Chapter 68 The Sweet and Loving Young Couple
Lying back on the bed, Yuezhi clutched her undergarment, unsure whether to hide it or take it out to wash it; she was caught in a dilemma.
She even felt a little regretful, thinking she shouldn't have been so impulsive with him. He could have wiped his body, she could have washed her clothes, and they could have just left each other alone. Now things had turned out this way, and she didn't know what to do.
On this island, a complete set of clothes, even slightly better fabrics, are all precious items.
She hadn't breastfed for three days, and her milk production was becoming more frequent. She needed to change her bellyband every day, and with the newly made bellyband, she only had four in total. If she didn't wash them frequently, she would run out of clothes to wear in a few days.
Yuezhi felt wronged. She had been kidnapped for no reason, and not only was she poorly fed and dressed, but she also had to endure the stares of the men outside. To make matters worse, her body was out of her control. If her clothes got soaked, she would be unable to leave the house and would be unable to face anyone.
The next room was quiet. She didn't hear Pei Heng return to his room for a while, so she assumed he was still washing himself. She sobbed a couple of times, feeling wronged, and then drifted off to sleep.
In the silent night, the young man's suppressed groans and the sweat on his brow were washed away by a ladle of cool water.
The sun was shining brightly when I woke up.
Sunlight streamed through the window, gradually warming the room. Yuezhi woke up lazily and found herself lying upright, with only her head sticking out of the blanket, the corners of which were tucked in neatly.
It wasn't like this before she fell asleep last night... She soon discovered that the bodice she had been clutching in her hand was gone!
Yuezhi was instantly wide awake. She got dressed, went for a walk in the yard, and found that Pei Heng was already cooking in the kitchen. He had also left hot water for her to wash her face in a wooden basin outside the kitchen, still steaming.
She glanced at him awkwardly and went to wash her face first.
After washing her face, she took out a handkerchief to wipe the water off her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar pink color in the woodshed with a hole in the window, bathed in the sunlight filtering through the sparse roof.
Yuezhi took a few steps forward and looked through the window to confirm that it was indeed her undergarment. It was half-dry at the moment, having been taken away to be washed shortly after she fell asleep.
Her ears were burning. She turned to look at the young man in the kitchen, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes. "Who told you to wash it?!"
Pei Heng turned around, his expression timid, guilty yet self-righteous: "Once it gets milk stains on it, it can't be washed off overnight."
His gaze swept over her full breasts, followed her arm to her clenched hands hanging by her side, then moved away gently, his voice calm, "You've always been very clean and shy, I can't let you keep covering up like this."
Yuezhi's face turned even redder.
She stared at his busy figure for a long time, then squeezed out a voice barely audible: "...Thank you."
Pei Heng didn't respond, busying himself at the open-air stove.
Yuezhi vaguely saw sunlight brush across his profile, and a smile appeared on his lips, fleeting in an instant.
She felt a pang of sadness, and her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
After the fire in the stove died down, breakfast was laid out on the table: steaming seafood porridge, glistening stir-fried tender green wild vegetables, and two bowls of clear soup with seaweed floating in them.
Pei Heng sat opposite her, smiling brightly, and handed her a full bowl of porridge mixed with peeled crab meat and shrimp, which was her favorite.
Yuezhi took the porridge with both hands, scooped up a spoonful and blew on it. The moment the porridge entered her mouth, her eyes lit up—the rice grains were stewed until soft and tender, and the sweetness of the seafood was completely dissolved in the rice soup, without a trace of fishiness.
"How did you find these?" She couldn't help but pick up another bite of wild vegetables with her chopsticks. They were crisp and refreshing, and surprisingly, they were enhanced with the aroma of wild onions.
Pei Heng drank his bowl of porridge and smiled at her: "I couldn't sleep last night, so I went for a walk by the sea. I picked vegetables from the cliff, and after dawn I went beachcombing and collected crabs. I also traded some shrimp with someone else."
After saying that, he noticed a grain of rice on the corner of her mouth. He twitched his finger but held back, only tapping the corner of his own mouth to remind her, and pushed the bowl of seaweed soup towards her, "Eat slowly."
Yuezhi added a few grains of rice, held the bowl, and drank the soup, the steam making her eyes sting.
I remember how he learned to cook for her when he was very young, and how he knew she liked fish, so he had the imperial kitchen steam a lot of fresh fish for her when the fish were plump in autumn. Later, when she had morning sickness and her tastes became picky, he rushed over in the middle of the night to cook stewed chicken for her...
