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You’ve Got Mail: A Cautionary

Tale
YGMCT • 飞鸽交友须谨慎

The Peng Society for Gentlemen — a secret friend-making club for

the homosexual men of the Great Xia Dynasty. Its services were
designed to help its members along in their quest for their lifelong
partners. Upon paying a monthly fee of fifty coins, members could
get themselves listed in The Pengornisseur after providing a self-
portrait, a mailing address, their age and hobbies, as well as a self-
introduction. All members would receive a copy of the monthly
publication, and they could communicate with one another in private
using the information in The Pengornisseur.

Wu Xingzi, a bachelor about to turn forty, worked as the adviser to

the magistrate in Qingcheng County.

Qingcheng County was a place with barely any resources. In other

words, it was poor. In the list of counties of the Great Xia Dynasty, it
had been ranked at the bottom for the past two hundred years.

Wu Xingzi felt that his life was hopeless: not only was he a
homosexual, he was also a virgin. Even his retirement fund was
lacking. Worse still, his looks were… forgettable.

He might as well die.

Hence, Wu Xingzi decided to commit suicide on his fortieth

birthday. However, he was unwilling to remain a virgin to death! And
so, gritting his teeth, he joined the Peng Society for Gentlemen and
received The Pengornisseur. It was very painful; after all, fifty coins
were the sum of his daily expenditure for ten days! He would only
pay it once, and he was determined to succeed on his first try.

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Author(s): Hei Bai Dan, 黑白蛋

Artist(s):
Year: 2018
Country: China
Genres: Adult, Historical, Mature, Romance, Smut, Yaoi
Tags: Ancient China, Average-looking Protagonist, Handsome Male
Lead, Honest Protagonist, Pragmatic Protagonist
Source: BlackBoxTL

ASIANOVEL VERSION: 3.11

PDF VERSION: 1.4
UUID: e95e8c20-861e-11eb-b629-ff92f8423f15
USER: HninAye
DATE CREATED: 2021-03-16
LANGUAGE: English

More info and chapters:

https://www.asianovel.com/series/youve-got-mail-a-cautionary-tale

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Chapter 38
Source: BlackBoxTL

This chapter hasn’t been edited! I’ll replace it with the edited
version once it’s done.

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.

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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 flash, 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 accepted 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.

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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.

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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 replaced 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

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alarmed 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.

As compared 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 melancholy. 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 discomfort.

“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.

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“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 hours later, 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 replaced, while that salesman
whom Wu Xingzi was familiar with was still there. When he saw their
arrival, he came forward to welcome them with nary a change in his
expression.

“Welcome, may I ask if there’s anything you’re looking

for?”

“Is Rancui around?” Guan Shanjin did not beat around the bush.
Placing 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 has completely nothing to do

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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 explain 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 was completely 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 the latest 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

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glanced 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 planning on
torturing with it?

Rancui ran through all sorts of speculation, but still motioned at his
employee to collect the Pengornisseur as well as the writing
instruments. Replacing 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 claws 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 slapped 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 uncomfortable without

destroying a few of my little shop’s items every visit?” Rancui
glared at that corner of the table. However, he was not scared. What
storms had he never endured before? Since the general liked to tear

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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 place.

“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 placid his disposition was, his temper could occasionally
flare 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 to compensate you,
why would I make you angry again? Hmm? Won’t you look at

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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 uncomfortable. 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 angry
laughter.

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 placed 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 become tacky complimented 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.

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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 blank 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, alarm 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.
According to what he had just heard, did Adviser Wu ended up
keeping all the drawings of penises sent as replies?

Guan Shanjin glared 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 uncomfortable 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 occurred 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 accurately. Guan Shanjin’s brows

creased tighter, and he nearly took Chenyuan Sword out.

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Yet he still held himself back, lowering his head and placating 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.

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Chapter 39
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Finally, Wu Xingzi did manage to find the owners of all the

pengornises other than the second place 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 glanced 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 blamed 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 words laced
with meaning, “In my opinion, Adviser Wu is not the type to
like embroidered pillows. After all, pillows should be simple
and lasting. Those are then considered good pillows.”

“Yes, yes.” The pillows in Adviser Wu’s home were all made by
himself. Every autumn, he would replace 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
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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 and
comfortable, 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 flames 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 no lack 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 accept. 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

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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 be laughing 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 occasion 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

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was why the Peng Society had grown to how it was today.

“Manager, Bastion City is a dangerous place. 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 him come 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, come to Bastion City to look for me. Don’t
waste a single moment of time.”

“Ah Heng understands.” Finally relaxing, Ah Heng hurriedly

stored the jade pendant on his body. Following his orders, he

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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, according 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 to compete 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 speculate 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 marketplace.
Goose City was extremely prosperous, and people were now already
making preparations for the Spring Lantern Festival. The lantern
market was now bustling as well, and there was a large crowd, with
many things that could be eaten, drank, and toys that looked very
interesting. Wu Xingzi had never explored the lantern market before.
As a child, his father was strict, preferring the quiet to the crowd. At
the very most, they would just light a lantern for the occasion. When

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he grew up, he was single and alone. He found this sort of festival,
where families gathered to walk through the marketplace, 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 accompany him from the first
stall to the last. Afraid of Wu Xingzi getting squeezed by the crowd,
Guan Shanjin shielded him between his arms with his stature of a
general, completely ignoring the probing eyes of other passersby.

As they walked down the street, one by one, the lanterns were lit.

The lanterns in Goose City were not as lavish and exquisite as the
ones in the capital, but they were delicate and adorable. The broad
street of the lantern market was lined with all sorts of lanterns. There
were the palace lanterns, the revolving lanterns, 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 revolving lantern with the Eight

Immortals.” Wu Xingzi exclaimed, his eyes filled with delight.

That revolving lantern was exquisitely made. In a sea of lanterns

that looked comparably 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 that lantern, 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 and
commonplace. He had a fleshy nose and plump lips, his philtrum was

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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 revolving lantern, 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 sorely lacking 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 and laughing.

“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 the lanterns.”

“Oh?” Wu Xingzi quietly raised his head, swifting glancing through

the crowd. As expected, the couples drifting about were either
looking up at the lanterns, or they were just like Guan Shanjin and

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him, hiding in a dark corner, wrapped up intimately in each other’s
arms.

Although Wu Xingzi was still feeling shy, he finally relaxed. He

allowed Guan Shanjin to continue caressing him, hugging him as they
finished viewing the rest of the lanterns, before they reluctantly left
the lantern 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 the lantern market. However, looking at the time, it
was probably too late. Farmers woke up early, and they were all
preparing to go to bed around this timing.

