Chapter 82 First Reunion

"My lord, is what that man said true? Mingyue really came to Jizhou." After the soldiers left, Li Zhengyang rushed into the tent excitedly. Excitement was inevitable, but he couldn't help but worry: "Do you think he can protect himself by himself? How did he get here from Ganzhou? Jizhou is in chaos now, it's too dangerous."

Xie Pei's fist clenched suddenly. After receiving the definite news, his heart had not been at ease for a moment, but he remained calm on the surface. "Inform Sun Kan that I need to leave the camp. While I am away, he will temporarily take over the affairs of the camp."

"Yes," Li Zhengyang replied, cupping his hands in a fist salute.

He secretly glanced at Xie Pei and hesitantly asked, "I would also like to leave the camp with you."

Xie Pei wanted to refuse, but then he thought that Zhu Mingyue would probably ask about it if she couldn't see Li Zhengyang, so despite his reluctance, he agreed to his request: "Go and receive your punishment first."

Li Zhengyang: ...Fine, he can't escape this beating either way.

Zhu Mingyue leaned against the window on the second floor of the inn, looking down at the people coming and going below, feeling somewhat bored and listless. The people of Jizhou were now trapped in the city, each living in fear. A heavy atmosphere permeated the entire city. The soldiers were constantly on edge, and the people all wore worried expressions.

If it weren't for the immediate need to make a living, there probably wouldn't be any ordinary people on the streets.

The once bustling streets are now less lively than even half as lively as those in Shangyang County. Such a scene would sadden anyone who sees it.

Zhu Mingyue looked out the window out of boredom, but unexpectedly, it made her mood worse. So she raised her hand to close the window.

drive--

He could tell from the sound that it was the soldiers again. This street was a shortcut to the city gate, and soldiers going out of the city on business usually chose to ride horses through this road. He had been staying at this inn for many days and was used to the noisy sounds of horses riding.

This time, however, the sound of horses' hooves seemed thinner than usual. Zhu Mingyue didn't pay much attention to it, but glanced at the street out of the corner of her eye just as the window was about to be closed.

With just one glance, Zhu Mingyue suddenly stopped. The figure that felt so familiar to him rode up and abruptly stopped before reaching the inn.

Although he was dressed casually and his face wasn't clearly visible, the familiarity from spending nearly a year together couldn't be faked. The premonition in his heart grew stronger. Just then, the person downstairs, as if sensing something, slightly tilted his head up and glanced at him.

Their eyes met, and it was Xie Pei! Zhu Mingyue finally confirmed it, and he was overwhelmed by this sudden surprise.

My brain went into a daze for a moment, and I didn't even know where to go. After finally calming down, I took off running downstairs.

His movements were too hurried, his footsteps thumping loudly on the wooden steps, attracting the attention of others. But he didn't care, panting as he stepped forward: "Xie Pei!"

After a long absence, Xie Pei's expression remained monotonous, cold and hard, and this aloofness seemed even greater than before he joined the army.

He pursed his thin lips into a line, glanced around, and then said, "Go upstairs."

"Oh, okay!" Zhu Mingyue also realized that it was not appropriate to reminisce in public, so he carried Xie Pei into his room.

The door slammed shut, and Xie Pei's coldness vanished completely, as if everything just now was merely a facade he put on for outsiders.

He reached out and pulled Zhu Mingyue tightly into his arms.

Zhu Mingyue was also very excited. She tiptoed slightly to hug him back. The two of them remained silent, and the room was quiet except for Xie Pei's slightly heavy breathing.

He didn't know how long they hugged, but it was long enough that Zhu Mingyue felt a little tired. Xie Pei was too tall, and his toes were already sore from standing on tiptoe.

"Xie Pei?" He gently pushed away the tall man who was holding him tightly, subtly reminding him that he could let go.

To his surprise, the man hugged him even tighter the next second, with such force that it seemed as if he wanted to merge him into his body. A strange feeling flashed through Zhu Mingyue's heart, so subtle as to be almost imperceptible, but before he could grasp it, it was suppressed by the discomfort in his body.

