Chapter 4  

Xue Feifeng had always found women’s tears troublesome. On the battlefield, he’d grown accustomed to grown men breaking down in sudden wails amid chaos, but this—someone welling up before even speaking—was a first for him. And he couldn’t just ignore it.  

“Aunt Zhang is a good person… I’ll go with you.” Xue Feifeng felt something was off today. It couldn’t be that he’d gone too long without seeing a woman, could it? Even someone as difficult as Shen Qingran shedding a few symbolic tears had him softening like this.  

He shook his head and strode ahead.  

Aunt Zhang lived in the village, and the path there meant running into plenty of people. Li Feng had originally lived there too, but after his parents passed and he couldn’t afford funeral arrangements, he sold the family home and moved to the foot of the mountain.  

Cai Shi, carrying a basket of dirty laundry, spotted Shen Qingran from afar and immediately rolled her eyes. Still nursing a grudge over that meal, she noticed Li Dalang had returned. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she quickened her steps to intercept them.  

“Ah, Dalang, you’re finally back. Your wife here is so timid—can’t even sleep alone at night. Needs a whole crowd of men to keep her company just to feel safe. Best not travel far in the future, eh? If she gets pregnant, she might just scare herself to death at night. Selling herbs barely earns you a copper—why not join my Dazhu in hunting? Fur sells well, and you can stay close to your wife.” Cai Shi feigned concern as she grabbed Shen Qingran’s hand, then roughly rubbed his fair, delicate skin until it reddened.  

Shen Qingran’s hand flushed crimson, but he couldn’t pull free. Furious, he snorted through his nostrils.  

He *had* to start training properly! Had to! What kind of humiliation was this, getting manhandled by some village woman?!  

Cai Shi eagerly poured poison into Xue Feifeng’s ears, insinuating that Shen Qingran was promiscuous—a man who rode multiple men by night. “The Li family has only had single heirs for three generations. Best treasure this one carefully.”  

With a disdainful glance at Shen Qingran’s belly, she all but asked: *Are you even sure it’s yours?*  

Shen Qingran nearly burst out laughing. He stifled it, his face twisting oddly as he clutched his aching, empty stomach—half from hunger, half from suppressed mirth.  

Forget Xue Feifeng never wanting to sleep with him in this lifetime—even if they did it daily, he still couldn’t get pregnant!  

Tears of laughter welled in his eyes, shimmering as they trembled. Then he suddenly met Xue Feifeng’s darkening gaze. His brain caught up, and his face stiffened—realizing Cai Shi had just made Xue Feifeng’s invisible cuckold hat *very* visible.  

*Oh no.*  

Shen Qingran yanked his hand back with all his might, then grabbed Xue Feifeng’s hand to write: *They only came to eat.*  

He looked up at Xue Feifeng, shaking his head slightly. His clear eyes brimmed with urgency, his brows arched in wounded innocence—like a wronged child tugging at an adult’s sleeve, desperate for belief.  

*I’m a man!*  

That part was *absolutely* true.  

Xue Feifeng thought of the rapidly vanishing food at home and didn’t know what to say. Though he didn’t treat Shen Qingran as a wife, he’d still provided for him generously, with courtesy and care. Now, his feelings were… complicated. Emotionally, some inexplicable urge made him want to believe Shen Qingran. Logically, he doubted nothing had happened.  

After a long pause, Xue Feifeng mocked himself inwardly. He’d never hesitated over military strategies or state affairs—why was he dwelling on something so trivial? He flexed his fingers slightly, waiting for the lingering tingling sensation to fade, then said, “Let’s go.”  

Shen Qingran had no idea what he was thinking, but at those words, his face lit up like a frost-bitten eggplant revived by spring—plump, dewy, and brimming with life.