Wu Xingzi contemplated for a moment and decided to go to

Ansheng’s place instead. During the entire New Year period, no one
in Qingcheng County would run their business, except for the largest
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 relationship.

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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 glared 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 from coming 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, to come 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

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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,
laughing 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 relationship. 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 had completely 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.

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“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. His complexion 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 Xingzi completely 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 flashed 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 flames, 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

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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.

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Chapter 40
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

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 circulation.

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

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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 relationship 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 not complain 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 he compensate this
old fellow?

Under the candlelight, Wu Xingzi’s sleeping face appeared

contented. It was as though his wrist injury had never occurred, and
his bone was not nearly broken. On the contrary, it was this instigator
who was feeling even more afraid than him.

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Sighing, Guan Shanjin confirmed that the bruise had been
massaged thoroughly, then applied a new layer 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 from last 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 me last night, it’s really very
effective.”

This fool! He’s already been injured, doesn’t he know how to get

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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 blankly,
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 too complete. Even if Wu Xingzi and Guan Shanjin
were to continue staying here for another ten days, there would still
be enough provisions to last 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 a large 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 calculative and scheming, and Wu

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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 consolation. 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 glared 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 flared 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
desolate scenery, that dry and hard earth, and those weeds that
could not even grow well.

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“We’re going.” Seated on Zhu Xing, Guan Shanjin led the horse,
trotting one round around Wu Xingzi. He hesitated for a moment
before placing an arm around Wu Xingzi’s shoulders. “I’ll come
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 Shanjin laughed lightly, scraping Wu Xingzi’s nose with his

finger gently. “Exactly. We’ll need to come 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 explain it to his ancestors this
time? This pengornis tryst was becoming 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 deflated balloon. His body structure still remained round
and plump, but he gave off the feeling of collapsing.

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

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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 calculated, 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 young ladies 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

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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 young ladies 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 plate 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 — Osmanthus murmured secretly.

The intruder was Hua Shu. Compared to the last time they saw
him, there was a lack 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.
ly, his attitude had been so high and mighty, and this time, Wu Xingzi
felt a little overwhelmed by his warmth.

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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 glanced at the little girl blocking Wu Xingzi, a

sneer hanging off his lips. “Where did this servant come 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 relatives were able to support an entire family clan 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

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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
sister lacked, but she did not want to seem less sharp-tongued than
her sister.

Every word stabbed right into his heart. Hua Shu’s complexion
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 planning 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 glance, 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 young lady 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.”

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“Is this the intentions of Mr. Wu?” Hua Shu glanced 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 was completely 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 flash 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 consolation, and hurried after Hua Shu.

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Chapter 41
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

The place 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 place was fairly similar to Mr. Lu. He recalled that slim figure
dressed in white, beautiful and fair skinned as well as scholarly and
refined. He was like a clear spring, a ray of moonlight, glimmering in
one’s eyes and darting into their heart, completely 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 delayed, 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.
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“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 plain, yet was
heavily laden 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 place 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 welcome 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 glanced 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 dishes
complemented each other very well. The serving plates were simple,
all dainty and green, the colour deepening towards the center. They

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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. , the placement 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 display 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 glared 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”

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“Hush, just go.” Mr. Lu cast a sidelong glance 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 a
completely lost battle.

“I understand. The two girls at my place 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. Lu laughed shallowly. “It’ll be a pity if the food

turns cold. Mr. Wu, have some first. Hua Shu will come back
later 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 displayed the excellent skills
of the kitchen in the general’s estate. Wu Xingzi was eating with

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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 glared 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 discomforted! 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 he
complained 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 a large spoonful, he wanted

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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 flawless 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 alarm, then glared 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 Shu commanded 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 glared 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.

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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 out laughing. It was only because he did not want to embarrass
Wu Xingzi too much, and that was why he suppressed his laughter.

“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

brows coming together tightly as he looked up and glanced 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

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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 had completely 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

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alarmed. 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 glanced at the table. However, he only saw a few dishes
of vegetables, including a plate 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 plate 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

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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

uncomfortable. Guan Shanjin was willing to play the fool for Mr. Lu,
but it did not mean that he truly was a fool. No matter how unwilling

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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
accidentally alarm him.

“Hei’er, drag Hua Shu out.” This command 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…”

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“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 was completely 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 similar 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.”

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Chapter 42
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 vanishing completely. 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?”

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“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 sudden laugh. “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 to compare 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 become 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 occasionally drawled his words
together, with a very strong southern accent. 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

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he would never flare up in anger.

Guan Shanjin liked this accent.

This sort of accent, when speaking Mandarin, would often meld

together some of the heavier stressed alveolar, laryngeal 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, sounding lazy 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 up laughing 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 he lay 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 recovered

completely?” The moment he finished asking, the person leaning
lazily on him tensed up slightly. Guan Shanjin patted Wu Xingzi

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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 place where no one else was
able to enter.

Somehow, Wu Xingzi had inexplicably found a completely

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 Shanjin laughed, 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 troubles coming up later.”

What Man Yue said was the truth. The person they were going to
deal with next was rather troublesome. Guan Shanjin would need to

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make a decision before placing Wu Xingzi in any sort of position.

Who would have thought that the place 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 response coming 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 scholar.

“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
accord, and none of them stayed for long.” Guan Shanjin
laughed 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 recommended 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

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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 glance at Wu Xingzi. Their
eyes met, and Wu Xingzi hunched into his shoulders, feeling a sort of
embarrassment about being caught doing something.

Guan Shanjin laughed 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 again laughed quietly, shaking
his head. “Every step of Mr. Lu has always been planned
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,

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“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 alarm. “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
obscene come 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 become enigmatic, extremely profound, or even sound
very amorous.

The last 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?

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His behaviour lit the flames 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 plastered 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.

ly, it may be because their days in Qingcheng County were too

comfortable, 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. Seemingly
lazy 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 slapped against Wu Xingzi’s plump and smooth buttocks,
causing the old thing to cry out in shock.

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Nibbling on Wu Xingzi’s sensitive earlobe, Guan Shanjin murmured
melodiously, “Be good, I’ll remain outside, I won’t go in.”

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Chapter 43
Source: BlackBoxTL

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, becoming
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. Occasionally, it would press
against a certain little dark hole, the pressure causing Wu Xingzi to
pant excessively. He shifted his hips uncontrollably, and no one knew
if he was trying to hide from the pengornis, or was welcoming 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.

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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 not come entirely
from him. In fact, the source of a large 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 flame 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. “Clamp 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.

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However, he had official duties to attend to, and he truly was not
able to slowly take his time to play 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 blazing desire.

