Chapter 105 A stolen kiss in the dead of night

"Tell me about Xie Pei's life in the army. And how did he become the General of Zhennan?" He was really curious. Wasn't this process just like the leveling-up protagonist in a novel?

Sun Kan sat upright. If anyone else had dared to inquire about the general's affairs, they would probably have been arrested as a spy. But this person was Zhu Mingyue, and Sun Kan could see how high his status was in the general's heart. Not only did he have to answer, he had to tell him everything in detail.

He took a sip of tea under Zhu Mingyue's expectant gaze, and then slowly began to speak: "It's a long story. When we first joined the camp, we were all just lowly soldiers. In a small-scale battle with the Southern Barbarians, our centurion was killed. The general was promoted to centurion because of his outstanding performance, which we all admired."

“Speaking of which, Li Zhengyang, Yuan Fei, and I were all under the general’s command back then. The general would lead us out of the city on missions. During that time, the Southern Barbarians frequently came to the city to provoke us, so the general would lead us to kill them. Every time, we would defeat those Southern Barbarians so badly that they would flee in disarray, greatly diminishing their prestige.” Sun Kan said, a nostalgic look on his face.

"The general's performance in the army was so outstanding that it reached the ears of General Guan, and not long after, he was directly appointed as the Colonel of the Cavalry."

There's a twist in the story that Sun Kan didn't mention. When General Guan wanted to promote Xie Pei to general, many people in the army raised objections. They had seen Xie Pei's abilities, but things shouldn't be rushed. It was probably inappropriate to promote Xie Pei from a mere centurion to a cavalry captain. After all, there's a difference between a centurion and a captain: a thousand-man captain. A thousand-man captain, as the name suggests, naturally commands a thousand or eight hundred soldiers. On the other hand, Xie Pei had only ever led a hundred or so soldiers. What qualifications did he have to be a captain?

Actually, this statement seems reasonable at first glance. Looking at the past few decades of history, only General Guan and the long-deceased General Xu were able to command more than 100,000 troops in an orderly manner. The rest had between 30,000 and 80,000 troops, and no one had the ability to command more than that.

In the previous dynasty, there was a general who could only command 30,000 troops, but he was forced to lead 50,000 troops to fight against the Northern Di. In the end, due to his inability to organize and command the troops in chaos, the army disintegrated and almost lost the city.

General Guan, however, had his own perspective. It was true that a person's ability corresponded to the number of troops they could command, but if he wasn't given the opportunity to use his skills, how could one see the upper limit of his abilities? Xie Pei had already demonstrated his exceptional military leadership skills by serving as a mere centurion, and he believed that his potential was far greater than that. Being appointed as a cavalry captain in charge of four thousand men was merely the first touchstone he had thrown at Xie Pei.

As a result, Xie Pei's actions thoroughly slapped the faces of those who had complained about him. From then on, there were no more rumors about Xie Pei in the army, and on the contrary, more and more people admired him.

"And then? And then?" Zhu Mingyue's eyes lit up as she urged. Shouldn't the story continue about how Xie Pei rose from a captain to a general?

Sun Kan was quite pleased with Zhu Mingyue's gaze, and unconsciously puffed out his chest as he continued to recount his story: "Not long after you left Jizhou, we fought another battle with the Southern Barbarians. Their leader was a general stationed in Suiyuan, and it was he who led the troops that captured Suiyuan earlier. They had about eight thousand men, and some in the army suggested that the general lead the troops to meet them. We only had four thousand men, and even with the heavy cavalry, we only had five thousand. I don't know what General Guan was thinking at the time, but he actually agreed. And guess what happened?"

"What's up? Tell me already!" Zhu Mingyue was listening intently. If he weren't still lying in bed and unable to move around, she would have personally poured tea for Sun Kan so he could moisten his throat and continue.

Sun Kan was very pleased with Zhu Mingyue's performance. It must be said that Zhu Mingyue was indeed a qualified listener, especially good at flattering him, making Sun Kan feel quite flattered, and he also got a taste of what it was like to be a storyteller.