Cai Shi watched as the couple made up after whatever they had discussed, completely ignoring her well-intentioned advice. Furious, her chest heaved with indignation. Recalling Shen Qingran’s strange expression as he clutched his stomach, a sudden realization struck her—could he actually be pregnant? Observing his unsteady steps, Cai Shi grew even more convinced. She spat behind them, “Serves you right, raising a bastard.”

Lately, she couldn’t sleep at night, haunted by the thought of the food Shen Qingran had wasted. Seizing every opportunity, she gossiped with the village women, embellishing the scandalous scenes she claimed to have witnessed at Li Dalang’s house. The young and old wives alike lapped it up, and Cai Shi, basking in the attention, eagerly anticipated Li Dalang’s return.

Li Feng’s reaction had disappointed her, but if he didn’t mind his wife fooling around with another man, would he even care about raising a bastard?

Cai Shi walked away, turning back to gloat and curse the Li family’s impending doom, only to trip into a large pit and land face-first, bloodied and bruised.

…

Aunt Zhang’s house stood at the western edge of the village, the last in a row of farmhouses. A small enclosed yard beside the house, fenced with fruit trees and hedges, housed chickens, ducks, and a few white geese.

The orange and persimmon trees were laden with bright red fruit, a cheerful sight of bountiful harvest. Shen Qingran reluctantly tore his greedy gaze away, trying to maintain the dignified composure expected of a young master from a wealthy family.

“Who is it… Oh, Fengzi?” Aunt Zhang opened the door, her face lighting up with a warm smile at the sight of Xue Feifeng. But when she noticed Shen Qingran behind him, her smile froze.

Xue Feifeng, unaccustomed to the nickname, gave a slight nod. “I came to ask for your help with something.”

“O-Of course, come in first.” Aunt Zhang stepped aside, gesturing for both of them to enter.

Everyone in Li Family Village knew about Shen Qingran’s misdeeds and had been waiting for Xue Feifeng’s return to witness the drama. Only Aunt Zhang had been genuinely worried, her heart aching for Li Feng. She had some ties with Li Feng’s parents and couldn’t bear to see him married to such a wasteful spouse. She had been restless at home, nearly intervening when she saw a group of men heading toward the Li household, but her son and daughter-in-law dissuaded her.

Her daughter-in-law had reasoned, “Even if Fengzi won’t listen to advice, what makes you think he’d listen to you? With so many people in her family, any conflict would only bring you trouble.”

Realizing she had no standing in the matter, Aunt Zhang had relented. Still, she was on Li Feng’s side—if this ordeal helped him see Shen Qingran’s true colors, so be it. The boy was too soft-hearted, repaying the Shen family’s old debt for his parents’ medical expenses by treating Shen Qingran like royalty.

Now, seeing Shen Qingran again, Aunt Zhang sensed something different about him, though she didn’t show it.

Xue Feifeng had initially doubted Cai Shi’s claims, but Aunt Zhang’s similar reaction confirmed his suspicions. After all, old habits die hard. Shen Qingran’s sudden attentiveness must have been out of fear—knowing he’d messed up and might lose his free ride. Xue Feifeng’s gaze turned colder.

For the first time, Shen Qingran wasn’t met with scorn from a stranger, leaving him pleasantly surprised.

He listened as Xue Feifeng spoke to Aunt Zhang, “Qingran is hospitable, but our supplies are running low. If you have any extra grain or oil to spare, we’d like to buy some.”

Shen Qingran flushed at Xue Feifeng’s diplomatic phrasing. Standing behind him, he nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at rice.

Save me, I haven’t eaten in two days.

“How could I take money from neighbors?” Aunt Zhang deftly pulled out a cloth bag, filling it to the brim with rice, then asked, “Did you bring containers?”

“Yes.”

Shen Qingran unloaded an empty oil jar and salt jar from Xue Feifeng’s crutch. Xue Feifeng insisted on carrying them himself, probably afraid Shen Qingran might toss them aside halfway if they felt too heavy. After all, the original owner of this body had a habit of strolling through the village with his rice bowl, eating as he went, and if it got too heavy, he’d casually discard both bowl and food before returning empty-handed. A few days later, only two bowls remained in the house.