Despite his stubborn temper and the fact that he should be enjoying being waited on, he showed no airs in front of her and took perfect care of her appetite.
Looking at the clear smile in his eyes, it was as if the two of them had never had any grudges and had always been so harmonious and warm.
"You don't need to be so good to me. Preparing this whole feast is too much work." Yuezhi felt guilty. She had already said some heartless things and didn't want to be swayed by his kindness anymore.
I want to be good to you.
Pei Heng lowered his head and ate, speaking softly.
Yuezhi lowered her eyes, her heart filled with turbulent waves, and all the words of refusal stuck in her throat.
Even if you don't love me, don't hate me, and don't care about me, I won't complain. But... I have you in my heart, I like you, I love you...
In the silence, the passionate love transformed into the mountain wind, whistling past and leaving only stillness.
Yuezhi could not answer him.
She feared this burning passion, afraid that her leap would lead her to an abyss.
"In that position, you can act willfully and stubbornly. Whether you save a thousand people or kill a thousand, no one will dare to restrain you, and no one can bear your emotions... The love of an emperor is always selfish."
The only sounds in the room were the sounds of eating.
After a long silence, Pei Heng lowered his eyes and said, "I'm sorry."
Yuezhi shook her head, her face calm and collected, but her mind was in turmoil.
She was trying to stop Pei Heng or persuade herself by saying those words; she was starting to lose her composure.
*
As afternoon approached, the sea breeze grew warmer.
Pei Heng's injuries had almost healed. He moved around outside, and soon people came and led him into the depths of the forest.
The junior officer who came to pick him up had a scarred face and fierce eyes. As he walked, he asked in a gruff voice, "I heard you used to fight in wars?"
Pei Heng turned his head to the side, his tone flat, "I served in the Northern Army for a few years, led troops, and killed people."
The scarred leader raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued, and asked more about the details of the troop deployment. Pei Heng answered fluently, pointing out the weaknesses in the island's existing defenses in just a few words.
The scarred leader's disdain vanished, replaced by a hint of appreciation. He patted the boy's shoulder forcefully: "Good lad, you're quite the talent! I'll take you to see our leader now!"
The leader of the private army, whose name is unknown, was tall and strong with a full beard and piercing eyes. He was drinking in the room with his clothes open, surrounded by women on both sides. The other leaders drinking with him were singing and dancing, enjoying themselves immensely.
Pei Heng frowned slightly: He had thought they were well-trained private soldiers, but it turned out that their leader acted no differently from bandits and mountain thugs.
The scarred leader excitedly reported the situation.
The leader put down his wine bowl, looked Pei Heng up and down, and sneered, "Upright posture, handsome face, even better looking than a woman. I heard that on the ship, someone wanted to recruit you to serve a nobleman, but you refused? You'd rather get beaten up?"
Pei Heng stood ramrod straight, meeting his gaze without flinching or avoiding it, his voice steady: "A man's strength and abilities are meant to build a career, not to serve others."
"Well said! You're a real man, just like me! You've got guts!" The leader slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter.
Then, in a friendly tone, he asked casually, "I heard you have an older sister here too?"
Pei Heng's eyes darkened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed for a moment, and he replied, "She is my only family. Please take care of her, boss."
The leader smiled with satisfaction, and the last trace of doubt in his eyes disappeared—with a weakness right there, how could he not be loyal and devoted?
He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, if you work with me, I won't treat you siblings badly! There's no need to call me 'boss.' Since you're willing to follow me to do great things, we're brothers. Just call me General Hu."
"Yes," Pei Heng replied, bowing his head.
Hu Yong dismissed the seated leaders and women who were drinking with him, had a sand table brought out, and pulled Pei Heng aside to discuss issues of troop training and actual combat.
From his words, Pei Heng could easily tell that this man had no experience in the military and relied on brute force and impulsiveness to kill. He was barely at the level of a vanguard general, but it was really a stretch to ask him to manage a private army of nearly a thousand people on the entire island. No wonder he had to rely on wine and women to win over the leaders and act as a bandit.
Hu Yong's demeanor and accent reminded him of the banditry that was quelled in the southwest last year. At that time, several major bandit leaders had been beheaded and their heads displayed to the public, leaving only some insignificant thieves... Could they have all come here?