"The result was, of course, a great victory for us. The general fought against the southern barbarian general and finally pierced the enemy's throat with a dart. With the general gone, the remaining soldiers were leaderless and were defeated by us in one fell swoop." Even now, thinking about the scene at that time, he still feels his blood boiling and his breathing becomes a little heavier.

Zhu Mingyue was also deeply moved, wishing she could have been in that team and participated in the war, and witnessed Xie Pei's glorious moment.

"General Guan was overjoyed and wrote to the Emperor overnight to recommend the general. The imperial decree to appoint him as General Zhennan was only issued a few days ago along with the grain supplies, so it's normal that many people don't know about it."

Earlier, the magistrate of Shangyang County would probably have been too busy currying favor with Zhu Mingyue to dare to be so arrogant.

Zhu Mingyue was momentarily distracted upon hearing the word "grain." She wondered how Brother Cui was doing, whether he was still safe, and what about the grain that hadn't been transported out in time—so many days had passed, she wondered if it had been delivered.

Zhu Mingyue glanced at the sky outside. Noon had long passed, and Xie Pei was probably too tired to continue sleeping next door. He thought for a moment and said, "Lord Sun, may I trouble you with something?"

Sun Kan said frankly, "Speak freely, it's no trouble."

Zhu Mingyue pursed her lips: "Could you please go to the dumpling shop in town and find someone named He An for me? I have something to say to him."

Sun Kan immediately got up. Since he was free anyway, it wouldn't be difficult to help Zhu Mingyue find someone in town.

As Sun Kan stepped out of the gate, he was nearly bumped into by a boy rushing towards him. Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough to dodge the collision.

The boy acted as if he hadn't seen him and barged in, but Sun Kan immediately stopped him and questioned him: "Who are you?" It wasn't that he wanted to meddle, but this person seemed so reckless that it was necessary to ask, lest he offend Zhu Mingtian.

He An looked him up and down, noticing that although he wasn't wearing official robes, he had a knife at his waist, and his attitude immediately became less than friendly. "May I ask who this gentleman is?"

Sun Kan casually replied, "Young Master Zhu, the attendant of General Zhennan, is still resting in his room."

Who is this General Zhennan? He An didn't know, but when he heard that the person in front of him was not an official, his attitude softened considerably: "I am He An, and I'm here to see my manager."

He An? That's quite a coincidence.

Sun Kan withdrew his hand and let him in, then followed him in.

When Zhu Mingyue first saw He An, she almost didn't recognize him. Was this really He An? He looked like a completely different person, dark-skinned and thin, exuding a haggard aura.

He opened his mouth but before he could speak, He An's voice interrupted him, "Shopkeeper, you're finally back."

“I haven’t been able to go back in since I came out of prison after visiting you that day. The jailer must have been given orders, and he wouldn’t budge no matter how I tried to bribe him.”

"So I've been loitering around the county government office for the past few days. Today, I saw that there seemed to be a disturbance inside, so I rushed over to inquire and found out that you had been taken away. That's why I came to find you."

He An looked at Zhu Mingyue lying on the bed, her upper body wrapped in gauze, and felt very sorry for her: "That corrupt official did it on purpose, you've become so thin."

Uh… Zhu Mingyue paused for a moment before replying, “You’ve lost a lot of weight too.” She’s been working hard for many days because of her own affairs; it must be tiring.

"You can regain weight if you lose it, but you can never recover from a loss of your foundation."

Zhu Mingyue explained, "It didn't damage the foundation; the doctor said it was just a superficial injury."

That's suffering too! The shopkeeper is especially afraid of pain. He An pursed his lips and said nothing.

"Alright," Zhu Mingyue comforted him, "I'm back now, thanks to Xie Pei this time."

He An's eyes lit up: "Is it Brother Xie who's back?"

"Yes, Er Ya really did send the letter to Jizhou."

He An glanced silently at Sun Kan: "And who is the General Who Guards the South?"

"Xie Pei."

He An was overjoyed. The name sounded powerful, and the position must be quite high. At least he could deal with that corrupt county magistrate. Wouldn't no one dare to bully their Mingyue Tower anymore?

