Chapter 49: It’s so embarrassing to be so disheveled!
"What is Liang Jinxian doing in Changguo?" Pei Xingju asked.
"I'm not sure, but Duan Hongyuan's men have also gone to Changguo. I suspect this must be related to some secrets of Duke Xin."
Pei Xingju remained silent.
Chang State had been destroyed twenty years earlier, and the attackers were none other than the former general who had defended the state. The general had been a founding hero who had served the late emperor, fighting extensively across the land. Throughout his life, he was known for his loyalty and courage, and his military exploits were legendary. He had never been defeated by the enemy, yet he met his end at the hands of his own men.
Sensing his sudden drop in mood, Xue Gang said, "General Pei was invincible back then. Chang State had been disrupting the border for years, but he was the one who put it to the test. These things..."
"Let's not talk about these things." Pei Xingju said: "Although we don't know what Liang Jinxian is investigating, one thing is certain: Liang Jinxian's biological mother is from Changguo, so this may be related."
Xue Gang's eyes lit up: "Yes, why didn't I think of it?"
"So what do we do next?" he asked.
"Of course, you should give someone a taste of their own medicine," Pei Xingju frowned. "Just as Duan Hongyuan tried to assassinate me, you should pretend to be his man and try to assassinate Liang Jinxian the same way."
.
Dust and smoke rolled, flames blazed, and the sky dyed red with blood.
The warhorses still whistled, but the soldiers who rode them had long since been buried in the sand. Not far away, the sound of fighting could still be heard, the horrific sound mixed with blood flowing across the earth and sky, soaking the soldiers' battle robes.
A man holding a spear was still making a final desperate resistance. Countless sharp arrows pierced his chest, and the heavy armor could not bring this iron-willed general to the ground.
He staggered and fought off the greedy enemy, but his strength was limited. When the spear pierced his kneecap, he collapsed like a mountain.
Before his death, he shouted unwillingly: "I, Pei Zhang, have served my country with all my heart and soul! But the traitor has misled me!"
"The traitor has wronged me!"
After shouting, he spat out a mouthful of blood and used all his remaining strength to kill the last enemy...
The night wind was faint, as if blowing from a cold pond, making people shiver involuntarily on this early summer night.
Pei Xingju woke up with a chill, sweating profusely.
He dreamed of this scene again. For more than 20 years, this dream had haunted him and kept him at peace, constantly reminding him of the hatred in his heart.
"My son, you must remember that from now on you are Pei Xingju, not Pei Yan anymore."
"Mom, I'll remember this."
"You must also remember that your father is not a traitor, he is a hero of Dazhao!"
Pei Xingju sat up with his body bent, breathing heavily, and the sweat on his forehead kept dripping into his clothes.
"Sir?" Hearing the noise, the servant came in.
Seeing his appearance, the servant immediately brought a basin and wrung out a towel to wipe his sweat.
"What time is it?" Pei Xingju asked tiredly.
"Sir, it is already three quarters past midnight."
After a while, Pei Xingju stood up and waved the servant away: "You can go down."
"Yes." The servant went out carrying the basin.
Pei Xingju walked to the table, picked up his sword and remained silent for a while.
Golden Dragon Pan Xuan, sharp as autumn frost. In a moment, he unsheathed his longsword, a cold gleam flashing through his bloodthirsty eyes.
.
The treetops were silent, the light was bright, and short and rhythmic sounds were heard in the empty courtyard.
"Hmph~"
"Hmph~"
"Hu~~Hmph~"
Under the hazy moonlight, Zhuang Wan ran along the corridor. Every time she ran to a beam, she would scratch a horizontal line on it with charcoal.
Six horizontal lines have been drawn so far.
"Perseverance is victory!" Zhuang Wan gritted her teeth and said, "Four more laps and we'll achieve our goal."
The courtyard wasn't big, only about half the size of a football field, so running ten laps wasn't a problem at all. It was just that my original body was useless, with skinny arms and legs, and I was out of breath after running two laps.
