Chapter 40 The young man responded to me.

Feng Huaihe lifted Zhu Qing onto his lap, pinned her hands behind her waist, and forced her to straighten her chest to face him.

In this way, Zhu Qing was much taller than him. She sat on Feng Huaihe's lap and looked down at him.

His eyes were filled with intense desire as he gently massaged her waist with his hand behind her back.

The carriage was still bumping along, and Zhu Qing was unable to move, showing some resistance.

"here……"

"Don't speak."

His voice was as hoarse as sand rolling over dry tree bark. "I know what you want to say, but I don't want to hear it. Hold it in."

Zhu Qing ignored him and gritted his teeth, trying to speak, when the carriage suddenly jolted, helping him to move forward.

Caught off guard, Zhu Qing let out a soft, guttural sob.

The jolting of the carriage became the most natural aid, and the sudden wind and rain made it more unbearable for Zhu Qing than ever before.

Zhu Qing seemed to have been given a muscle relaxant, her body falling apart as she collapsed onto Feng Huaihe's chest, burying her face in his neck and inhaling the faint scent of ink from him.

"Feng... Rao..." Zhu Qing couldn't finish her sentence, collapsing into a limp mess in his arms. She felt the hem of his blue robe soaked through, a sticky, uncomfortable feeling washing over her.

While she was in a daze, he suddenly gently pinched the back of her neck, holding her and lifting her head.

Zhu Qing struggled to lift her face and meet his gaze.

Feng Huaihe saw that her pretty face was flushed, her eyes were so glazed that they could no longer focus, and she was breathing heavily on him in a daze.

In Zhu Qing's dazed gaze, she saw Feng Huaihe raise his head, making his prominent Adam's apple even more noticeable. She was stunned by the sight, licked her lips, pulled away from the hand that was on the back of her neck, and lowered her head to kiss that rolling, sexy Adam's apple.

Feng Huaihe froze abruptly.

Coming to his senses, he wrapped his arms around Zhu Qing's waist, forcefully flipped her over, pinned her down on the carriage bed, and pressed himself against her.

Zhu Qing's throat was dry and sore, so hoarse that she could not speak, and her limbs were trembling.

As Feng Huaihe was about to give up, he suddenly bent down and bit her collarbone.

A sharp pain shot through her, and Zhu Qing groaned and cried out.

Finally able to rest, she lay down for a short while before Feng Huaihe pulled her up and held her in his arms. His fingers wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, while his other hand gently patted her back, soothingly and lightly.

His coaxing skills were clumsy, but they were very effective, and Zhu Qing was so tired that she fell asleep in his arms.

-

We arrived at the Yellow River Pass ferry crossing. It was crowded with people, and there were many restaurants and inns along the dock.

Feng Huaihe paused their journey and took Zhu Qing to stay at a well-known local inn.

Zhu Qing was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

Feng Huaihe asked the inn for hot water, brought it to the bedside, undressed her, and carefully washed her.

When she touched that spot, Zhu Qing let out an uncomfortable groan.

Feng Huaihe looked at the area that was flushed red, pursed his lips and pondered for a moment, then opened his bag and found a porcelain bottle of medicine, which he gently applied to her.

Strategists need to go to the battlefield, so in addition to paper and pen, they always carry medicine for wounds in their bags.

When he put the medicine bottle back, he saw that his things were mixed with Zhu Qing's medicine.

Suddenly recalling the Battle of Luzhou in his previous life, he saw Zhu Qing and Zhang Yin sharing the same bag.

But now, it's being used interchangeably with "him".

Feng Huaihe's eyebrows lit up with joy. He tucked the blanket around Zhu Qing, locked the door three or four times, and then left the inn.

After that, as long as you cross the Yellow River and then climb over the Yunzhong Mountain, you can reach Jinyang.

There were less than ten days' journey left, but Chen Zhong had not yet returned, and it was unknown whether he had killed Zhang Yin.

Feng Huaihe went to the Yellow River dock to rent a boat.

He planned to rent a boat that wouldn't attract attention but would be comfortable enough for Zhu Qing to rest well.

After paying the rent and agreeing on a time, Feng Huaihe did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood on the bustling dock, gazing at the surging river in the distance and the misty fog swirling in the air, lost in thought.

He came here in his past life.

When Zhu Qing completed his training and traveled from Chang'an to Jinyang, he took this very road.

In those chaotic years, Zhu Qing was a weak woman. Even though she was disguised as a man, he still couldn't rest easy and followed her at a distance, hoping to protect her.

He protected her all the way until she arrived at the Yellow River ferry, where she argued heatedly with someone over saving on boat rental fees.

Feng Huaihe secretly found another boatman, paid the rent privately, and asked the boatman to find an excuse to only charge her a few coins.

Worried that she might be scammed because of the low price, he spent more money to find several women to accompany her on the journey.

Feng Huaihe watched her board the boat and leave, the boat gradually sailing further and further away, slowly disappearing into the mist.

Perhaps it was a premonition, but when Zhu Qing's boat disappeared on the water, Feng Huaihe felt that Zhu Qing would never come back. The emotions he had held in his chest for many years turned into a pool of blood. The cold wind on the Yellow River blew, causing him to cough up all the blood.

His chest was stained red, attracting surprised, frightened, and scrutinizing glances from passersby. Feng Huaihe ignored them. In that instant, he felt like he wanted to grab onto something. He coughed while clutching his chest and pushed through the crowd, chasing after the river.

Some people thought he was going to jump into the Yellow River, so they quickly grabbed him and advised him to think more positively.