Think about how Zhu Mingyue had been forced to fabricate a big shot from the capital to intimidate the county magistrate. If she had known earlier that Xie Pei was now a general, she wouldn't have dared to provoke them at all.

Seeing that he was happy, Zhu Mingyue coughed twice and said, "He An, I have to ask you for a favor."

He An quickly came to his senses: "Shopkeeper, please speak freely."

Before speaking, Zhu Mingyue asked, "Is Mingyue Tower still open?"

He An nodded hurriedly: "It's open! The more they want us to give up Mingyue Tower, the less I want to do as they wish. Although we are powerless and bullied, and the manager has been imprisoned for so long, it doesn't matter whether you are here or not to the restaurant. Everyone is doing their job in an orderly manner, and the business of Mingyue Tower has not been greatly affected."

Zhu Mingyue felt as if his heart had been stabbed. He twitched his lips and helplessly changed the subject: "It's good that it's still open. Xie Pei brought some brothers back to Ganzhou on this trip. They've been traveling day and night. Go to Mingyue Tower and have them host a banquet on the second floor tonight. Treat them well and don't neglect them. I'll cover all the expenses. I can't move around right now, so please take care of things for me."

"By the way, arrange for them to stay on the third floor tonight. If there isn't enough room, find them a nearby inn."

Sun Kan, who was listening nearby, suddenly interjected, "We're all used to rough work, so we can just get by for one night. There's no need to look for an inn."

He An: "There are still three rooms available, but they are all side rooms. The superior rooms should all be booked by noon today."

Sun Kan clicked his tongue in amazement. What kind of inn did Zhu Mingyue run? It sounded like it was in high demand. He nodded and said, "We're setting off tomorrow, so it's best not to split up. Three rooms should be enough. We can squeeze in."

Since Sun Kan had already said that, Zhu Mingyue couldn't say anything more. She just told He An to prepare good wine and food to entertain the guests that evening.

Sun Kan was also going to the county. His brothers were still waiting for him there. Before leaving, he brought He An up with him.

It was He An's first time riding a horse, and he almost got nauseous from the jolting, but he didn't utter a sound. After dismounting, he pretended that nothing had happened.

Zhu Ming was destined to be unable to attend the banquet that evening, so Xie Pei naturally stayed home with him.

Xie Pei hadn't actually slept for long. He always slept little and was very alert. He woke up when Sun Kan was called into the room by Zhu Mingyue to chat. However, the two seemed to be having a good time chatting, and Zhu Mingyue's laughter could be heard from next door from time to time, so he didn't make any noise to disturb them.

After everyone left, everything was quiet. Xie Pei came out of the house and first looked at Zhu Mingyue, who had been up all day and had fallen asleep again after the excitement subsided. He was sleeping on his back, still restless despite his injuries. He seemed to feel an itch in his sleep and unconsciously reached out to scratch it.

Xie Pei couldn't bear to wake him, so she could only hold his hand and keep a close eye on him.

When Zhu Mingyue woke up, she saw Xie Pei sitting upright by the bed, motionless.

"woke up."

"Mmm." Zhu Mingyue rubbed her sleepy eyes, feeling refreshed and relaxed after a good night's sleep, all her fatigue gone.

He used to complain that his bed was too hard, but after his time in jail, he's become less spoiled.

As evening fell, Xie Pei was cooking porridge in the kitchen when He An sent a large quantity of dishes to the Xie family, all kinds of highly nutritious ingredients.

Zhu Mingyue had been hungry for too long and needed to drink porridge for now, avoiding anything too nourishing to prevent stomach upset. Even with his large appetite, Xie Pei couldn't finish the entire table full of food.

Just then, Li Zhengyang's mother heard the commotion at the Xie residence and arrived late. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhu Mingyue and was pleased to see that Xie Pei had made a name for himself. However, she no longer dared to act like an elder and spoke with more respect.

He did inquire about Li Zhengyang and learned that Li Zhengyang had taken on a mission and hadn't returned, which was a bit of a disappointment. He also learned that Xie Pei would be returning to Jizhou the next day, so he hurriedly went back to prepare some things and asked Xie Pei to take them with him.