Aunt Zhang glanced back and forth between the fair-skinned, handsome Shen Qingran and the ever-diligent Xue Feifeng, thinking to herself, Has Fengzi been bewitched by that face?

Once everything was packed, Shen Qingran handed Aunt Zhang some loose silver, smiling in gratitude.

“No, no, this won’t do! It’s just homegrown—it’s not worth this much!” Aunt Zhang’s expression was as if Shen Qingran had handed her poison.

Shen Qingran looked helplessly at Xue Feifeng—he had no experience handling such situations.

“If Aunt Zhang won’t accept it, then naturally we can’t take these either. Let’s go.”

“Well… alright. Let me give you thirty more eggs. I was planning to take them to town to sell tomorrow anyway.” Aunt Zhang tugged at Shen Qingran. “Come with me to pick some fruit from outside. They’ll just be pecked by birds if left hanging.”

Sensing Aunt Zhang had something to say, Shen Qingran followed her.

Aunt Zhang slung a basket over her back, choosing her words carefully. “Fengzi treats you with his whole heart, never letting you lift a finger. Who in this village isn’t envious? Fengzi’s lost the use of both legs—you should help him out a little. Life is long, after all, and you’ve got to look out for each other… Ah, listen to me rambling. Here, try this—is it sweet?”

Shen Qingran lowered his gaze to the split persimmon in his hand, its deep red, soft flesh exuding a sweet fragrance. Playing the mute, he couldn’t offer Aunt Zhang any assurances, so he simply nodded and flashed a simpleton’s grin.

Aunt Zhang added, “I know a little about your situation… If you ever run out of vegetables, just go to the field at the village entrance with the scarecrow and take whatever you need. My family can’t possibly eat it all anyway.”

Unsure of Xue Feifeng’s stance, Shen Qingran instinctively glanced toward the house—before he could spot anyone, his eyes locked onto a large, robust white goose.

The kind that could take on five Shen Qingrans at once.

His heart lurched as a terrible premonition struck.

Five, four, three, two…

The goose’s eyes gleamed with malice. With a furious flap of its wings and an outstretched neck, it charged at Shen Qingran like a storm cloud.

Holy shit! Do we have some kind of feud?!

Terrified, Shen Qingran dropped the persimmon. He stood frozen for two seconds before bolting, hands clamped over his mouth and backside as he fled in panic toward Xue Feifeng.

“Uh, uh-uh…!”

Xue Feifeng heard the frantic whimpers and turned just in time to see Shen Qingran sprinting toward him in disarray, a furious goose hot on his heels in a life-or-death chase.

He had never seen Shen Qingran move so fast!

Tears welled in Shen Qingran’s eyes. Among his rich second-generation circle, group trips to rural farm stays were popular, but Shen Qingran had always refused to join. He’d heard stories of people being chased by geese and had mocked them, further cementing his resolve to avoid the countryside.

Karma had come for him so quickly!

Without thinking, he had dashed straight for Xue Feifeng. But now, as he looked up and saw Xue Feifeng leaning on his crutches in the doorway, his steps faltered abruptly, nearly sending him tumbling forward from the momentum.

If he went over like that, he would knock him down. Even if he didn’t, what if that clueless goose turned around and attacked Xue Feifeng?!

Shen Qingran stomped his foot, gritted his teeth, and bravely turned to face the ferocious bird behind him… Everyone has to die someday—should he cover his face or his butt?

But when he turned around, he saw the aggressive goose suddenly trip on the steps, its snow-white wings trembling slightly before going still.

Did it… just fall to its death?

Shen Qingran was dumbfounded.

Xue Feifeng subtly retracted his hand and, with an apologetic tone, said to Aunt Zhang, who was panting as she caught up, “Sorry for the trouble, Aunt Zhang. We’ll buy this goose too.”