While pondering, he answered Hu Yong's questions and offered several suggestions for improving soldier training, which Hu Yong nodded in approval.
"Good! He's got real skills!" Hu Yong was in high spirits and immediately gave Pei Heng the position of training instructor. "From now on, you'll be in charge of training the people in that camp in the east! Do a good job, and you and your brother will have a good life ahead of you!"
"I will certainly live up to your expectations." Pei Heng clasped his hands in a fist salute, his tone calm.
Pei Heng was taken by the leader to the Eastern Camp to meet the people. In the thatched hut, Yue Zhi was alone, sewing clothes, feeling restless.
She was all alone at home; it was too quiet.
The sounds of laughter and arguments from her neighbors, the fighting in the shed not far away, and the crashing waves against the cliff in the distance were all clearly audible, constantly reminding her that danger would follow her as soon as she left the safe zone.
She could only distract herself by sewing things until the sun began to set, at which point the outer gate of the courtyard was finally opened.
Yuezhi quickly stood up and saw Pei Heng walk in through the crack in the door, which immediately put her at ease.
Pei Heng walked in, his face expressionless, but his eyes, half-hidden under his bangs, were more profound than usual. He closed the door, shutting out the noise from outside.
"What did they ask you to do?" Yuezhi put down her work and couldn't help but ask, her voice a little tense.
Pei Heng walked to the table, sat down, poured himself a bowl of water, drank it all in one gulp, and said in a calm tone, "Let me lead two hundred men to train them first, and I've given them the minor title of 'instructor'."
Yuezhi frowned. The private army on this island had already grown in size. The purpose of training the army was nothing more than to oppress the people, rob merchant ships, and occupy a certain area. If it went any further... it would be rebellion.
The two exchanged a glance, and before she could ask, Pei Heng interrupted her, his gaze indicating that the walls were listening.
“We can’t escape for now. The people who came to the island weren’t entirely unwilling; most were refugees or people who had been sold or cheated. Those private soldiers are hot-headed and hard to turn against.” He lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear him. “I have to stay and find the people who are supplying them with money and iron. We must nip them in the bud.”
Yuezhi looked at him. The young man in front of her had a straight back and a familiar, unwavering determination and courage in his eyes that had once captivated and broken her heart.
She knew he was doing the right thing, even though it was dangerous, someone had to do it. After a moment of silence, she nodded: "Be careful, I'll help you too."
Pei Heng looked at her gratefully, his gaze gentle.
Yuezhi didn't know how to respond, so she silently lowered her head and continued working on her tasks.
Pei Heng was promoted to instructor and received his reward money that very day. The copper coins on the island were crude, made in imitation of the style of the copper coins of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Since the two of them would be leaving sooner or later, there was no need to save money, so they spent all the copper coins to buy grain, vegetables and a chicken.
After a sumptuous dinner, I had just finished cleaning up the dishes and was about to go back to my room when I saw two unfamiliar guards walking out of the dim light outside the courtyard.
"Miss Yuezhi?" the leader said. "Our leader invites you to meet Instructor Zhang's sister and have a chat."
Standing in front of the thatched hut, Yuezhi felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing these words.
They had only been on the island for four days, and Pei Heng had just recovered from his injuries when he was given an important position. How could the islanders trust a capable newcomer so much? In order to reduce the risk, they would naturally try to exploit his weaknesses.
The fact that she was only called to speak after dark speaks volumes about his intentions—to possess a woman and turn another man into one of his own. This simple and direct method disgusted and terrified her.
She instinctively took a half step back, her voice trembling slightly: "I... I'm not feeling well, could we...?"
The guard's polite smile faded slightly: "Young lady, it's not easy to refuse the chief's invitation, is it? It's just to get acquainted and have a chat, so as to avoid any future clashes on the island."
Seeing her resistant expression and lack of appreciation, the other person simply bluntly said, "Instructor Zhang has gained favor with the leader, and you are so beautiful. If you don't want to climb to the top of that mountain, do you want to fall into the mud?"
Yuezhi recalled the incident from many years ago when she accidentally killed someone. Even though the old man was dead, she was still terrified of being forced into a desperate situation and just wanted to hide in the house.
Suddenly, a figure rushed in from outside the yard, easily leaping over the fence with long legs, blocking her way. The tall figure completely obscured her, and the voice was cold and hard.