Feng Huaihe had never been so humiliated. He knelt by the Yellow River, facing the vast mist and the roaring water, and wept silently.

Feng Huaihe fell seriously ill and recuperated at the Yellow River ferry for more than half a month before returning to Chang'an.

Perhaps it was this illness that foreshadowed his lifelong, chronic illness.

After Zhu Qing left that time, Feng Huaihe finally understood that there was something he would never truly possess, but would absolutely lose: hope.

Zhu Qing was like Feng Yangmeng, like Li Shi, like Feng Ruling, like the Tang Dynasty that was beyond saving, like everything he once possessed, all of which he regarded as hope. However, they were all leaving him in a resolute manner, leaving him in despair.

When Feng Huaihe recalled these events, he felt a tightness in his chest.

He withdrew his gaze from the rushing water and walked back.

When they returned to the inn, they saw Zhu Qing sitting in the lobby with several dishes of food in front of him.

She tilted her head back and smiled as she spoke to the person at the table. Feng Huaihe looked over and saw that the person had a face as beautiful as a peach blossom and was actually a handsome young man who looked like a woman.

The young man said that his family was destroyed in the war and he was now all alone. If Zhu Qing was willing to take care of him, he would follow Zhu Qing like a slave.

Zhu Qing looked at the other person's face with a flutter in her heart, fumbled around for a while, and finally took out the silver that Feng Huaihe had given her. Just as she was about to hand it over to the other person in a surprised and delighted gaze, Feng Huaihe strode forward and grabbed her hand.

Zhu Qing and the young man were startled and turned around to look at Feng Huaihe in astonishment.

The young man asked in surprise, "And who is this?"

"My slave!"

"Her husband."

The two spoke in unison. The young man was taken aback, then gritted his teeth angrily and said to Zhu Qing, "Young lady, you're just a fraud! You just said you were single, but now you've suddenly got a husband!"

The young man was so angry that his face turned red. He glared at Zhu Qing and stormed off.

Zhu Qing turned around and glared at Feng Huaihe.

Feng Huaihe bent down, placed his hands on the table on either side of her, and pulled her into his arms in front of everyone, smiling as he said, "Aren't you full? Why are you sneaking out to eat behind your husband's back?"

Zhu Qing was taken aback at first, then realized what she had said and her face turned red with anger. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Feng Huaihe pointed to the food on her table, "I'm talking about this."

"..."

Zhu Qing realized that he had been tricked.

She gripped her chopsticks tightly and retorted through gritted teeth, "Isn't it because you're incompetent? I'm the one who needs to support young men like those from before, and I need to support ten of them."

"I'm incompetent?" Feng Huaihe's smile froze as he felt the surrounding diners casting their spectator-like gazes.

"You're just incompetent." Zhu Qing threw down her chopsticks. "If you were capable, why would you have taken Zhang Yin and that young man from earlier seriously?"

"He's nothing but a lowly dog, a bastard who resorts to tricks and coerces people when he can't get what he wants," Zhu Qing thought to himself as he snorted and headed up to the guest building.

Feng Huaihe was left standing there, staring blankly at the few leftover dishes on the table.

He stood there stunned for a long time before he reacted and chased after Zhu Qing. Just as he was about to take a step, a middle-aged man of about thirty at the next table suddenly tilted his head and leaned over, whispering, "At my age, I am indeed willing but unable. But I see that you are still young, young master. If you can't do it, it might be a problem with your health. I have a miraculous medicine. It doesn't cost ninety-nine coins, just nine coins. I will give it to you. How about it?"

"..."

Feng Huaihe gave him a cold glare, and the middle-aged man was startled by the murderous look in his eyes, shrinking back and sitting down.

Feng Huaihe then went to find Zhu Qing.

Zhu Qing sat at the table and, upon hearing him return, merely glared at him sullenly without saying a word.

Feng Huaihe silently approached Zhu Qing, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her onto the bed.

Zhu Qing immediately understood what he wanted to do, and hurriedly reached out to grab the edge of the table to prevent him from pulling her away.

"You want to do it again?"

Feng Huaihe turned around, his dark eyes fixed on her, remaining silent. Seeing her hand gripping the edge of the table, he turned back and pried her fingers apart one by one.

Zhu Qing gripped tightly, but couldn't overcome his strength. Seeing that she was about to be lifted off the edge of the table, she shouted, "You always do this without asking my wishes. What do you take me for? Just a plaything waiting for you to pamper me?"

Feng Huaihe was taken aback, then frowned deeply as he looked at her: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

As he spoke, he pried her fingers apart, bent down, picked her up horizontally, walked to the edge of the bed, and threw her onto the bed.

Zhu Qing fell onto the soft mattress, her body jerking a few times. Before she could react, Feng Huaihe's body was already on top of her. Zhu Qing hurriedly pushed him away, saying, "I don't want to! Let me go!"

"You're not willing? Then who are you willing to be with?"

Feng Huaihe loosened his sash, and his robe unfurled from his waist. "That young man from just now?"

He exposed his shinbone, his bulging muscles right in front of her. Zhu Qing quickly shrank back, her head pressed against the hard headboard. With no way out, Feng Huaihe reached out to protect her head and leaned down to kiss her nose.

"This time you have to respond to me."

Knowing she couldn't avoid it, Zhu Qing turned her head away and calmly negotiated with him: "Isn't that what you want me to do? I can cooperate with you all the way, just promise me that when we get to Jinyang, you'll let me leave."