As he spoke, he took out another piece of broken silver.

Shen Qingran handed the silver to Aunt Zhang, his fingers still trembling—half from fright, half from hunger.

This time, Aunt Zhang absolutely refused to take it.

“Take the goose back,” Xue Feifeng said, carrying the heavier bag and instructing Shen Qingran to carry the goose.

Shen Qingran gingerly touched it with his fingertips, and the goose suddenly flapped its wings. He yelped and fell to the ground, scrambling backward.

It—it was still alive!

Xue Feifeng: “…”

Aunt Zhang watched the two figures walk away—one limping while carrying a flapping goose, the other… well, let’s just say he looked like he had no strength at all.

She couldn’t help but murmur to herself, “Is that Fengzi… is he… is he a henpecked husband?”

At dinner, Aunt Zhang told her daughter-in-law about the incident. You Shi hesitated before saying, “You weren’t home last time, so you didn’t see. Sister Shen came over two days ago, saying she’d finished all her own chickens and ducks and wanted to try that goose, promising to pay when Brother Li returned. She even poked it with a stick—that’s how the grudge started.”

…

While cooking lunch, Shen Qingran boiled four eggs. After eating his fill, he squatted in front of the goose, scratching his head, unsure how to handle it.

Cook it?

He heard you had to bleed and pluck it first? He had no idea how.

In the end, Shen Qingran placed the unconscious goose in the empty chicken coop. “I won’t eat you. Good luck.”

He noticed Xue Feifeng spreading out a pile of herbs to dry, including one with roots still wrapped in damp yellow mud.

Shen Qingran squatted in front of Xue Feifeng, tilting his head. “?”

Xue Feifeng turned away, ignoring him.

Shen Qingran followed, tilting his head again. “?”

Xue Feifeng: “…For my leg injury. The doctor said the joints ache in damp weather, so boiling these herbs helps.”

Shen Qingran poked the small sapling. And this one?

“Green Du Sapling. It’s one of the ingredients—the leaves must be fresh, so I brought the whole plant back to grow.”

Xue Feifeng sighed. Even a mute could turn someone into a chatterbox. He watched as Shen Qingran scurried away, as if afraid of being asked to dig a hole, and silently continued arranging the herbs on the bamboo drying mat.

A while later, Shen Qingran returned, sweating profusely, carefully cradling the roots of the Green Du Sapling. He moved it to the hole he had just dug.

Patting down the soil, he wiped his forehead with his sleeve before watering it.

Xue Feifeng didn’t remind him that planting under the midday sun was ill-advised—it would’ve been better to wait until evening. For once, a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes.

Planting trees should’ve been the hardest labor in Shen Qingran’s book—something he’d rather die than do before.

His fingers, holding the herbs, suddenly stilled. Xue Feifeng stared at Shen Qingran’s retreating figure, his expression sharpening.

…

In the dead of night, as the barking of dogs gradually subsided, a dark figure vaulted over the rooftops and lightly tapped three times on the ridge tiles. The sound was faint, easily mistaken for a pinecone falling from a tree onto the roof.

A few moments later, Xue Feifeng, who had been brewing medicine in the kitchen, leaped up and joined the shadowy figure on a secluded mountain path.

“Master,” the black-clad man, Chang Bai, greeted him. Chang Bai was one of Xue Feifeng’s personal guards, ranked second. Taciturn by nature, he was nothing like Chang Ming, who had escorted Xue Feifeng back earlier.

“How are things?”

“Reporting to you, Master. After your departure, the Northern Comet Country’s crown prince led his troops southward, advancing with unstoppable force. The Crown Prince has lost five cities in succession, and chaos has spread across the entire region north of the Yue River. His Majesty was furious and ordered the capital to be moved to Sheng Capital.”

No matter how furious the emperor was, without capable generals to defend the realm, he had no choice but to obediently relocate the capital.

“Feeding a tiger only invites calamity.”