"She's not going." It was Pei Heng who had just returned from fetching water.
His refusal was so decisive that the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Before the two guards could speak, several men who had been watching the commotion and who coveted Yue Zhi gathered around. They were already wary of Pei Heng's physique and were even more resentful that he had become the instructor so soon after arriving. Seeing this, they started to jeer.
"Instructor Zhang, you're putting on quite an air! The leader invited your sister over to speak with you; that's a sign of respect!"
"That's right, don't be ungrateful! She's just a woman, what's with the coquettishness? Does Coach Zhang intend to support her for the rest of his life and not even let anyone else see her?"
Vulgar language mixed with laughter filled the air. Yuezhi hid behind Pei Heng, her face ashen, her fingers gripping his clothes tightly.
Pei Heng clenched his fists inwardly, his eyes chillingly cold. But he knew that if they resisted now, they would only become the target of everyone's criticism and be completely isolated and helpless.
He had to protect Yuezhi, but he also couldn't let Hu Yong lose face, so he had to outsmart him.
The commotion grew louder and louder, and the two guards prepared to force their way in and take the person away. Pei Heng raised his eyes and glanced at the crowd.
"She is not my sister, she is my wife."
"We are husband and wife."
The air froze instantly, the clamor ceased abruptly, and everyone—the onlookers, the shouters, even the two guards who had relayed the message—was stunned, their faces filled with astonishment and disbelief.
Siblings turned husband and wife? This...
Hiding behind Pei Heng, Yue Zhi suddenly raised her head and looked at his broad but taut back in shock.
The word "husband and wife" felt like a hot iron, burning her heart and sending shivers down her spine. The sweetness and pain of the past were turned upside down by this absurd yet unavoidable impulse.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, not believing his offhand words, but also feeling that even for the sake of survival, siblings shouldn't utter such immoral and incestuous nonsense.
The man who had previously made suggestive remarks to Yuezhi seemed to have seized upon a huge incriminating evidence, jumping out and shouting, "You're kidding me! I saw this woman sleeping in the room the night before last, and you came out of the woodshed next door! What kind of husband and wife are you? You're clearly just siblings pretending to be!"
These words immediately drew a chorus of agreeing whispers and skeptical glances.
"The woodshed is so dilapidated, and the wind is so cold at night. If they were a married couple, they would be huddled together for warmth, so why would they sleep in separate rooms?"
Yuezhi's heart leaped into her throat, a mixture of shame, anger, and fear coursing through her. She clenched her fingers even tighter. She could feel Pei Heng's body stiffen, but his stance in front of her remained unwavering.
Just when everyone thought the lie had been exposed and the jeers were about to start again, Pei Heng suddenly sighed.
"It was my fault that I wronged her." He paused, his face flushed, as if he was having difficulty speaking. "I did something terrible before, which broke her heart. She is still angry with me and refuses to forgive me. She won't even let me into the house... I deserve it."
These words were half true and half false, yet the guilty and heavy tone was inexplicably convincing, leaving everyone both believing and doubting.
Pei Heng's face showed a hint of embarrassment and self-deprecation. His gaze swept over the scabbed wounds on his body, and he lowered his voice, but it was enough for everyone around him to hear.
"Besides, brothers, look at all these injuries I've sustained. A few days ago, even the slightest movement was excruciating. Even if she were willing... I'm in this state, I'm simply not up to the task. If we were to sleep together and things got heated, what if my wounds reopened? Wouldn't that only make her more annoyed? I guess I'll have to make do in the woodshed for now..."
These words were crude and blunt, and the men immediately let out a knowing, ambiguous chuckle.
So that's how it is. He was young and energetic, but his injuries were too severe, and he angered his wife and was kicked out of the room. That explains it!
Yuezhi was closest to him and heard him more clearly than anyone else. Her ears turned bright red and her whole body felt burning up.
What utter nonsense is this!
She was so ashamed that she almost buried her face in Pei Heng's back, suppressing her rapid breathing, her hands tightly gripping the clothes at his waist, trembling slightly.
Her shy and embarrassed demeanor, completely dependent on the young man in front of her, was, in the eyes of the men who were egging her on, the best evidence to support Pei Heng's words—only husband and wife would be so embarrassed by such nonsense; if it were siblings, they would have jumped up and cursed them long ago.