Wu Xingzi was very compliant, clamping 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, plastered right next to the pink, half-hard
cock, jabbed away, causing Wu Xingzi to lose his balance. 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…”

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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 of come landed 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 of come again shot out from his cock, all landing 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 place 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 place 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

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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

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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 plastered
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 occasionally 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 flames 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
consolation.

“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

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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. Blankly, 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 place his limbs.

“Hmm?” Bending down and planting 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 young
lady wait.”

Now, Wu Xingzi had recalled who the third young miss of the Yue
family was. Was that not Mr. Lu’s fiancée? No wonder Guan Shanjin
had lost all interest.

Inexplicably feeling a little sad, Wu Xingzi was unable to explain

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 to comfort her.

After all, he himself was unable to identify what exactly was he

feeling now as well.

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Chapter 44
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 become 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 very compatible 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 two large temples in Bastion City, each on top of a hill.

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One was in the south, and the other in the north. Perhaps because of
the years of war in the borderlands, 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 place where the temples of the gods were situated
was a sacred place, due to the occasion, a few lanterns with
scriptures written on them were hung up as well. The plain, simple
strokes vividly displayed the characters within the verse. Mr. Lu
happened to be standing under one of the lanterns, looking up and
gazing at it.

At first glance, 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 imbalance. Especially those crystal-
like black 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 glancing towards Yue Mingzhu.

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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, “My last 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 glanced 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

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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 young lady 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 declaring 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 you come 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
while later, he replied in a low voice. “Then I will have to disturb
you.”

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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
according 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, becoming 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 relationship 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 accidentally fallen from a horse,
she was unable to even catch a glimpse of her fiancé. Seeing how
they were about to marry once spring was here, not being able to
take care of her injured fiancé, 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.

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Yue Mingzhu was spitting with fury, her chest compressed 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 never lasted. 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 fiancée, she could not leave her fiancé in such a dangerous
place!

Hence, Yue Mingzhu would make a huge fuss from the moment she

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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 could come 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.

According to Man Yue, this was Yue MingZhu coming 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. ly, when
Guan Shanjin still liked Mr. Lu, these trifles would naturally be
handled personally by the general. Now that there was an Adviser
Wu occupying 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 was completely

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 welcomed 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.

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“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 too lazy to remain courteous. This third
young miss of the Yue family had come 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 now completely

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 to laugh awkwardly in accompaniment.

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 — no wonder you’re this size!”

With a teacup in his hand, Man Yue was currently skimming the

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thin layer of scum on top of the tea. Hearing Miss Yue’s words, he
burst out laughing, 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 glared 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 ablaze, the flames 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.

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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 young lady.” 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 relaxed 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 place 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 his complexion 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?”

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“It’s nothing, don’t you worry.” Mr. Lu put on a melancholic
smile, comforting 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 fiancé, she pointed at Man Yue, screaming, “Call
Guan Shanjin out to see me!”

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Chapter 45
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 was coming.

“Yes.” Hei’er bowed his head. As a close bodyguard, he naturally

understood what his master’s expression meant, and he exclaimed
over his luck internally.

Interrupting Guan Shanjin’s “matters” was nothing, but if he

happened to accidentally 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.”

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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 explanation?
Guan Shanjin was fed up. He turned back and glanced 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 plans on replacing them with another new family, as well
as the upcoming 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 already laid a
trap for them, and that family could not be given any opportunity to
create trouble lest they spoil his plans.

“Yes.” Hei’er accepted the command, and in a flash, he hid

himself.

Guan Shanjin felt annoyed, all the gloom within his heart shifting
onto Miss Yue, his dislike for this wilful, arrogant lady 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 your laoshi, and so I’m
your shiniang2. Has all your scripture-studying gone down
the drain?”

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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, anxiously coming 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. to them, the expression of Miss Yue
was very entertaining. She glared 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
had laughed out loud.

“You don’t have anything better to do?” Guan Shanjin cast

him a side-eye glance. Unlike the past, he was in no hurry to placate
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.”

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“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 eyelashes 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, laoshi, for your concern.”

“This is as expected.” Mr. Lu glanced 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 her completely. 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 Shanjin completely 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
uncomfortably.”

“Yes, yes. We understand the intentions of the general! It’s

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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 Shanjin laughed thinly, being noncommittal. He

studied Mr. Lu calmly for a while, and suddenly let go. “Alright, I’ll
listen to laoshi, 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 his composure, Young Master Yue yelled

in alarm. 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 slap.
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

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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’s complaints, 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 scholar 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 scholar, 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 placid face had
paled, and was glaring 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,

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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 relatives 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-clad 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.”

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Guan Shanjin burst out laughing. “Master, in my life, you’re the
most shameless person I’ve ever met.”

Mr. Lu’s pale face looked completely bloodless. With slightly

knitted brows, he stared at the delighted Guan Shanjin.

“A teacher for a day, a father for life. Since I’ve become

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 had
laughed, as he was very amused.

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This was Mr. Lu. Old-fashioned to the point of silliness, and his
attitude towards him had never changed.

Unknowingly, this person had been placed into Guan Shanjin’s

heart, a position, where other than his family and his childhood
buddies, no ordinary person could occupy.

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. “Since laoshi
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

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them.

“Hmm?”

“I did not…” Mr. Lu looked sorrowful, and seemed to want to

explain 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 then come to the Yue family’s estate to ask for
him!”

“Scram.” Guan Shanjin waved his hand lazily, 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 in coming 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 hornet’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

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Yue still believed that Mr. Lu had feelings for Guan Shanjin.

Guan Shanjin laughed 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 his lashes, 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 Yue laughed 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 ordinary commoner! 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 flaws. He knew very well that it was not that Mr. Lu
completely 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.

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“I need him to still remain by my side in the future, and be
my beloved one.” Guan Shanjin laughed, 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.

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Chapter 46
Source: BlackBoxTL

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.

, 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 no lack 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

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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, flaunting 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 into labour at a restaurant.
Everyone was enlightened, that these rumours were most likely due
to the work of Hua Shu. ly, 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 speculations, all the
servants inside had an example made in front of them, and they
were all smart enough to keep quiet and remain cautious.

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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 planting 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 placed three hens and a rooster within,
allowing them to move around freely, clucking about.

When he was not planting 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 hens laid 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,

accompanying Wu Xingzi for all three meals every day. Occasionally,
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

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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 was completely
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
ejaculated 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 his come, 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

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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

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made Guan Shanjin laugh 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 place! 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 Shanjin laughed cheerily, planting 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 you later. 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 blanket, rubbing
his chest lightly.

Over the past few days, his chest kept feeling stifled. Wu Xingzi
had secretly asked Mint to ask the physician to come over for a
checkup, but there had been no illnesses found. Finally, the physician
had only said that it was melancholy, and wrote a prescription for
medicine to settle his mind, asking him to drink it for two days.