Three months ago, Xue Feifeng couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince repeatedly prevented him from annihilating the Northern Comet forces outright to avoid future troubles. It turned out the Crown Prince had secretly allied with the Northern Comet crown prince, planning to trap Xue Feifeng once he pushed the enemy forces to the Puyang region. The reason for delaying a swift victory was simply that the “trap” hadn’t been fully prepared yet.

But would the Northern Comet crown prince be so easily satisfied?

A cold, ruthless glint flashed in Xue Feifeng’s eyes. Xue Lifeng’s scheme to bury him alive wasn’t the most terrifying part—what was truly horrifying was that no one in the imperial court, including the emperor, spoke out against it. A hundred thousand soldiers had fought bloody battles for the empire’s peace, guarding the borders for years, only to meet such an end. How could this not chill the hearts of the people?

“In your estimation, when will the Northern Comet forces cross the Yue River?” Xue Feifeng asked casually.

Chang Bai thought for a moment. “By spring at the latest.” He refrained from voicing the treasonous thought that, at this rate, the empire would fall within a year. Knowing his master had already resolved to stay out of military affairs, Chang Bai merely delivered the news before preparing to take his leave.

As he turned to go, Chang Bai glanced at the single lit lamp at the foot of the mountain, where a shadow moved behind the window. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was his master’s room, wasn’t it?

Since when could anyone just enter his master’s quarters?!

Strange. When he’d left last time, the two were still sleeping in separate rooms, weren’t they?

Chang Bai hesitated, holding back his words. Privately, he felt someone like Shen Qingran wasn’t worthy of his master, but if his master was fond of him… Should he ask Chang Ming to bring some gifts next time he came? Something like the cosmetics favored by palace ladies—this mountain was so remote, after all.

Though Chang Bai spoke little, his mind was always active, and he had a knack for ensuring “I didn’t say it, but somehow the whole team knows.”

“Don’t overthink it,” Xue Feifeng warned him.

Chang Bai maintained an expression of perfect innocence.

“Last time, when Chang Ming and I were talking on the road, Shen Qingran was up on the mountain.” Xue Feifeng suspected Shen Qingran might have overheard something, which would explain his drastic change in behavior within a day of his return. Though lacking in ability, his gaze had become more obsequious than even Chang Ming’s. He’d once heard that when one sense is impaired, the others grow sharper.

“What?!” Chang Bai was shocked. The Crown Prince was still searching for them, and his master’s injuries weren’t fully healed. If Shen Qingran harbored ill intentions, the consequences could be dire. “Shall I go and—”

Just moments ago, he’d been contemplating gifts of rouge and powder—now he was ready to draw his blade.

“No,” Xue Feifeng waved him off. “It’s just a suspicion.”

“But your room, Master…” How could someone under suspicion be allowed to enter so freely?

Speaking of this, Xue Feifeng had a bit of a headache. Shen Qingran insisted that his own room was uninhabitable and wanted to sleep on the floor in Xue Feifeng’s room. He even stubbornly grabbed Xue Feifeng’s hand and wrote a string of pitiful pleas. Xue Feifeng was pretending to be lame and couldn’t move freely, so Shen Qingran took advantage of his inability to reach his crutch and wore him down until he had no temper left.

Just half a month ago, Shen Qingran had regarded him as a wolf or tiger, yet upon hearing they would sleep in separate rooms, he had happily eaten three bowls of rice in celebration. Why had his attitude changed so drastically?

“It’s fine. If he flips out, it will only prove there’s something fishy going on,” Xue Feifeng said, waving his hand to dismiss Chang Bai. But just as he was about to leave, Xue Feifeng called him back.

“Next time, bring a stack of paper.” The village had no private school, and the children didn’t attend classes, so writing supplies were nonexistent. Xue Feifeng couldn’t stand Shen Qingran constantly writing on his hand.

Men and women should not touch when giving or receiving things.