With this kind of physical strength, how can I be self-reliant in the future?
Zhuang Wan set a plan for herself: doing exercises in the morning and running in the evening, aiming to make her body strong and sturdy within a month!
She ran back again with great effort, and habitually touched the charcoal on the table, but she couldn't find it.
Turning around, I saw a tall figure standing behind the pillar.
"You looking for this?" He held out his hand.
"Ah——" Zhuang Wan jumped up, frightened.
"Why are you always silent?"
When she saw that it was Pei Xingju, she really wanted to curse.
Doesn't he know that scaring people can kill them? He showed up here in the middle of the night without making a sound, not even breathing, like a ghost.
Oh, she didn't even know how he got in. This was her osmanthus courtyard, and the gate had been closed long ago. Could he have flown in?
Pei Xingju's face darkened. Seeing that she didn't take the charcoal for a long time, he simply helped her draw a horizontal line on the pillar.
"What are you doing here so late at night?"
"Running."
"running?"
Isn't that strange? Didn't you ancient people ever hear about night running?
Zhuang Wan gestured with her arms twice: "That's it, running keeps you fit."
Pei Xingju glanced at her strange attire. Plain trousers, a strange silk ribbon tied around her waist, and a top... the top was so thin that it exposed her bare arms.
“Why are you dressed like this for running?”
Zhuang Wan looked herself up and down. She didn't see anything wrong with it. It was summer, so of course she'd wear long pants and a short-sleeved shirt for running.
Pei Xingju scolded him: "Your clothes are disheveled, how can you behave like that?"
“…”
Zhuang Wan tried to hold it in, but couldn't help but grumble, "Why don't you look at yourself? How can you have the nerve to criticize others?"
Pei Xingju choked and shut up.
Because he was only wearing a shirt, and the collar was slightly open, revealing half of his chest.
Zhuang Wan was about to complain a few more times, but suddenly she noticed the long sword in his hand, and her hair stood on end.
What was he doing with his sword so late at night?
Then I looked at him quietly at his current condition. He was sweating all over, as if he had just finished an action.
I just don't know whether to practice swordplay or kill people.
Noticing her sudden fear, Pei Xingju calmly hid his sword behind his back.
"I was practicing swordplay in the garden," he explained. "I heard some noise, so I came to see."
I see.
Zhuang Wan breathed a sigh of relief and asked him, "Why are you up late at night practicing swordplay?"
"I can't sleep."
"oh."
"And you?"
"Me? Um...I can't sleep either."
"Why can't you sleep?"
Is it necessary to ask so carefully? Zhuang Wan laughed and said, "Maybe the weather is too hot."
After pondering for a moment, Pei Xingju said, "I'll have someone send a basin of ice over tomorrow."
"And there's an ice basin?" Zhuang Wan was completely surprised. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I've been dying of heat these past few days. I can't even lift the curtains when I sleep, and I've gotten several mosquito bites out of nowhere..."
Listening to her nagging and complaining, Pei Xingju did not get angry, but instead a smile appeared on his face.
On the other side, Qiu Tan heard the noise and ran out to see what was happening, but as soon as he stepped out of the door, Jingzhe pulled him back.
"Sister Jingzhe, why are you stopping me?"
Jingzhe expressionless: "What are you doing outside?"
"I'll go check it out. My young lady is outside. What if it's a thief breaking in?"
Jingzhe's mouth twitched: "He's not a thief."
"If it's not a thief, then who is it?"
"My Lord."
"...Oh." Qiu Tan walked back, took two steps and turned back: "No, then I have to go out and take a look."
"What are you going to see?"
"It's the dead of night, a man and a woman alone, I'm worried about my family, ga ga ga... ga"
Jingzhe simply pressed her mute point and dragged her away.
In the corridor, Zhuang Wan asked, "Did you hear the ducks quacking?"
Pei Xingju: “No.”
"Really?" Zhuang Wan was suspicious. Did she hear it wrong?
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