Time had entered spring. Occasionally, Wu Xingzi would suddenly

detect a whiff of peach blossoms in the air. However, Mint and

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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 to lay 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 just come, 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

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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 plain 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 flavour refreshed the body. Other than some
slight greasiness that came with using bone broth, the taste was rich
and flavourful.

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

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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 play. Thirteen year old girls
happened to be in their most playful 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 welcoming 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.”

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“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 displayed on the shelves. Tilting their little heads, they
were whispering to each other as they looked at some bright glass
beads in particular, 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 plainer. 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 palace 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 black colour, the black so very conspicuous.

Seeing that it was a lady, 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,

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curtseying to him. His smile turned brighter, “You came at a
perfect time, would you like to take a look at the latest 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.

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Chapter 47
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 welcomed Wu Xingzi to sit down and have some snacks.

Only when half the plate 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

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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
plainly 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 has complimented me too highly.” Rancui

laughed 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?

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“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 place 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
scholarly. For this issue of the Pengornisseur, he had selected the
entrants according 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

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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 play.”

“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 galaxy 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 placing it into his mouth.

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“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 did come…” 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 not comfortable 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 glanced
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 glad that Wu

Xingzi had not fallen for Guan Shanjin’s pampering, he felt that

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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, then laughed
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 scholarly 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 replaced
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 only laugh 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 melancholy. There was no point in
contemplating 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

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to seek out trouble for himself.

As such, he again cheerily and diligently scanned through the

Pengornisseur, periodically giving compliments and exclaiming 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 be coming 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!

ly, 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 or later 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.

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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 speculated 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…

　　※※※

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

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were mostly found in the west. Mint and Osmanthus led their master
down to the place 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 young lady 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 that lady too.
Expressionlessly, his tanned face twitched minutely, and with a
stride, he stood right in front of Wu Xingzi, blocking him from the
young lady’s audacious gaze.

This young lady, 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

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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
young lady, 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 young lady, he
could not be impolite.

“Master, this is Mr. Lu’s fiancée, 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 place 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

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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. Blankly, 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 flap your mouth?” Yue Mingzhu glared 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.”

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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 but laugh.

“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.”

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“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 relations 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. After coming 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?

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Chapter 48
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 plant covered, Wu Xingzi learnt
that the wisteria plant was over a hundred years old.

“Master, if you like it, once the wisteria blooms, let’s come
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.

According 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!
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“Sure, sure. Ah, I’ve never seen chinese wisterias in bloom
before. I’ve heard that the sight is quite spectacular, and I
really should come take a look,” Wu Xingzi exclaimed, his eyes
glued to the plant.

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 plant in
Qingcheng County. Although they could be found in Goose City, the
plants 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 plant
today, his desire was once again lit up.

“When does the plant 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
plant blossomed again.

“The flowers should come 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
plant.

Watching the master and the two young maids enjoying

themselves, pointing at the wisteria plant as they laughed 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 not come on her own accord 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 he compare to Mr. Lu’s

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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 very large. 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 planned for today.

Unfortunately, everything had gone off track. Wu Xingzi had

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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 accept 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

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nothing better to do, has completely 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
explain his position.

“You don’t have to say anything, I understand that Mr. Wu

is definitely unhappy to hear such filthy talk, and to complain
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
explanation? 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 box lacquered 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 abrupt laugh, 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

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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, glaring 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 relationship 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 explain

himself, as Yue Mingzhu completely 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 accept it with no hesitation. This is
how a man should behave. All these underhanded tricks,
although I cannot compare 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 the ladies 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

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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 place, how parochial.”

Finished speaking, Yue Mingzhu was very satisfied with her words,
and she tapped on the lacquered box.

“This is all I have to say. Mr. Wu, accept this gift. I also
hope that you’ll be a bit smarter.” Not caring whether Wu Xingzi
actually wanted to accept the gift or not, Yue Mingzhu stood up and
whirled out of the restaurant with her maidservant.

Wu Xingzi sat there blankly, completely 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 been commanded 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 their complaints 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 downplay 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.

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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 two complete opposites. Who
would ever think of any similarities 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 was completely
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, goods coming 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.

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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 too comfortably 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 rules laid 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 place
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 relationship? 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,

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contemplating 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 the

lacquered 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 glance.

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

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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 accept 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 plan 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 glanced at her, then at Wu Xingzi. In the end, he lowered his

head, and did not say a word.

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Chapter 49
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 place 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

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out that the Zhu family had planted a few peach trees in their
courtyard. They came into bloom this year!”

Mint explained 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 scholarly 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, but later retired to his hometown. This was the reason
why they had such a refined leisurely interest in planting 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 were laden with blossoms.

“Master, didn’t you keep smelling the scent of peach

blossoms the past few days? It should have come 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 plant it in the General’s
Estate as well!”

How could she and her sister not register their master’s
abnormality these days? ly, 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 young lady 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

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from Hei’er, they found out that the Zhu family had planted 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
similar 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 young lady 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

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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 his complexion was even a little ashen.

He looked down at the peach blossoms. Feeling as though he was

holding onto a flame, 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 collapsed onto his bed. Traces of Guan
Shanjin’s scent could still be detected from the blanket, only a lot
weaker. In a few more days, it might even dissipate completely.

He took in a harsh, deep breath, feeling a lot more composed 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

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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 slanted 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 relationships, it was

still rare for two men to be in love with each other. Also, Yan Wenxin
whole-heartedly wanted to become 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

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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 was late 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 occupancy. However,
although his accommodations had been settled, his stomach was
empty! Contemplating 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 no lack 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 flatbread, two big bowls of noodles, and two
big bowls of porridge, before hurrying to Yan Wenxin’s residence.

The sun had set completely. Looking in through the window, the
room was dark and gloomy. Inside it, there was a flame 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 you come?” Yan Wenxin’s voice was
not far away. With a bit of fiddling, the candle was now a lot brighter,

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and that face with its sharp chin was now clearly lit.

“I’m looking for you to accompany 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 Wenxin laughed 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 according to
his usual appetite, and there was completely no problem in finishing
every single bit of it. It was just that he had left a large portion all
just for Yan Wenxin.

As expected, the leftovers were carefully packed away by Yan

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Wenxin, and he laughed as he said that they were enough to last him
till dinner time tomorrow.

Since they were both now fed, Wu Xingzi planned on making his
farewells. Unexpectedly, Yan Wenxin suddenly caught hold of his
hand.

As a scholar, 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 glance 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 be completely 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 succeed on both the civil and military front, then marry a
beautiful bride, and bring honour to his family name.

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“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 flagstone 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 place, 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.

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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.

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Chapter 50
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Wu Xingzi had skipped both lunch and dinner. Worried, Mint and
Osmanthus kept darting glances 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 accords.

