drawings?


    Hugging the yawning, drowsy Wu Xingzi, he swayed him a little, coaxing gently, ¡°I have something good for you. Would you like to see it?¡±


    ¡°For me?¡± Wu Xingzi nuzzled his cheek against Guan Shanjin¡¯s chest, curiosity in his eyes.


    Guan Shanjin had never been stingy with his presents, but he also would not seek credit deliberately. After all, to Guan Shanjin, it was no effort for him to gift such presents, so there was nothing much to say about it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll definitely like it.¡± Guan Shanjin pursed his lips. Although he was smiling, Wu Xingzi could see that there was some moroseness in his eyes. As such, he was even more curious, and his drowsiness had vanished in an instant.


    Lifting the older man up in his arms, Guan Shanjin stood up, and carried Wu Xingzi back to their rooms. He first tucked a hot water bottle into his hands to warm him up, then instructed him to sit properly on the chair, and not run around. Only then did he go to another room and rummage around. When he came out, he was carrying a redcquered wood box. This box was very exquisite, the redcquer shiny and smooth. Gold threads were iid on the sides of the box, creating patterns of the four noble ones ¡ª the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo and the chrysanthemum. The images were not big, but they were fine and delicate,parable to the painting of the plum blossoms where the tree was covered with tiny blossoms, and yet even the hearts of each blossom could be seen clearly. It was as though real flowers had been shrunken and pressed directly onto the sides of the box.


    The box was very pretty, but after eximing over it, Wu Xingzi could not help but be puzzled. This sort of item was not something Guan Shanjin would deliberately mention to seek credit.


    ¡°What I want to give you is not the box, but the things inside it.¡± Could Guan Shanjin not notice the confusion in the old fellow¡¯s eyes? Heughed indulgently, pinching Wu Xingzi¡¯s fleshy nose. Only then did he open the box, pressing it into Wu Xingzi¡¯s hands.


    Within, was a pile of papers.


    Wu Xingzi again looked at Guan Shanjin, bewildered. On top of the pile, something about drawings seemed to be written there. Hesitating for a moment, he finally reached into the box and took out the pile of papers.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Wu Xingzi gasped, his eyes filling with tears. Feeling both moved and grateful, he looked towards Guan Shanjin. ¡°Haiwang, these are all¡­ pengornis drawings?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a total of 360 pieces, and I¡¯ve selected them all from everywhere throughout Great Xia.¡± Guan Shanjin was both pleased yet morose. Seeing that Wu Xingzi was so touched that he was crying, he hurriedly stood up, wiping away his tears. ¡°Why are you crying? Do you like them?¡±


    ¡°I do, I like them very much¡­¡± Wu Xingzi bobbed his head continuously. Afraid that his tears would stain the pengornis drawings, he quickly ced the three hundred and sixty drawings back into the box, and closed the lid. ¡°Ai, Haiwang¡­ Haiwang¡­¡±


    Since a while ago, he no longer held that great of an interest in pengornis drawings anymore, and he could not even remember thest time he had looked through the treasured rattan case of his. However, he had never thought that Guan Shanjin would still remember this little embarrassing interest of his.


    His chest feeling so full of emotions, Wu Xingzi could not say a word. He had always been clumsy in speech, and so he could only softly call out Guan Shanjin¡¯s name again and again. Other than the man in front of him, there was nothing else in his mind.


    ¡°I know that you like to look at these, so, in the future, we can look at them together.¡± Guan Shanjin cupped Wu Xingzi¡¯s face with his hands. Kissing him, he pulled the older man into an embrace. ¡°We¡¯ll be together like this, year after year, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Wu Xingzi nodded firmly, making the promise. His heart was already full, and it had been a long time since he needed these pengornis drawings¡­ However, he still was a little partial to them.


    The sounds of the firecrackers outside had ceased. All they could hear now was the breathing and the heartbeat of the person standing in front of them, forever and always¡­


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