"Xie Pei, you're too strong, it hurts." His tone carried a hint of grievance. Perhaps because he had long regarded Xie Pei as family, Zhu Mingyue never hesitated to tell him his grievances. Moreover, he knew that as long as he spoke up, Xie Pei would definitely find a way to help him.

But this time his plan was doomed to fail. Xie Pei did not let go as he wished. Upon hearing this, she only loosened her grip slightly and even rested her head on his shoulder and neck, her voice low and deep: "Don't move, let me hold you for a while."

Warm breaths pattered against his neck, and that strange sensation returned. He shrank back, the tickling making it impossible for him to think.

Zhu Mingyue felt dizzy and almost fell asleep. Xie Pei must have had enough of holding her and finally let go.

Zhu Mingyue ran off with a whoosh, poured him a cup of hot tea, and asked indirectly, "Did something bad happen to you in the army?" Otherwise, why would she hug him as soon as they met? Anyone who has been a child knows that only a child who has been wronged wants to be hugged.

Xie Pei was puzzled, but still shook his head: "No."

Zhu Mingyue looked incredulous. Xie Pei wouldn't tell her even if he got injured while hunting. Even if she found out, he would just say it was nothing. He always pretended to be strong.

The mention of injury made him suddenly tense. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No." Xie Pei shook his head again.

Zhu Mingyue remained unconvinced; his trust in Xie Pei in this regard was zero.

There was a moment of stillness in the air. Xie Pei said in a serious tone, "I'll take off my clothes and show you."

Zhu Mingyue: ...Bringing someone into your room and making them undress, even if it's just for physical injury, is still quite embarrassing.

Feeling a bit awkward, Zhu Mingyue quickly changed the subject.

"Huh, where is Brother Zhengyang?" Zhu Mingyue remembered that the figure she just saw looked like his. Li Zhengyang was straightforward and always spoke frankly, so he would never hide anything from her. At that time, she would only need to ask him if Xie Pei was injured and where he was injured, and he would tell her everything clearly.

He made a move to open the door and go out to look for someone, but Xie Pei grabbed his arm and stood at the window, shouting sternly, "Come in."

"Okay!" came an urgent reply from downstairs.

Before long, Li Zhengyang rushed into the house excitedly, "Mingyue, it's been a long time!"

Zhu Mingyue was very happy to see him and poured him some tea, inviting him to sit down.

Xie Pei sat down, but Li Zhengyang hesitated and waved his hand, saying, "You guys sit down, I'll stand for a while, standing is fine."

That might fool anyone, but it won't fool Zhu Mingyue.

Having worked with Li Zhengyang for so long, he knew his habits best. Whenever there was even a tiny bit of free time, this guy would be glued to a bench, and he was just like him in private—if he could sit, he wouldn't stand. Could it be that entering the army had completely changed all those habits?

Zhu Mingyue didn't believe it. He narrowed his eyes slightly, never expecting that the straightforward person he thought he knew could also deceive people: "Brother Zhengyang, go and help me close that window!"

Li Zhengyang was still naive. Hearing this, he walked over. Zhu Mingyue stared at his back and observed him. Goodness, she didn't notice when she came in, but now she realized that Li Zhengyang had a problem walking.

His dawdling looked rather comical, completely unlike his usual walking style; he used to walk with long strides.

"Brother Zhengyang, you have sores?" Zhu Mingyue almost laughed after saying that, but he was still trying his best to hold it in. He had originally hoped to get information from Li Zhengyang about whether Xie Pei had been injured, but now it seemed that Xie Pei was perfectly fine, and he was the one who was injured.

"Huh?" Li Zhengyang was closing the window. He turned around first, looking a little confused, but quickly realized which part of the body Zhu Mingyue was referring to when she said there were sores.

He blushed, instinctively covered his buttocks, and stammered, unable to speak.

Zhu Mingyue wondered, what kind of barbarian fights like this, always picking on the enemy's backside?