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, contemplating 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’s complexion darkened. On

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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.

Glancing 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 him later, 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 glared

at Hei’er.

“Reporting, the Zhu residence has planted 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 a complete 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

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though a thin piece of silk gauze lay 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 relaxed.

Undoing the bag tied to his back and placing 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 of comfortable 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
blanket.

“Wu Xingzi.” Guan Shanjin gently called out for him over and
over again. After about ten times later did an indistinct response
come 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 blanket. 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

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slept for a very long time, and he was still groggy. Without thinking,
he scrunched up the blanket 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 blanket,
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 a complete 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

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than the other, they could never compare 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. Play with it while I’m preparing the porridge?”

“Ai…” Only then did Wu Xingzi come 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 after coming to life, there
was nothing lacking about him. It had been a number of days since
Wu Xingzi last 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 to laugh
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 play, so why are you in a

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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

glance, but after looking over it carefully, it exuded an exquisite air.
Wu Xingzi was momentarily at a loss for what to do. He placed his
hands behind his back, his fingers moving slightly, wanting to touch
but he dared not place 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, placing 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, young
lady; With lutes, small and large, let us give her friendly
welcome…1Translation 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

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could not hold his seat. Already forty, yet he was still muddle-
headed. He was neither modest and quiet, nor was he a virtuous
young lady. 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 could compare 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

accomplished, 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 play 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

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skilled at playing the qin as well, and Wu Xingzi had heard that there
was no one in the neighbouring counties and cities that could
compare to his father. When Wu Xingzi was a child, his father wanted
to teach him how to play. 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 play every note a beat slower. If he was asked to play faster, he
would end up a beat ahead. Wu Xingzi was always too fast or too
slow, and the melody would be completely destroyed by him.

Worse still, was that Wu Xingzi himself could not hear the problem.
He delighted in playing, causing his father to endure this suffering
with ringing ears that lasted 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.

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Chapter 51
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 can communicate 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.

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His father ruffled his little head, and started lecturing about the
nine virtues of the qin, going in depth into the “remarkable,
ancient, penetrated, 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 play 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, playing Melody of
The Transcendent Venerable One3.

Playing 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 all components of it bit by bit, Wu Xingzi was so drawn by
the qin that he forgot about his hunger completely.

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, fluffy layer,
and minced meat was scattered amidst the grains. The mix of gold
and brown was like a constellation of stars, and diced green onions
adorned the porridge daintily. The whole arrangement looked so
good that one could not bear to eat it.

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Wu Xingzi hurriedly stood up and accepted 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 and ladled a bowl for himself as
well. He too used a bowl the same size he gave to Wu Xingzi.
According 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 of ladling 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.

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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 of laughter, 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, accepting the thanks with no
hint of courtesy.

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“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 collapse.

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 accompanied 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 exclamation made Guan Shanjin laugh, 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 play the qin? You have a really good eye.
That’s Bai-gongzi from Qingzhu Lane, and his father is the
top qin player of Great Xia, second to none. Even the

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emperor is not always able to invite him to play 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 play, but how did Guan Shanjin
find out about this?

“So the last name of that gongzi is Bai?” This, Wu Xingzi no

longer remembered.

Guan Shanjin harrumphed, his tone sour, “You don’t even

remember his last 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 play 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 playing 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

play?” 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, his comely lips curling into a faint smile.
Sitting down at the qin, he strummed some notes. “Since you like

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to listen to the qin, I’ll just play 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 playing could not
satisfy his well-trained ear.

Guan Shanjin was very good at the qin, and could almost compare
with Wu Xingzi’s father. The top qin player 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 flat. 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
scholar 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-mocking laugh, 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
placed them on the strings of the qin.

“Let me teach you how to play.”

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“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 quite
comfortable 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 how lacking Wu Xingzi’s qin-
playing 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 severely lacking, sometimes too
fast and sometimes too slow. Also, because of the lack 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 too complicated, 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 the
layer of dust gathering over Mr. Lu’s shine?

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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-playing. 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 play, 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 a laughing 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-playing 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 already late 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 relationship,
but why were his words so sour?

“Mr. Lu, misunderstanding us?” Guan Shanjin cocked a brow,

laughing 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

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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 relationship between
Guan Shanjin and him could last 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 playing
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 in comfort,
gradually patting away that foreign feeling within Wu Xingzi that
came out of nowhere.

“Ai,” Wu Xingzi sighed, lazing 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

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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 income. Every month, he would receive a fixed sum of
allowance, and Wu Xingzi had accepted 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

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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’s completely no trace of similarity

between Mr. Lu and me, so how were you able to take me as
his substitute? Unless…”

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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 into laughter. 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.

, he was lifted up by Guan Shanjin. Amidst his shrieks, he was

tossed onto the bed.

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Chapter 52
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Despite Guan Shanjin employing a certain knack and carefully

tossing Wu Xingzi onto the bed, Wu Xingzi was still rather giddy.
Collapsing on the soft blankets, 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 to come and give Guan Shanjin a checkup.

Noticing that the old fellow was once again drifting away,
becoming distracted, Guan Shanjin could neither stay angry nor
laugh. His chest felt stifled, almost painful, and he leant down, taking
a harsh bite.

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“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 glass 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

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person in his arms shudder, then relax 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
extreme comfort 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

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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

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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 collapsing 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 was completely 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.

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Guan Shanjin’s heart had melted completely, and the fire blazing
within could no longer be controlled. Accompanied by Wu Xingzi’s
alarmed shrieks, Guan Shanjin flipped him over, placing 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 playing, hmm?” In the dark, Guan

Shanjin’s breath appeared extraordinarily heated beside his ear.

Guan Shanjin really knew how to play.

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.

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Again, he gave two harsh slaps 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 precome.

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 alarm, unable to believe what he

was feeling.

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That nimble, agile thing, was it… was it… Was Guan Shanjin eating
him out?

It was. Guan Shanjin lapped 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 relaxed, allowing Guan
Shanjin’s tongue to continue having its way.

Guan Shanjin placed great effort into what he was doing,

mimicking the actions of a cock thrusting in. Licking into Wu Xingzi’s
hole, he occasionally 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,

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a thin, silvery thread connected the two of them together.

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Chapter 53
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 become 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

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kisses from Wu Xingzi’s shoulder down to his waist. Uncontrolled
moans spilled out from Wu Xingzi’s lips.

“Come in, come in…” Quivering, he groped about behind him,

wanting to touch Guan Shanjin’s large 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 blanket. 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 played with for so

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long, the hole was now a bright, lusty red. Looking so tender and wet,
it caused the fire within Guan Shanjin to blaze 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 man laughed 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 not last 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

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savage than before, his thrusts causing Wu Xingzi to sway along with
the force. Balls slapped 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,

hiccuping. 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 placed 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 cock coming 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 the come 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.