Before leaving, Zhu Mingyue let her take a few dishes with her, since it would be a waste if she couldn't finish them, and the weather was still a bit hot, so the food wouldn't keep for long.

Li Zhengyang's mother came and went in a hurry, leaving behind a basket of tender, fresh vegetables, topped with a layer of jujubes.

Zhu Mingyue picked up a bunch and tasted it. It tasted pretty good and not bitter at all. "You picked some for me before, and they were even sweeter than this one."

Xie Pei: "The jujubes are sweetest after the first frost." It's a pity I can't pick any for Zhu Mingyue this year.

The room was bathed in candlelight as the two ate their meal in silence, as if they had returned to the scene a year ago. After Zhu Mingyue finished eating, she watched Xie Pei eat, feeling a sense of peace inexplicably.

The scene at Mingyue Tower on the other side was completely different from that at the Xie family's residence.

Everyone was having a great time eating. Most of the soldiers were from ordinary backgrounds and had never seen anything like this before.

Sun Kan finally got to taste the braised pork that Li Zhengyang had been longing for, and it was indeed delicious.

The lamb chops were roasted until crispy and fragrant, and were devoured the moment they were served.

Sun Kan was too refined; he was just a little too slow and missed out on even a single wool.

"Centurion Sun, your movements are not up to par. Here, have a taste!" The one mocking him was Xie Pei's personal guard, named Zhong Kai. He was actually Zhong Hui's cousin, still within the fifth degree of kinship, but the two were not familiar with each other.

Zhong Kai doesn't possess Zhong Hui's ability to hear everything around him, but he excels in thoroughness and is quite capable. He could have been a centurion, but working alongside Xie Pei is also a good option, at least he can gain valuable experience.

Sun Kan was familiar with him and didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up a lamb chop and started eating it. He was amazed by how delicious it was. The skin of the lamb chop was roasted until crispy, while the inside was tender and juicy. In addition to the freshness and spiciness, there were other flavors as well. He didn't know what spices were used, but the taste was very rich.

Just as we finished the lamb chops, several more dishes were brought out, all of which were things that none of us had ever seen or eaten before.

"General's wife has really gone to great lengths this time," Zhong Kai exclaimed. "I never imagined that the General's family owns a restaurant."

Sun Kan ladled himself a bowl of soup and replied, "Li Zhengyang told me a long time ago that the restaurant is owned by the general's wife. I heard that he is an excellent cook, and all the chefs here are his apprentices."

Zhong Kai had always known that the general had a sister-in-law, but today he only caught a glimpse of her in the prison, and seeing how pitiful she looked, he couldn't make out what she looked like.

Sun Kan noticed his curiosity and kindly explained, "Although Li Zhengyang likes to boast, not a single word of his evaluation of this Young Master Zhu is false."

Zhong Kai swallowed hard. How beautiful that must be!

Yes, Li Zhengyang said a lot, and what Zhong Kai remembered most was that he was good-looking, and there was no one else like him in the entire Jizhou.

He didn't really believe it, but since even Sun Kan said so, it must be true...

Night fell, and all was quiet.

The soldiers were scattered and crammed into the guest rooms on the third floor, fast asleep.

Sun Kan wiped his face, got up and kicked each of them, waking them up.

It was almost time; they needed to wait for the general to arrive before setting off immediately.

General Guan only gave them eight days, which was indeed a bit rushed. They stayed in Ganzhou for another day before they had to set off before dawn.

Inside the Xie residence, Zhu Mingyue was hugging a quilt, breathing heavily.

Almost imperceptible footsteps came from the doorway, which creaked open, and a dark figure slipped into Zhu Mingyue's room.

Warm fingertips brushed past my ear, and after what seemed like an eternity, a very light touch landed on my lips. It was fleeting, not particularly soft, but it was burning hot.

The shadowy figure departed, and the soft sound of a wooden door closing echoed from inside the house. Zhu Mingyue's eyelashes trembled slightly, and after a long while, she slowly opened her eyes.