Li Zhengyang had been seen through, and not wanting to be misunderstood by Zhu Mingyue, he hesitated for a while before finally explaining, "I was just beaten with a military rod before coming here."

"Huh?" Zhu Mingyue looked at Xie Pei in surprise.

Xie Pei took a sip of tea, not even sparing Li Zhengyang a glance, and began patiently listing Li Zhengyang's crimes to him.

As a centurion, he disrupted military discipline, engaged in fights, and led his troops in a state of disarray and disorder...

"Stop." Zhu Mingyue was shocked. He really hadn't expected Li Zhengyang to be able to take on so many crimes in the army. He turned around and asked with admiration, "How did you become a centurion?"

Li Zhengyang scratched his head, wanting to refute, but seeing Xie Pei's indifferent expression, he deflated and secretly thought: He admits to the crime of fighting with Li Ding, but he can't be entirely blamed for the passive fighting and disorderly formation!

It's obvious that Li Ding has been spreading negative comments in the team, which has ruined the team's atmosphere. Even if he wants to manage things, he needs to get these people to obey him first!

If Xie Pei weren't his direct superior, sitting right in front of him, he would have had a serious talk with Zhu Mingyue about Xie Pei's outrageous and ruthless deeds in the military.

Putting aside other things, in the army, anyone who makes a mistake, no matter how big or small, will be punished with a military rod, the only difference being the number of times they are beaten. He has experienced this firsthand, having been punished countless times.

Xie Pei would never scold you for making a mistake. He would not pay much attention to you and would just send you down to receive your punishment.

This is often the most terrifying kind. Verbal reprimands may not teach a person a lesson, but a beating will definitely leave a deep impression. Now, in this huge military camp, apart from him, there are few who dare to repeatedly make the same mistake.

"Mingyue, I'm begging you, please don't mention this to my parents when we get back, okay?" Li Zhengyang pleaded, softening his tone. He wasn't worried about his parents feeling sorry for him; he was just worried that they would find out about this and think he was a disgrace.

It was indeed disgraceful to talk about the fact that his son was repeatedly punished after going to the army camp. Fortunately, apart from Xie Pei, there were no other fellow villagers in their camp.

Xie Pei wasn't one to gossip or talk nonsense. He stared at Zhu Mingyue, hoping that he would save face for him when he returned to his hometown village.

Zhu Mingyue thought for a moment and then asked, "What should I say if my aunt and uncle ask me?"

Li Zhengyang searched his body for a long time but found nothing. Everyone else had won awards for their performance in the camp competition, but he hadn't received a single one because his teammates had dragged him down. He didn't even have a chance to show off, and he felt a little dejected.

All I could say was, "Tell them that their son is now a centurion in the army and has a lot of room for advancement. Tell them to wait patiently for my triumphant return home."

Xie Pei: Ha

Zhu Mingyue: Uh

Li Zhengyang: ...

Zhu Mingyue: "Are you sure you want me to say this?" I'm so ashamed to say such a thing.

Li Zhengyang did indeed want to make a big splash; heaven knows how envious he was of Xie Pei becoming a centurion. Lying in bed at night, he couldn't help but fantasize about how happy his parents would be if he became a centurion.

Now that he had finally become a centurion, Xie Peisheng was promoted even faster, becoming a captain directly.

But that doesn't stop him from bragging!

"Don't worry about it. Just tell them I became a centurion. Even if they don't say anything else, my mother will brag about it to the outside world."

Zhu Mingyue: That's right! Li Zhengyang's mother is indeed that kind of person.

Zhu Mingyue changed the subject, "Let's not talk about that anymore. Your mother asked me to bring you a lot of things!"

He got up to get his package. "Your mother knew I was coming, so she made some flatbreads for me to bring, along with a few warm spring clothes and a few pairs of new shoes."

When Li Zhengyang heard that his mother had brought him something, he happily accepted it and opened it to look at it.