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Guan Shanjin too had been pleasured so much that he was gasping
heavily. Slaps 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 his come 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 blanket. 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 blanket, like an insect burrowing into its cocoon.

Although he was able to spend a great deal of time with the

pengornis last 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, after last night, no
matter how slow Wu Xingzi was, he too understood that that had
completely 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.

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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 relationship 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

blanket, Wu Xingzi shivered slightly, quietly laughing 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 a laughingstock.

How did he end up falling for Guan Shanjin?

The door to the room abruptly bounced open. Wu Xingzi curled up

inside his blanket, 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 a layer of gold gauze. That pair of curving, smiling

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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

placed the dishes one by one on the table, then turned around,
planning to pick Wu Xingzi up. However, Wu Xingzi dodged him,
scratching his nose and laughing hoarsely. “I’m awake, I’m
awake.”

After confirming that he was not naked under the blanket, Wu

Xingzi slowly clambered 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
dumplings1http://johnboxiashuhong-
internationalfoods.blogspot.com/2011/11/sam-sun-
dumpling.html[/efn_note] 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 flatbread and soymilk over,
accompanying 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 flavours blended harmoniously.
Extremely juicy and fresh, accompanied 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

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a hundred dumplings. Afraid that it would not be enough, and Wu
Xingzi would be left unsatisfied, Guan Shanjin also prepared some
flatbread 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 from laughing.

“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 collapsed, 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
glance and the smile during the meal, ever since he left the bed, he

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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
place, 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, discomfort 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 a complete change. However,
he knew that he had to suppress his temper, and he should not
speak out of anger.

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“Oh.” Wu Xingzi nodded, secretly sighing.

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Chapter 54
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 days comfortably.

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 never compare 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 fiancé away, and spent every
day anticipating the day of her wedding.

When Wu Xingzi learnt about Mr. Lu’s return to the General’s

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estate from the two maidservants, he only smiled placidly.

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 once lavished 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

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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 playing of the qin.

Wu Xingzi dared not disturb Rancui, and he tiptoed over to a

putuan 1 placed 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 accepted the compliment, 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.

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“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.” Rancui laughed 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 had come by to read the
Pengornisseur, Rancui already noticed that Wu Xingzi had discovered

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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
replace 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

accompanying 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

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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 no lack 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 relaxed. Only when the smile curling around his lips was
genuine, did Rancui then relax.

“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 and laughed. “Do you plan
on giving a gift?”

“A gift?” Wu Xingzi paused, before understanding what Rancui

meant. Inexplicably, he felt rather complicated, 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 congratulate
him with a gift.”

After all, they lived in the same residence. To not express any
congratulations, 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

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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 place, and most people crossed each
other’s paths all the time. As such, they would always display 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

occasion, 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. Rancui laughed 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

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off your relationship. 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’s
completely 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 successfully.” 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 plans 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.

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“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 accident 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 accept 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!

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Chapter 55
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Rancui did not miss out on Wu Xingzi’s mumblings. He lifted his

teacup, hiding a small smile behind it. A plan 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 become homesick,
why don’t you mention it to the general? Three days later,
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 too complimentary 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.

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If they talked about his talents, he was already sixteen when he
became the top scholar in his village. 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
accursedeness, 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 everything laid 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

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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 glance at the qin.

“If my qin-playing is acceptable, shall I play a few more

songs for you next time?” Rancui too stood up and returned the
polite gesture.

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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 accompany you, I’m willing to make the journey
with you. I happen to need to return to Goose City four days
later, 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.

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A towering, sturdy figure appeared in front of him. Rancui’s lips
curled up as he laughed, “Isn’t this Commander Hei? Coming to
the Peng Society to destroy the place?”

“No…”

It was Hei’er. On that sharp, resolute face was a hint of anger. His
brows were knitted tightly, and he glared 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 placid 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 glance 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 still lay with
Guan Shanjin, and he dared not delay 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?”

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“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 place
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 the
lake. 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

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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 balustrade
lazily, 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’s command.” Hei’er did not deny

it. It was his duty from dawn until dusk, and occasionally, 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 plan behind such actions, so even if Rancui
wanted to probe him for any information, he would be unable to
provide anything.

“What a large 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

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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 become

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 placed 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 glance. “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

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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 was laden with implications.
Weren’t they tired, living like this?

Rancui laughed 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 overcome the difficulties.”

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“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 was completely different from how he was

previously.

In the past, Hei’er could only see Rancui when accompanying Wu

Xingzi. Rancui would be in his position as the manager of the Peng
Society, looking both incomparably 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

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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 clapped his hands together, laughing. “That’s right.

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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 he laughed. He was so brilliant, capturing the souls
of others with his laughter, and Hei’er was quite enchanted.

“But how are they planning 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

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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 you come straight to
the point about any issues that you might have? I’m only a
humble soldier, and I cannot compare 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 relax 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 of coming for him.” Rancui held
a hand out, raising one finger first.

came his second finger. “The second option — 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

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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’t last 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 relationship. 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 relationship between the
general and Mr. Wu, I can help.”

“What’s so difficult about that? Let’s clap our hands

together and make an oath! I’ll definitely not meddle
deliberately with the relationship 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, clapping 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

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“deliberately”.

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Chapter 56
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Over at one side of the city, Rancui and Hei’er formed a secret
alliance, planning 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 welcome 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 welcome 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 relationship 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

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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 accompaniment
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, placing 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 had come
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

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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 eggplants, cucumbers and other vegetables they
just harvested today. He planned on gifting them to Mr. Lu for him to
have a taste. These cucumbers were fresh, sweet and crisp, and the
eggplants 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 occurring.

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 then
come 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?

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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 plants 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 welcoming 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 glance at it, a small smile
appearing on his lips.

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“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 dinner later.”

“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 plans 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 planning on returning home, as after all, it
looked like Guan Shanjin was back again with Mr. Lu. Also, according
to Rancui, there seemed to be some uncertainty about the marriage
with Miss Yue. Maybe Guan Shanjin had finally thought things

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through, and he might be even planning 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 becoming honest with each other about our
feelings, causing such complications 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

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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.”

“Congratulations, congratulations…” 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 flair to them. However, this anger seemed to come 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?

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“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 place
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 revelation, 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 still lacked 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

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for so many years would definitely not blame him for it.

They had let too many things slip through their fingers. There was
no need to again let anyone else create further complications.

“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
blame 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.