Yuezhi went from being an unclaimed beauty to becoming Instructor Zhang's wife, and the men who couldn't get any extramarital affairs immediately changed their attitudes towards the two of them.
"Oh! So it's just the couple having a tiff!"
"Instructor Zhang, you can't do this! Look, your injury is all healed. You should hurry up and coax your wife tonight!"
"Even when they're angry, they still call each other 'sister' and 'brother,' tsk tsk, young couples are so lovey-dovey."
The two guards frowned as they watched the scene. They still felt something was amiss, but the onlookers believed them to a large extent. It was already completely dark. The leader had only invited people over because of that matter, and now that Instructor Zhang had made their relationship clear, forcibly bringing people over would probably cause trouble.
The two exchanged a glance and could only say, "In that case, we'll go back and report to the chief. Sorry for the inconvenience."
After saying that, he left dejectedly with his private soldiers.
As the crowd dispersed, finding there was no more excitement to be had, they continued to murmur and make obscene remarks.
A moment later, the footsteps and laughter gradually faded away, and silence returned to the front of the thatched cottage, leaving only the rustling of the leaves in the sea breeze.
Yuezhi was still clutching Pei Heng's sleeve tightly, her cheeks burning, her heart pounding like a drum, and she didn't dare to look up for a long time.
She only released her grip abruptly when she heard a clear swallowing sound in front of her. As if burned, she took two steps back, her cheeks still burning. She was filled with shame and embarrassment, and her voice was flustered.
"How could you say that just now..."
Pei Heng took her hand, led her into the room, closed the door, and before she could continue questioning him, he raised his hand, pressed his fingertips to her lips, and stopped her from speaking.
His sharp eyes gestured for her to be quiet, and his gaze swept across the simple window—behind the shadows of the trees outside the courtyard, a blurry figure quietly peeked out, secretly watching their movements.
Turns out there was a tail left!
Yuezhi instantly understood. The next second, the young man's arm wrapped around her waist, and with a little force, he pulled her into his embrace.
Caught off guard, she gasped as she bumped into his firm chest, the mature masculine scent instantly enveloping her.
A single oil lamp flickered in the room. In its dim light, Yuezhi looked up at his handsome face, which was lowered. His appearance had not changed much from before, but his burning gaze was frightening. She couldn't help but feel a little timid, but the aura around him was so familiar that she didn't want to run away. She just wanted to stay closer and closer to him so that she could forget all the fear she had just felt.
Yuezhi moved her shoulders, almost nestled against his chest, waiting for the person watching to leave, quietly enjoying the warmth of his body until then.
A soft whisper drifted into her ear: "I said those things in a moment of panic. Sister, you won't blame me, will you?"
What's the use of blaming him now that I've already said it?
Yuezhi's hands, hanging limply at her sides, grew a little sore. She quietly placed them on his raised buttocks and said softly, "It's alright. I should thank you for protecting me, otherwise..."
"There's no need for thanks between us, not before, and not in the future." His voice carried a hint of sweetness.
The arm around her waist tightened slightly, and the other hand cupped the back of her head in a respectable manner. Looking at their shadows through the hazy window, they resembled a pair of lovers embracing tightly, reluctant to part.
"I'm so sorry, sister..."
"I know you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, but the situation forces you to keep quiet and don't want anyone to see through your act."
The young man lowered his face further and further, his warm breath brushing against her nose and cheeks, finally settling on her lips.
Their lips were only an inch apart, and Yuezhi could even feel the heat on his lips. Their breaths mingled, becoming hot and rapid.
It was all just to deceive people, to protect each other.
"Mmm." Yuezhi responded obediently, seeing his eyelashes so close to hers, and the dark undercurrents surging in his deep brows and eyes, she felt her skin burning from his touch.
The young man's heart pounded violently against her soft chest, the intense heat seeping through her clothes and making her feel unbearably hot, creating an ambiguous atmosphere.
Suddenly, Pei Heng wanted to exert more force, and he let out a heavy breath, his body hovering on the edge of restraint and impulse. His lips lightly touched her lip, chin, and the tip of his tongue lingered with the sweet milky aroma he had secretly tasted the night before.
I really want to kiss him.
He tentatively touched her lips to his, his narrowed gaze secretly watching her flustered and helpless expression, like a restless rabbit, so adorable.
As he pondered, he parted his lips slightly and kissed her. The subtle trembling of the person in his arms was felt intimately, sending shivers down his spine.
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