"Your aunt and uncle can't write, and there's no one else in the village who can either, so they just asked me to pass on a few words to you. Everything is fine at home, and they're both in relatively good health. Don't worry about them while you're in Jizhou. Take good care of yourself, and be careful on the battlefield..."

Li Zhengyang's eyes reddened after hearing this, and he almost cried several times, but he felt that a soldier should not easily shed tears, so he held them back.

Xie Pei sat quietly beside them, watching them without saying a word.

Zhu Mingyue smiled brightly, "You have one too, I brought one for you."

Zhu Mingyue then took out a few more packages. "I dried a lot of meat. It was very convenient to travel with the caravan this time, so I brought two jars of freshly made pickled vegetables and chili sauce. I've tasted them all, and they're quite delicious. You two can share them."

“I saw my aunt making shoes for Brother Zhengyang, and I thought that soldiers must wear out shoes a lot, but I don’t know how to make them, so I bought a few pairs in town. I think the quality is very good. I also have two spring clothes.”

Zhu Mingyue spoke softly and methodically, recounting each point in a clear and orderly manner.

Li Zhengyang watched as Xie Pei's seemingly unchanging icy face melted away like snow. When Zhu Mingyue spoke, he looked at Zhu Mingyue's profile with an unusually gentle gaze. He probably didn't even realize that a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

"Wow, that's a fast change of expression!" Li Zhengyang exclaimed in amazement. In Xie Pei's eyes, there were probably only two kinds of people in this world: one was Zhu Mingyue, and the other was everyone else.

For a moment, he didn't know who to be jealous of. This was probably the most touching uncle-sister relationship in the world!

As he was reflecting on this, Xie Pei's expression immediately changed, and his tone became extremely cold: "You can leave now."

Li Zhengyang: ? ? ? Well, what can I do? He's just a pitiful outsider.

Li Zhengyang dared not disobey and quickly carried his bundle out.

Now that only the two of them were left in the room, it instantly became much quieter.

Xie Pei suddenly asked, "Did you encounter anything bad on your way to Jizhou?"

Zhu Mingyue instinctively wanted to shake her head, but after thinking about it, she nodded truthfully: "I've encountered one."

He originally intended to seal that incident deep in his memory and not want to recall it again, but he didn't want to lie to Xie Pei: "We encountered bandits in Maling Mountain."

Xie Pei frowned suddenly. "Are you injured?" His tone was tense, as if he would strip Zhu Mingyue naked to verify if she didn't answer for a second.

Zhu Mingyue felt uncomfortable under his gaze and quickly explained, "No, I hid very well. It's just that one of the bodyguards in the group was seriously injured."

Xie Pei had a feeling that he had something he hadn't said, and he could also tell that he didn't seem willing to say it.

Zhu Mingyue would not do what she did not want to do, nor would she say what she did not want to say. As long as he could stand safely in front of her unharmed, nothing else mattered.

Zhu Mingyue didn't want to talk to him about these unhappy experiences, so she turned around and shared the scenery she saw along her journey from Ganzhou to Jizhou. "Xie Pei, you mentioned in your letter that the peach blossoms along the Jizhou River were in full bloom for miles. I saw them from afar when I passed by the river! They were really beautiful."

Unfortunately, they were rushing to reach the city before dark, so they only got a distant view. He thought that if he had the chance in the future, he would definitely venture deeper into the peach grove to fully appreciate this rare and beautiful sight.

Xie Pei's heart felt as if it had been struck hard by something, and it went completely limp.

"If you like it, I'll take you to see it now."

"Now?" Zhu Mingyue exclaimed softly, "It's past noon, is it still not too late?"

“There’s still time,” Xie Pei stood up and pulled him, saying in a deep voice, “The peach blossom grove is only ten miles away from here.”

Zhu Mingyue felt a surge of excitement. "But I'm not very good at riding horses." Actually, that was a bit of an understatement. He was not only not very good at riding horses, but the only time he had ever ridden a horse was when Wang Zongxiu threw him onto it. Before that, he had even been bumped on the back of a horse.

"It's alright." Xie Pei glanced at the sky outside. "I'll take you."