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… blamed Haiwang

before…” This was the honest truth. Guan Shanjin had not let him
down, and the only thing to blame was Wu Xingzi himself for falling
for him, and there was no need to cry over it. “I’ve already
planned on leaving.”

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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 place.” 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 days

later. 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

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was speechless.

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Chapter 57
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 relationship. 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. Glaring at Wu Xingzi, his eyes were filled with flames.

“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.”

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“Yes. Mr. Wu, please.”

“Sorry for having disturbed you, Mr. Lu.” Glancing 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 sister
complain, 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 planning 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

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Vice General Man had described.”

, she took a couple of steps forward, and continued with a lowered

voice. “Does Mr. Wu plan on returning to Qingcheng County?”

“Uhh…” Of course Wu Xingzi had planned 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. , 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

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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 declare 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 planning, 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
place 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.

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Mint and Osmanthus too dragged a stool each and sat down not
too far from Wu Xingzi, sewing away as they accompanied 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 very comfortable. 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 a large
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 flawless 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.

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“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 glance 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 Shanjin
laughed 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 very comfortably. 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.

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“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 relax 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 to come over. However, he had not expected that Guan
Shanjin would come 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 to come?

“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.

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Wu Xingzi’s face was a blushing red from the kiss, feeling both
embarrassed and intoxicated. According 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 not come 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 slack 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 days later?”

“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

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his head, Guan Shanjin was inexplicably delighted. Even his brows
had relaxed, 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, playing about with it.

Their fingers entwined together, then separating and stroking

along each other, finally interlocking with each other. It was as
though flames 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.

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“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 planning on treating me to a lamb feast?”

“Ah, if you didn’t remind me, I’d have nearly forgotten

about it.” Silently, Wu Xingzi counted the balance 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 accent.

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.”

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“The capital?” That was a place miles away. “What about
visiting my ancestors’ gravesites on Qingming?”

Guan Shanjin raised a brow, laughing. “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 days later, 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, large, dark figure appeared out of nowhere right in
front of Wu Xingzi. Shocked, Wu Xingzi retreated a few steps, nearly
shouting out in alarm with a hand pressed on his chest.

Only after looking carefully did Wu Xingzi realise the newcomer

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.

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“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 plans 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.”

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Chapter 58
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 dangerous
coming 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 accompanying 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 the lanterns had yet to be lit,
the intense gaze in his eyes was like stars.

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“Uhh…” Wu Xingzi could not give an answer. If there was a
possibility, he would most probably look forward to becoming 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 continued

comfortingly, “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

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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 slabs,
the city extremely prosperous and bustling. There were tons of
delicious things to eat, and fun things to play. 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 play? They
could even become 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— man whom he
could spend a lifetime with. Even if there wasn’t, by then he would
have reaped in quite a large 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 days later, 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 flashed past,
and he vanished into the night.

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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.

※※※

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 accompanied with
a sigh, and his face was gloomy.

Looking at him, Man Yue laughed 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.

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“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 glanced 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 accidents,

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

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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 Yue laughed, 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, later 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 to comprehend 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

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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 frank
laugh, and dared not answer too easily.

“Here, let me explain 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 days later, 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 explain 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

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one of them had such complicated 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 playing 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 people completely?” An image of the slight
sorrow upon Wu Xingzi’s face flashed 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, he lacks a little of the emotions ordinary people
should have. I’m only helping him chisel open that brain of

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his.”

Hei’er gasped slightly. “We’re breaking his head open?”

Man Yue choked, glaring 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.

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Chapter 59
Source: BlackBoxTL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

Wangshu Residence was a place Guan Shanjin had specially

constructed for Mr. Lu. Brick by brick, room by room, and that wide
swath of mallow plants, 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 — noble, pure and perfect, like a
flawless 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
few lamps were lit in Wangshu Residence. There was only a small, lit
path, extending towards the mallow plants.

The night breeze was slightly cool, rustling through the mallow
plants, and caused Guan Shanjin’s black robe to swirl around his feet.
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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 places to spend time in. It looked very plain, yet it was
built ingeniously. Melding with the mallow plants, in its simplicity was
the delightful serenity of seclusion. It was also the only place 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 from laughing
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.

The lamps flickered in the pavilion, and the imagery was that of a

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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 plants, 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,

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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 blame 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 Shanjin laughed 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, flaming 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

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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 placed 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 becoming 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?”

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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 out
laughing. His charming, alluring eyes curved up along with his laugh,
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

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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
revolving lamps, you called out to me.”

Although Guan Shanjin was dressed entirely in black, 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 plants in Bastion City,
but it was as though they had returned to that day of many years
past. Under the countless lamps, 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 moment later, 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 more comical and foolish.

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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

finally come 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 relation between us, I
was unwilling to let our relationship 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. Complaining 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.

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“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 it completely 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 incomprehension,

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.

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“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

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quirking up coldly.

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Chapter 60
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 had lavished on him that made him
forget himself?

If Lu Zezhi’s methods were a little more skilful, Guan Shanjin could

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still admire him, and could even consider giving him a helping hand
as compensation for having accompanied him for the past eight or
nine years. However, he had not expected that the years of ease and
comfort had made the current capability of this seemingly bright
person lesser than half of his previous abilities, and he had even
become 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 declaration 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, laughing 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 flashed 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 already late into

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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 plants 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 plants twirled around the trestles accordingly, 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 plants.
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 plants. That old fellow, even when tending to
the plot, would still be dressed in his Confucian-scholar robe, only
tucking the bottom of his robe into his belt. When preparing the soil
for planting, 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, occasionally

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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 flapping 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 accidentally disturb

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Wu Xingzi’s sleep.

On the bed, Wu Xingzi was covered with a thin blanket. 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. Occasionally, 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 played 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 black 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.

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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 flame 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 a comforting 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

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sleep?”

“Recite a book?” Wu Xingzi blinked, then laughed 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 scholar! 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

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only difference being the people who compiled it. Coincidentally, Wu
Xingzi happened to be one of the compilers, and he was also the
main person doing so. After all, in such a small place 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 place? 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 elaborate, 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 place.” Guan Shanjin did not

respond to his request. In any case, chatting casually with Wu Xingzi
was pretty nice as well.

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“That it is.” Wu Xingzi nodded. Although Qingcheng County was
barren and prone to floods, it was still the place 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 places
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 explanation, but all he could think
of was his journey tomorrow, and he inexplicably felt guilty.

“A delay 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 to comfort Wu Xingzi. “The emperor is not
hurrying me to return. We have ample time, and it doesn’t
matter if we delay 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.

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“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 blame Mr.
Lu? This thought flashed 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?”

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Chapter 61
Source: BlackBoxTL

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

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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 arms

comfortably. 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 scholar. Ignoring how a scholar
from a tiny, rural place could play 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 becoming 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 plan 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 relatives?” It was rather amusing if he
thought about it. Whether it was Guan Shanjin, Lu Zezhi, or Wu

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Xingzi, all three of them were the last one in their family. Yet for
them to come 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 relatives 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 melancholy, 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.

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“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 planned 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 blade gleaming with cold light. Wu Xingzi
shrunk into himself, shuddering, and nuzzled his cheek into Guan
Shanjin’s chest, placating. 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

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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 places he would ever go to were his home and the
magistrate’s office, and occasionally 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
accompanied 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

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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 planned 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
accidentally talked about Yan Wenxin in front of Guan Shanjin. He
glanced 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 blame 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.

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“When you pass away as well, what would happen to your
ancestors’ graves?” Although Guan Shanjin was alarmed that Wu
Xingzi had once thought of committing 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
planned 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 Xingzi laughed

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 sun coming out after
the rain. Wu Xingzi’s face flushed red, and he could not hide away

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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

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family would lay 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 relationship, there
would be promises made. However, they would later 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 alarmed.

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

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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 blame 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 blanket. “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 explain 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 play, and he would be able
to appease him. It would not be too late to explain 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.

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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 road later.

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.

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“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. ly, 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, the last 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…

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Chapter 62
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 the common 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 the
common 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

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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 in-
laws, and the bride bidding farewell to her parents, etc.

Finally, Miss Yue was led into the sedan, and with the
accompaniment 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
accomplished successfully. At last, 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?”

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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 glanced 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 seemed completely
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 glared 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 hornet’s nest!

However, Yue Dade was the unreasonable sort. Counting on the

support of his relationship 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

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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 occasion, the
graceful and charming man was still dressed in black. 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 incomplete

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

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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 had come 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 accidents at all! Why did this trouble have to occur during
the part when they were supposed to be paying respect?

“A wedding?” Guan Shanjin laughed 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 explained

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.

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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 too
lazy 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 village, 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 the common folk, he was then able to keenly
detect Guan Shanjin’s issues.

The heartache he spoke of last 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,

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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 replace 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?

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“Yes, Laoshi did explain it last night.” Guan Shanjin observed
the way Lu Zezhi panicked, yet tried to maintain his ethereal image,
and he laughed 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
become 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 out laughing. 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.

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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 out laughing. His laughter 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 simple laugh, 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, accepting 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 in compensation!” Yue Dade
was more experienced, and he finally recovered from his shock,
bitterly denouncing his daughter’s recklessness. , 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 relation 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.”

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This wedding ceremony definitely had to be completed! No matter
what sort of relationship 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 speculations. 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.

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Chapter 63
Source: BlackBoxTL

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 papers landing 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 not completely 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 become something that could be held against him.

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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 been communicating with each other for quite
some time already.

In the Great Xia dynasty, there was not a large 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 produce large quantities of

saltpeter, and Yue Mingzhu had heard her father and brother mention
it before. At that time, her brother had a lot of complaints 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

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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— 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
explain 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

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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 the
communication 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 fairly large number of troops stationed in Bastion City,

and to avoid them was not an easy task. The difficulty was only
further compounded with the large 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 a large 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

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mountainside, and the trees grew in a complicated 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 a large 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
slam 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 glanced over to Lu Zezhi, and the confused man, who was
completely 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.

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This beseeching was not for the Yue family, but himself.

“Why would laoshi think that it’s a misunderstanding?”

Guan Shanjin looked at him with soft eyes, implying that as long as
Lu Zezhi was able to explain 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 uncontrollably.

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 collapsed, 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

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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 proclaiming 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 scene completely.
Yawning, he picked at the plate 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 coronet. Accompanied by
the exclamations 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.

Slap! 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.

came another slap. 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 slap.

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A slap 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 become a nun, I would never marry
such an ungrateful ingrate like you!” Yue Mingzhu had used a lot
of strength in her slaps, 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 criminal law. 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.

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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 playing 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

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to those stories.” Man Yue signalled his subordinates to lift up the
man’s face. The man’s face was blank, and his eyes were bloodshot,
looking just as though he would break down completely 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 the law, 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 accept 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 accountable.

Yue Dade and Yue Zhonghua looked at that letter of confession

being tucked into Official Fang’s chest, and they both collapsed 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 glared 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

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general is in a rage all because of a beauty.

Not knowing that, Guan Shanjin looked at the looks of

comprehension in the crowd, covering his satisfied smile with his
teacup.

What he wanted was exactly this.

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Chapter 64
Source: BlackBoxTL

VOLUME THREE: WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CAPITAL STAYS IN THE

CAPITAL

Edited by DancingDolphinsYo

A wedding that was supposed to be jubilant, 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

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his face was anger, and he looked over with a frown.

“You don’t blame me, right?” Guan Shanjin asked, his voice
gentle and low. Towards the vicious glare 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 replace them with another noble family.

ly, Lu Zezhi had thought that the Yue family could become 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 clasped 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 it completely disgusted Yue Mingzhu.

She watched this man frostily, not even willing to spare an iota of

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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 collapse, 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 and come up with plans. 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.

※※※

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 place, 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 black 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.

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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 Zezhi comforted himself in his heart, with a growing
determination that his speculation 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
harvested completely, the only things left being inedible stems and
leaves. A few yellow flowers lay 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 alarm ran explicably

through him. With great strides, he cut through the courtyard and
slammed 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 blanket 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.

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At this time, Wu Xingzi should not still be lazing in bed. Guan
Shanjin’s slender fingers smoothed across the soft blanket, 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 placed neatly
on its stand. If one did not pay close attention, they would have
missed it, as it was placed 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 — 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 accompanying each other
for so long, we have to say our farewells at last. Don’t look
for me, and live well together with Mr. Lu. —Wu 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

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apart and read them even more carefully.

Guan Shanjin could still remember the confidences he shared with

Wu Xingzi last 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 miscellaneous 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.

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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
explanation 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 planning 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 low laughter, laughing until his
shoulders were quaking. His eyes had turned bloodshot, and he could
not catch his breath, yet he still continued laughing non-stop.

When Man Yue came to Shuanghe Yard, he happened across Guan

Shanjin’s disordered, maniac laughter.

“General?” Realising in alarm that something was wrong, Man

Yue shot forward. When he placed 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!” Alarm shot through Man Yue. Just as he wanted

to use his own inner force to calm Guan Shanjin’s churning inner
force, the laughter came to a sudden stop. Guan Shanjin turned and
glanced 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 black 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.

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“Haiwang…” Man Yue stared at Guan Shanjin in horror, watching
as a trail of red spilled past his lips. His brain blanked 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 fair complexion 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, collapsing 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 place, 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 replaced. Wearing a

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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?”

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